Brine your turkey overnight in this subtly sweet brine for a juicy, flavorful showstopper that’s sure to impress. This makes enough for a 14- to 16-pound turkey and works beautifully on chicken, ensuring every bite is moist and delicious.
Preparation Details
Prep Time: 15 mins
Cook Time: 10 mins
Total Time: 1 hr 25 mins
Servings: 12
Ingredients
- 4 cups water
- 1 cup kosher salt
- 1 cup honey
- 1 large red apple, cored and thinly sliced
- 1 medium onion, quartered
- 3 cloves garlic, crushed
- 3 large bay leaves
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 sprigs fresh sage
- 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
- 8 cups apple cider
- 4 cups ice
- 1 cup apple cider vinegar
Steps
- Add water to a large stockpot and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Add salt and honey, stirring to dissolve. Remove pot from the heat. Stir in apple slices, onion, garlic, bay leaves, rosemary, thyme, sage, and peppercorns. Let brine cool to room temperature. Set the pot in a sink full of ice water to speed up the cooling process, if desired.
- Stir in apple cider, ice, and apple cider vinegar. Allow brine to fully chill to 40 degrees F (4 degrees C), or colder, before using.
