How to Brine a Turkey

Start with a tub of brine and a dream, and end up with a gorgeous bird.

How to Brine a Turkey How do you brine a turkey? Tyler Florence: This thing weighs 12 pounds. You got to put it to a big vat of liquid and you have to keep it cold for 12 hours. What do you with something like that? Alex: So, we start with a pound of Kosher salt. Aaron: All right. Alex: You know what I hate? When you make the brine and you mix it in the salt is not dissolved and it all sinks to the bottom. Aaron: So, this is what the hot boiling for? Alex: The first thing we’re going to do is take care of that salt by adding three quarts of hot liquid to a pound if Kosher salt. Aaron: Okay. Alex: Now, to dye, we’re going to add a little bit of flair, a cup of molasses. Aaron: And then, you're going to make sure you get all that good stuff out of it? Alex: Absolutely. And the thing I love is I think we just think of a brine as just salt and water. Aaron: Yeah. Alex: And, this is kind of smelling like Thanksgiving already. Aaron: Yeah, little sweetness in there as well. Alex: two cups of hone and all this is going to help give that turkey that extra brown sheen that we all love for Thanksgiving. Aaron: Of course. Alex: And then, a cup of soy sauce. Aaron: And I see some other seasoning here. Well, what do we have here? Alex: Well, Aaron I did out a little something special just for you. Aaron: You shouldn’t have. What is it? Alex: A little red pepper flakes. Aaron: Chili, I love it. For me, spice is so important and I think it rounds out every sort of meal just a little bit if heat, little bit of spice. Alex: Absolutely and then I love the little dried sage and don’t you smell Thanksgiving? How does that sage do that? Aaron: It is. Alex: Okay and then some just fresh -- right in. Aaron: Okay. Alex: And crush up those garlic heads. All right, we have this hot mixture, some amount of little water just to cool it out a little bit. Give me little water. Aaron: I've got you. Alex: I love it! This is great! Very overqualified as this just for Thanksgiving if we need to. Aaron: You’re too sweet. Alex: Little water cools that down and makes it not so hot to them so wait so long before you submerge the turkey in the brine. How about some ice? Aaron: Right here. Alex: So, I have a brine already. Want to grab the turkey in the fridge? Aaron: I’ll do that and if I pull that, let me give you a hand. Alex: All right, together. Aaron: Nice job, Alex. So a little bit of that heat is actually a good thing because they will help melt the ice, right. Alex: Totally. Aaron: Okay. Alex: So, we just used five pounds of ice. Aaron: All right. Alex: So about 6 quarts of liquid. Would you want to give that a whiz? Aaron: Sure, absolutely. Alex: So, we just going to pop that turkey right in there. Aaron: This is like a lot turkey spa. So, right here. Alex: All right in there. Aaron: Beautiful! Alex: And just submerge that. Look at that, gorgeous! And you got to hear that glob, glob sound as the cavity fills with the brine and that’s how you know it’s going to really start to permeate everywhere in the turkey. Okay, so we’re ready to take this turkey out of the brine. It’s been sleeping gently in this nice salt soupy we made for about 12 hours. Aaron: Wake up, Mister Turkey. Alex: Time to come out and be delicious. Aaron: All right, so we’re going to pull it out and I’ll help you dry it. Alex: All right, you just want to grab it by the edge. Aaron: It’s a slippery little guy. Now, I think it ‘s important right to -- Alex is to dry thoroughly because this is going to affect the way it cooks and the way it browns, correct? Alex: Totally. Aaron: All right. Alex: This is a really important simple step when you're done brining. You want to just pat it up, look at you, look at how loving you are. I'm just going to wash my hands and let you finish that. Aaron: Okay. This is my favorite part actually is when we get to take the bird out. Alex: Yeah, totally, I mean -- Aaron: Let's do this. Alex: After all this brining and all this stuff, what do you get? Oh, my God! What don’t you get? Aaron: Oh, Alex. Alex: Oh, my God! Aaron: This is pure beauty. Alex: This is the ultimate before and after. You start with the top of brine and the trim and you end up with this gorgeous roasted turkey.