Best Brine Ever (For Turkey Or Chicken)

1. 1

   Combine all the ingredients in a large pot, cover, and bring to a boil.

2. 2

   Boil for 1 minute, stirring to dissolve the salt.

3. 3

   Remove from the heat and cool completely, then chill before using. The brine can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.

4. 4

   For turkey, place the thawed bird into a food grade plastic bucket, pour the cooled brine over top, add ice water to completely submerge the bird (nothing peeking out).

5. 5

   Place the lid on the bucket and keep cold overnight at least 12 hours.

6. 6

   Remove from brine, take out any of the aromatics that may be hiding in the cavity of the turkey, pat dry and let the turkey come to room temp for a few hours BEFORE you put it in the oven.

7. 7

   (For my turkey, I added a fresh lemon, one head of garlic and some fresh herbs to the cavity of the bird before roasting).

8. 8

   For chicken brine the bird UP TO BUT NOT MORE THAN 12 hours, I've not used this recipe on chicken but I've read the warnings of people who have left chicken in this brine for too long and it comes out salty!

* Per serving · 4 servings · Values may vary.

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