"Michael" @hotmail.com>
2008-12-24 04:50:33 UTC
if anyone still reads this group, that is...
You'll be amazed at how much more moist your big bird will be. It's also
more forgiving if you overcook it, which is quite easy to do after a few
drinks and no thermometer.
http://knight-tv.com/siteV3/ourshows/cooklikeachef/recipesallemeierS1E3.html
is the brining recipe I've used for quite a few years with success now.
5 litres water
1 cup maple(or golden) syrup, or even brown sugar
5 star anise
Πcup salt
7 cloves
Bring the water to a boil in a large stockpot and add the maple/golden
syrup, cloves, salt and star anise. Return to a boil and turn the heat off.
Let the brine liquid return to room temperature
Put the turkey into the brine liquid, making sure it seeps into the large
cavity. Add more water if you have to. Put it in the fridge overnight to
soak.
Next day rinse the turkey inside and out and pat it dry. Season with salt
and pepper inside and out. Stuff it, or whatever and cook it.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Or if you wake up tomorrow early enough, here's a 4 hour one you can do in
an esky:
http://www.foodtv.ca/recipes/recipedetails.aspx?dishid=3540
Try brining for the best tasting, juiciest holiday turkey ever! It?s a
centuries old trick that the pros use. Best of all it's very simple and it
really works. Brining encourages the tightly wound proteins in meat to
uncoil, bump into each other and form a web of sorts that sets with the heat
of the oven and traps moisture.
Ingredients:
How to Brine and Roast a Turkey
See Directions (below) for Ingredients as they vary depending on size of
bird
Directions:
How to Brine and Roast a Turkey
You will need an accurate meat thermometer to gauge exactly when the meat is
done. Don't rely on the pop-up thermometers; they are calibrated so high
that they guarantee dried out meat!
For a standard 12 to 25 pound turkey you will need 2 pounds of salt, ideally
sea salt and 2 cups of brown sugar. You will also need a clean picnic cooler
large enough to hold the turkey when completely submerged in water.
Place the turkey, salt and sugar in the bucket. Cover with 4 gallons of cold
water and submerge the turkey upside down. Turn the turkey a few times to
mix the salt and sugar. Place the bucket in a cold place for four hours for
a smaller turkey and as much as six hours for a larger one, no more no less.
If necessary to keep the brine cold replace some of the water with a few
bags of ice or even throw in some freezer packs.
Remove the turkey from the brine and rinse well under cold running water.
Let rest uncovered overnight in the refrigerator. This will drain any excess
moisture and help dry out the skin so it will brown better.
Rub the turkey with butter, ground pepper and your favourite herb or spice
mix. Stuff the turkey with fresh herb sprigs, garlic cloves and large
chopped pieces of carrot, celery and onion. Place breast side down on a
clean well oiled roasting rack in a roasting pan. Add two cups of water to
the pan.
Place the turkey in a preheated 400° oven. Roast one hour then, without
opening the oven, turn the heat down to 250° and continue roasting for two
hours longer. For a 20 to 25 lb. turkey or larger roast for three more
hours. If you have a convection oven only roast for 45 minutes first before
turning down the oven heat, no other adjustments are needed.
Flip the turkey breast side up and baste it thoroughly. Add two cups of
water to the roasting pan. Turn the oven back up to 400° and continue
roasting until the breast meat is exactly 165° and the thigh reads 170°.
Baste and check the temperature every 15 minutes or so. This finishing heat
will help brown the skin. Let the turkey rest covered with foil for 20 to 30
minutes before carving then serve immediately.
You'll be amazed at how much more moist your big bird will be. It's also
more forgiving if you overcook it, which is quite easy to do after a few
drinks and no thermometer.
http://knight-tv.com/siteV3/ourshows/cooklikeachef/recipesallemeierS1E3.html
is the brining recipe I've used for quite a few years with success now.
5 litres water
1 cup maple(or golden) syrup, or even brown sugar
5 star anise
Πcup salt
7 cloves
Bring the water to a boil in a large stockpot and add the maple/golden
syrup, cloves, salt and star anise. Return to a boil and turn the heat off.
Let the brine liquid return to room temperature
Put the turkey into the brine liquid, making sure it seeps into the large
cavity. Add more water if you have to. Put it in the fridge overnight to
soak.
Next day rinse the turkey inside and out and pat it dry. Season with salt
and pepper inside and out. Stuff it, or whatever and cook it.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Or if you wake up tomorrow early enough, here's a 4 hour one you can do in
an esky:
http://www.foodtv.ca/recipes/recipedetails.aspx?dishid=3540
Try brining for the best tasting, juiciest holiday turkey ever! It?s a
centuries old trick that the pros use. Best of all it's very simple and it
really works. Brining encourages the tightly wound proteins in meat to
uncoil, bump into each other and form a web of sorts that sets with the heat
of the oven and traps moisture.
Ingredients:
How to Brine and Roast a Turkey
See Directions (below) for Ingredients as they vary depending on size of
bird
Directions:
How to Brine and Roast a Turkey
You will need an accurate meat thermometer to gauge exactly when the meat is
done. Don't rely on the pop-up thermometers; they are calibrated so high
that they guarantee dried out meat!
For a standard 12 to 25 pound turkey you will need 2 pounds of salt, ideally
sea salt and 2 cups of brown sugar. You will also need a clean picnic cooler
large enough to hold the turkey when completely submerged in water.
Place the turkey, salt and sugar in the bucket. Cover with 4 gallons of cold
water and submerge the turkey upside down. Turn the turkey a few times to
mix the salt and sugar. Place the bucket in a cold place for four hours for
a smaller turkey and as much as six hours for a larger one, no more no less.
If necessary to keep the brine cold replace some of the water with a few
bags of ice or even throw in some freezer packs.
Remove the turkey from the brine and rinse well under cold running water.
Let rest uncovered overnight in the refrigerator. This will drain any excess
moisture and help dry out the skin so it will brown better.
Rub the turkey with butter, ground pepper and your favourite herb or spice
mix. Stuff the turkey with fresh herb sprigs, garlic cloves and large
chopped pieces of carrot, celery and onion. Place breast side down on a
clean well oiled roasting rack in a roasting pan. Add two cups of water to
the pan.
Place the turkey in a preheated 400° oven. Roast one hour then, without
opening the oven, turn the heat down to 250° and continue roasting for two
hours longer. For a 20 to 25 lb. turkey or larger roast for three more
hours. If you have a convection oven only roast for 45 minutes first before
turning down the oven heat, no other adjustments are needed.
Flip the turkey breast side up and baste it thoroughly. Add two cups of
water to the roasting pan. Turn the oven back up to 400° and continue
roasting until the breast meat is exactly 165° and the thigh reads 170°.
Baste and check the temperature every 15 minutes or so. This finishing heat
will help brown the skin. Let the turkey rest covered with foil for 20 to 30
minutes before carving then serve immediately.