thanksgiving turkey brine

Ingredients

• Servings: 20
• 1 gallon water
• 4 quarts chicken broth
• 1 1/2 cups kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 2 tablespoons dried rosemary
• 2 tablespoons dried minced onion
• 2 tablespoons dried basil
• 2 tablespoons dried savory
• 2 tablespoons dried marjoram
• 2 tablespoons dried thyme
• 2 tablespoons dried tarragon
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 tablespoon ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
• 2 gallons ice, divided, or more as needed
• 1 (20 pound) whole turkey, neck and giblets removed

Recipe

Cook Time: 5 hrs

Ready Time: 17 hrs


• mix water, chicken broth, and salt together in a 5-gallon bucket with lid until salt dissolves. add garlic, rosemary, onion, basil, savory, marjoram, thyme, tarragon, oregano, pepper, and coriander and mix well. stir 2 cups ice into brine.
• place turkey into brine, filling cavity with brine. add enough ice to bucket to cover turkey. secure lid on bucket. swish bucket from side-to-side to chill water. refrigerate turkey and bucket, refilling with ice every 2 hours as needed, 12 to 24 hours.
• preheat oven to 350 degrees f (175 degrees c).
• remove turkey from brine and pat dry. discard brine. place turkey on a rack inside a roasting pan.
• bake turkey in the preheated oven, basting every 30 to 40 minutes, until no longer pink at the bone and the juices run clear, 5 to 6 1/2 hours. an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh should read 165 degrees f (74 degrees c). remove the turkey from the oven, cover with a doubled sheet of aluminum foil, and allow to rest 5 to 10 minutes before slicing.