Brine your turkey. It's yummy.

Thanksgiving, being one of my favorite holidays, revolves around food. Yeah, there's the whole "giving thanks" stuff, but the food is definitely a focus of the holiday. So this month, I'm gonna hit you with Thanksgiving-based recipes and posts.

So today let's talk about brining your turkey. Brining allows for a deterioration of proteins to a point at which the meat is juicer, more tender, and more flavorful. It should be noted, however, that if you are going to use turkey drippings in a gravy, adding extra salt will not be necessary.


Ok, so you're going to need the following -

• 2 gallons cold water
• 1 1/2 cups fine salt
• 3 tablespoons minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
• 1/3 cup brown sugar

Then, find a container large enough to hold your turkey and all these ingredients. Also, it should be noted that this container will have to go in your fridge, so plan accordingly. Add 1.5 gallons of water to your large container. Put the other 1/2 gallon in a pot over medium heat. Add the other ingredients of the brine into this pot and allow to warm to just under a boil. When this temperature is reached, place the heated brine mix in the container with the other water. gently place your turkey in this mixture and allow it to soak in the refrigerator for at least 18 hours. 1 day is ideal, but no more than 2 days.