Turkey Marinade
A Little Personal History:
After years of trial and error, one of the great secrets of a flavorful, juicy, succulent Turkey is a great overnight marinade sometimes referred to as “Brining the Turkey”. Here’s an easy and great way to do it!
Description:
| Categories: | Holiday, Turkey, Marinade |
| Servings: | For 1 (14 to 16 pound) thawed young turkey |
| Time: | – Preparation: 30 minutes – Refrigeration: Overnight or 8 – 16 hours |
| Equipment: | Large pot, 5 gallon+ beverage cooler, large plastic trash bag |
| Difficulty: | Easy |
Ingredients:
- ½ gallon (2 quarts) vegetable stock
- 1 gallon water
- 1 pound (16 oz) kosher salt
- 1 pound dark brown sugar
- ½ cup black peppercorns
- ¼ cup allspice berries
- ¼ cup candied ginger
- 5 pounds ice
Procedure:
- Over medium-high heat, in large pot, bring vegetable stock, water, and all ingredients, except ice to boil. Reduce to simmer for 5 minutes.
- Line your beverage cooler with large plastic trash bag so you can add ice and stock into bag (see above photo). Add ice into bag and pour in stock, stirring until the mixture is cool.
- After turkey has thawed, remove turkey neck, giblets and anything else. Cavity should be cleaned out. Store what was removed in container for making Turkey Stock.
- Gently lower turkey into the bagged cooler. Ensure that turkey is fully immersed in the marinade.
- Close cooker and set in a cool dry place for 8 hours (i.e. refrigerator, basement, etc)
- Transfer the filled “Turkey bag” to where you’re going to prepare and roast the turkey. Remove the turkey from marinade, rinse over sink and pat dry with paper towels on a cutting board. Throw the “bagged” marinate out.
- Allow Turkey to sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes prior to cooking.
- With your marinated Turkey now ready for roasting, return to Thanksgiving Turkey recipe
Advanced Preparation:
- Step 1 (making marinade) can be done in advance and frozen till needed – reheat to boil before going to Step 2.
Tips, Notes, and Variations:
- The reason a plastic trash bag is used inside the cooler to hold everything during the marinating process is for easy transfer and cleanup. If you’d rather just put everything into your “clean” beverage cooler that’s fine too. Just more clean up afterward 😉
- Thawing Turkey:
- My preferred method is to thaw Turkey in a refrigerator. Just put the Turkey, still in its wrapper, on a pan to catch any condensation. Place pan on a refrigerator rack and allow 24 hours for every 4 to 5 pounds. Refer to Let’s Talk Turkey for more details.
- Let’s talk Turkey Stock. Turkey giblets are used to make turkey stock and require overnight refrigeration. As such, I like to remove the giblets from the turkey prior to marinating and make stock after setting turkey aside to marinate.
- The turkey should be cleaned out, completely thawed, and should not be a self-basting or Kosher turkey. Self-basting and Kosher turkeys have a salty stock added that will make your brined turkey too salty.
- Make sure to check the ingredients on the turkey before you decide to brine. A fresh, “natural”, free range turkey works best, but a completely thawed, previously frozen turkey will work just as well.
- OMG, I have to cook the Turkey now and there is no time to brine. What do I do? Brining’s main purpose is to tenderize and prepare your bird to be nice and juicy. If you’re short of time, fill a large plastic ziplock bag with ice and place it over the turkey for 15 minutes before cooking. Here’s further explanation.
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