This juicy recipe comes to us from Christine Favorito. Christine owns B & F Catering, a catering company, which specializes in Italian home style dishes and desserts. She uses recipes that have been passed down by her Italian ancestors and tweaks them just a bit to infuse her own flare into each delicious dish.
Christine was kind enough to send us the perfect Thanksgiving recipe that is sure to transform your turkey into a succulent, roasted bird. Her brine is simple, and healthful, and she urges anyone using this recipe to add their own personal touches — it’s what Christine calls “adding a little love to the pot.”
Ingredients:
**These measurements are based on a 10 -14 lb. bird.
- 1 gallon of organic vegetable stock
- 1 cup or kosher or sea salt
- 1 tbs crushed dried organic rosemary
- 1 tbs dried organic sage
- 1 tbs dried organic thyme
- 1 gallon of ice water
Cooking Instructions:
Combine broth, salt, rosemary, sage, and thyme in a saucepan and bring to a boil stirring frequently until salt is completely dissolved. Remove and cool to room temperature. When cool, pour brine into a large bucket. Stir in ice water. Place turkey in the bucket, breast down, and store in the refrigerator overnight, or for 8 -12 hours.
After soak time is complete, wash turkey, removing any excess brine, and pat dry. Cook as directed.
*Do not add any salt to the turkey. Remember it has already absorbed a lot of salt, but feel free to add any other spices you may like during the cooking process.
*Baste every hour with, chicken or turkey broth.
*Note: A brined turkey cooks about 20-30 minutes faster than a non-soaked bird.
Do you have a delicious Thanksgiving recipe that is healthful and cost conscience? Send it in and we just might feature it!
Photo by: kimberlykv/Flickr