Ingredients:
- ▢1 cup kosher salt
- ▢½ cup brown sugar
- ▢2 sprigs fresh Rosemary
- ▢2 sprigs fresh thyme
- ▢2 bay leaves
- ▢4-5 cloves garlic peeled
- ▢1 tablespoon peppercorns
- ▢2 large onions peeled and cut in half
- ▢5 stalkes celery
- ▢1 large apple sliced
- ▢10-12 cups water plus an additional 1 gallon of water for the brining process
Directions: (Prepare 24 hours before cooking turkey)
Place the salt, sugar, herbs, peppercorns, carrots, onions, celery, and apples into a large stock pan. Cover with cold, filtered water or chicken/turkey stock.
Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes, or until sugar and salt have dissolved in water into the brine.
Remove the brine from the heat and let the brine cool for 30 minutes at room temperature and then cover and transfer it to the refrigerator to cool fully.
At this point, you can strain off the solids from your brine. I typically leave them in the brine and then discard them with the brining bag in the morning after removing the turkey from the brine.
Seal the brining bag and refrigerate the turkey in the brine for at least 8 hours or up to 18 hours.
Smoke the turkey @ 225 degrees for 30 minutes per lb
OR Roast the Turkey:
Preheat your oven to 500 degrees F.
Roast the turkey on the lowest level of the oven at 500 degrees for 30 minutes
After 30 minutes, insert a probe thermometer into the thickest part of the breast and reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Set the thermometer alarm (if available) to 161 degrees F. A 14 to 16-pound bird should require a total of 2 to 2 ½ hours of roasting. If needed, tent the turkey breasts with foil if you notice they are browning too quickly.
Remove the turkey from the oven after it reaches the desired temperature and let the turkey rest, loosely covered with foil for 15 minutes before carving.