platter of roast turkey and gravy

Poultry and Pork Brine

I have made this recipe year after year. Everyone always wonders what the cooler is doing in my kitchen. Here’s the video link to a youtube video to show you how to do this easily.

How long to brine a turkey? Depends on the size of your bird and whether it's frozen or fresh (thawed).

Poultry and Pork Brine

Sauce Goddess
Cuisine

American

Category

Turkey and Poultry

A tasty versatile brine recipe that works well with pork and poultry. Soak a turkey in if for 2-3 days for an amazing roast bird, or drop a pork loin roast in the brine for a day and be blown away by the flavor.

Poultry and Pork Brine

Ingredients

  • 1 gallon hot water
  • ½ cup kosher salt

  • ½ cup brown sugar

  • ⅓ cup Sauce Goddess Steakhouse seasoning

  • ⅓ cup Sauce Goddess Big Tom’s Roasting Rub and Brine spices

  • 2 sprigs fresh rosemary (or 3 Tbsp dry)
  • 4 bay leaves
  • 20 whole peppercorns (or 2 Tbsp black pepper)

Directions

  1. !Brine Recipe
  2. Place all ingredients in a large pot and bring to a simmer.
  3. Once warm, taste it. It should be salty, slightly sweet, and have the flavor of the spices and herbs.
  4. Let cool completely.
  5. !2-3 Day Roast Turkey
  6. Remove the wrapping from your mostly thawed turkey.
  7. Remove the neck and internal organs of giblets, heart and liver. Cook those or discard - it's up to you.
  8. We're going to brine it while it thaws the rest of the way. Place turkey in a cooler large enough for the turkey and the brine.
  9. Pour cooled brine over turkey and add water to cover if needed.
  10. Place something waterproof and heavy on top to hold the turkey under the liquid. A cookie sheet with a couple of cans of soup or a heavy cutting board should do it. The turkey MUST be below the liquid.
  11. Keep adding ice to the cooler as the turkey thaws. You want a slow thaw.
  12. Brine for 2-3 days until the turkey is thawed out. Once the turkey has thawed and has soaked in brine for at least one day it is ready to roast.
  13. Remove it from the brine and rinse completely with fresh water.
  14. Pat dry and roast as usual.
  15. !Pork Loin
  16. Place up to 10 lbs of pork loin roast into brine. You can also cut the brine recipe in half for one 3-4 lb roast.
  17. Soak in brine for 1 day.
  18. Rinse in clean water and roast as usual.
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