I have made this recipe year after year. Everyone always wonders what the cooler is doing in my ktichen. Here’s the video link to a youtube video to show you how to do this easily.
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.
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Notes
Food Safety Note:
It is very important that you check your turkey while it's thawing and soaking in brine.
- The cooler needs to STAY AT 41 degrees. Add ice over the turkey as needed to keep that temperature cold.
- ALL meat MUST BE COVERED while it brines. Air and temperature issues can cause bacteria to grow.
Ingredients
- 1 gallon hot water
- 1 cup kosher salt
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup Sauce Goddess Super Chunk spice rub
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary (or 3 Tbsp dry)
- 4 bay leaves
- 20 whole peppercorns (or 2 Tbsp black pepper)
Instructions
Brine Recipe
- Place all ingredients in a large pot and bring to a simmer.
- Once warm, taste it. It should be salty, slightly sweet, and have the flavor of the spices and herbs.
- Let cool completely.
2-3 Day Roast Turkey
- Remove the wrapping from your mostly thawed turkey.
- Remove the neck and internal organs of giblets, heart and liver. Cook those or discard - it's up to you.
- 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.
- Pour cooled brine over turkey and add water to cover if needed.
- 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.
- Keep adding ice to the cooler as the turkey thaws. You want a slow thaw.
- 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.
- Remove it from the brine and rinse completely with fresh water.
- Pat dry and roast as usual.
Pork Loin
- 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.
- Soak in brine for 1 day.
- Rinse in clean water and roast as usual.
