Apple Cider Brined Turkey

    Practicing for Thanksgiving last week, I cooked my first ever brined turkey! I was a little nervous once I had boiled everything together, it didn't smell as wonderful as I'd thought it would. My nerves didn't subside until we were slicing into the juiciest, most tender turkey I've ever had! On top of soaking it for almost two days, I rubbed it with butter! Lots of butter. Oh, and not to mention roasted garlic and fresh rosemary! Making your own roasted garlic is super easy and I highly recommend trying it! Here are directions how!!

Apple Cider Brined Turkey

Ingredients:

  For the Brine:

- 3 cups of apple cider

- 2 gallons of water

- 6 large sprigs of fresh rosemary

- 1 tablespoon of minced garlic

- 1 and 1/2 cups of salt

- 2 cups of brown sugar

- 3 tablespoons of whole peppercorns

- 6 bay leaves

- The peels of three large oranges

    Mix everything together in a giant stock pot and bring to a boil. Let it completely cool and soak your thawed turkey for at least 12 hours. 

  For the butter rub:

- 3/4 cup of butter, softened

- 3 tablespoons of finely chopped fresh rosemary

- 5 large cloves of roasted garlic

    Mash the roasted garlic and then mix with the butter and rosemary

Here's my butter rub!

    Once the turkey is removed from the brine, pat it dry with a paper towel. Then, rub the butter mixture everywhere. I mean everywhere. You want to make sure to get it under the breast skin and inside the turkey as well as all over the outside. I put a couple of sprigs of rosemary on the inside instead of stuffing it. Next, you want to roast your turkey according to it's weight! Here's a good guide! I cooked my 15 pound bird, covered in a roasting pan for about 3 and 1/2 hours at 350 degrees. I uncovered it for the last hour to allow it to brown.

Good luck my friends and Happy Thanksgiving!!