Culinary Medicine for the Body, Mind, & Soul
APPLE CIDER VINEGAR BRINED TURKEY
Makes: 12 servings of 4-6 ounces/serving
Time: 45 minutes prep + 12-24 hours brine + 2 hours cooking
Good for the Body, Mind, & Soul
APPLE CIDER VINEGAR (ACV) BRINED TURKEY
As you know, I love a good ferment, so of course this lovely brine is quite delicious on any poultry, but with the heavy lifting of thanksgiving meal prep, this can support a quick oven cooking process and give you a little more time to be with those around the dining table!Thanksgiving turkey has not been my favorite meal even when I was a young girl, but this is my favorite way to have turkey and the only way I've truly been enjoying turkey for a decade now. You do need to plan accordingly so you can brine the bird, but it cooks really fast so make sure you are checking that thermometer!
So...as you prep all the side goodies, the night leading up to the "BIG meal" can be just as enjoyable as you prep the bird for it's debute. The simmer of the ACV, the hint of warming spices, and the fresh herbs (maybe from your garden), this bird will please many senses...and hopefully you can "rest" a little with the bird before carving into an enjoying the savory and lasting flavor of the brine.
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INGREDIENTS
Brine Ingredients
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8 Cups Apple Cider Vinegar (with mother)
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2/3 Cup Salt
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2/3 Cup Sugar
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1 Tablespoon Black Peppercorns, coarsely crushed
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1 Tablespoon Whole Allspice, coarsely crushed
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1 1-inch long Fresh Ginger, peeled if desired, sliced into 8 rounds
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10 whole cloves
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2 Bay Leaves, fresh if possible
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1 – 12-14 pound Turkey
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2 Oranges, quartered (with peels on)
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6 Cups Ice
Roasting Ingredients
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4 Garlic Cloves, peeled
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4 Sage leaves, fresh
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4 Thyme sprigs
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4 Parsley sprigs
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1 Onion, quartered
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2 Cups Broth
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2 Tablespoons Butter, salted
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1 teaspoon Black Pepper, ground
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½ teaspoon Salt
PREPARATION
Brine Directions
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Combine first 8 ingredients (Apple Cider Vinegar, Salt, Sugar, Black Peppercorns, Allspice, Ginger, Cloves, and Bay Leaves) into large saucepan on medium. Cook until sugar and salt are dissolved, about 3-5 minutes. Allow to cool completely
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Rinse turkey, remove giblets, neck, etc. Pat dry. Remove any excess fat.
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Stuff body cavity with oranges.
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Place turkey into a large storage container (can purchase from Home Depot, can store rice and other dry goods) OR two plastic turkey-size oven bags.
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Add cooled cider ingredients and ice.
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Secure with ties/lid container and place in container/pan in-case of spilling. Store in refrigerator for 12-24 hours.
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You may need to flip bird half way through brining session for even distribution of flavor
Cooking Bird Directions
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Preheat oven to 500 degrees F
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Remove turkey from bag/container, discarding ingredients and oranges.
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Rinse turkey with cold water and pat dry
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Lift wing tips up an dover back, tuck under turkey. Tie legs with kitchen string.
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Place garlic, sage, thyme, parsley, onion and broth in bottom of roasting pan.
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Add roasting rack to pan.
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Arrange bird, breast side down on roasting rack.
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Brush bird with 1 Tablespoon of butter, sprinkle ½ teaspoon salt & ½ teaspoon pepper.
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Place in oven at lowest level & Bake until browned, about 30 minutes
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Reduce oven to 350° F. Remove turkey from oven carefully. Using tongs (possibly oven mitts), turn bird over, breast side up.
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Brush bird with the other 1 Tablespoon butter and ½ teaspoon each salt & pepper.
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Throughout cooking process, paste turkey with liquid form bottom of pan (about every 15 minutes). You may need to add tinfoil to top of bird to prevent overbrowning. You may also need to add more broth if it gets too low, ½ cup at a time.
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Bake until meat thermometer inserted into meaty part of the thigh registers 165° F
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The brine cooks the turkey faster, so this may be within 1 – 1 hour and 15 minutes.
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Remove turkey from oven and allow to rest for 20 minutes before serving/carving.
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Enjoy!
Gravy Directions
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Using the leftover liquid from the roasting pan, either leave in the pan or carefully pour into a stockpot
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You may need to gently heat up the mixture.
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In a separate bowl, add ¼ cup Corn Starch and ¼ cup cold water or potato water (if boiled potatoes) and mix until dissolved. Pro Tip: Mixing before in cold water prevent clumps from forming.
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Using a whisk or spatula, pour corn starch mixture into stockpot until mixed.
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Using an immersion blender, blend everything until there are no lumps or bumps.
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Continue to heat up until it is thickened. You may need to add more cornstarch mixture as above
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Enjoy!
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Welcome to Health-Crush Home Tips label for this concoction. See how it fits into your daily needs and as you create your own label. From my herbalism education, I always recommend you include a few things for your own label. Check it out and use at your convenience, and happy days to you and yours! As always, should you have any questions, please consult with me and/or your medical professional(s).
