| One of the biggest problems with grilling | | | | - 1 tablespoon dried rosemary |
| poultry, especially turkey, is that the meat | | | | |
| can become dry and tasteless. A great way to | | | | - 1 tablespoon dried sage |
| add moisture and additional flavor is with a | | | | |
| brine. | | | | - 1 tablespoon dried thyme |
| | | | |
| To brine a turkey you'll need to start the | | | | - 2 quarts cold water |
| night before you plan to cook it. A good | | | | |
| rule of thumb is to brine your bird for one | | | | In a large pot combine the vegetable stock, |
| hour per pound. Here's what you'll need: | | | | salt, and herbs over medium heat. Simmer for |
| | | | about 15 min until the salt is dissolved. |
| - a large stock pot (or another large | | | | Remove from heat and allow to cool. Add the |
| container of your choice) and enough room in | | | | water. |
| your refrigerator for it | | | | |
| | | | Place the turkey in your large container, and |
| - salt | | | | add enough brine to completely cover the |
| | | | turkey within an inch of completely covering |
| - water | | | | the entire bird. Now put it in the |
| | | | refrigerator. |
| - sugar | | | | |
| | | | Don't have room in the refrigerator? A large |
| - seasonings (whatever you like) | | | | cooler makes a good container for your turkey |
| | | | and brine. If it's cool outside you may not |
| Start with a clean and completely thawed | | | | need to worry about it, but if it's warm |
| turkey. To make the brine, mix 1 cup of salt | | | | you'll want to add enough ice to keep the |
| with 1 gallon of water. You'll need more | | | | turkey cool. Monitor the temperature of the |
| than that, but keep the ratio of 1 cup salt:1 | | | | brine closely during the process to make sure |
| gallon water. You'll probably need 2-3 | | | | it stays cool. |
| gallons. Add whatever seasonings you like, | | | | |
| but don't add anything that will add | | | | When you're ready to prepare your turkey, |
| additional salt. Here's a simple brine | | | | pull it out of the brine and rinse it off |
| recipe, but feel free to experiment with your | | | | with clean, cold water. Throw it on the |
| own concoctions. | | | | grill and you're good to go. The additional |
| | | | moisture will really make a difference! |
| Ingredients: | | | | |
| | | | Finally, be careful how you dispose of your |
| - 2 quarts vegetable stock | | | | leftover brine. Remember, this is saltwater, |
| | | | so it'll kill your lawn. I usually pour it |
| - 1/2 cup salt | | | | down the sink along with additional clean |
| | | | water. |