Turkey Brine

The Best Holiday Turkey Brine

If you like your poultry tender and succulent, then you need to add this Turkey Brine to your things to do list this holiday season. A good brine will add so much moisture and flavor to your roasted bird, you’ll never again cook it with out one. This recipe adds a light yet fruity bouquet to the pallet that really compliments the Turkey. There’s a few other ingredients that might surprise you but overall, I really think you’ll be pleased with the results.

Does a Turkey Brine Really Help?

A Turkey Brine is more about the salt than anything. All of the flavors help but the salt goes through and through, constantly repeating. This helps the bird retain water and since water has memory, all of those ingredients that season the water also season the bird. So, a brine absolutely makes all of the difference in the world. Unless you don’t like a crispy skin, basting isn’t even necessary. And don’t feel like you have to add all of these ingredients. Technically, the salt is enough but feel free to play with it a bit and find your own ingredients and write your own recipe. You can even refer to my Tin can Chicken Brine recipe if you’d like.

Turkey Brine Ingredients:

1 gal water
2 cups Apple Cider Vinegar
2 cups Brown Sugar
1/2 cup Table Salt
2 tbsp Black Pepper
1 tbsp Cinnamon
1/2 tsp Ground Clove
5 Garlic Cloves, crushed
5 Bay Leaves, dry or fresh
2 Sprigs Rosemary
Peel from 2 large Oranges
3 to 4 lbs Ice

1 Turkey

Be sure to follow the instructions in the Turkey Brine video tutorial and continue with the Roasted Turkey and Gravy recipe, coming up next.

UPDATE:

I have since used this recipe with some substitutions and one particular additive that yielded better results in both the flavor and juiciness of the bird. The Turkey I brined and roasted was barley over 19 lbs and, for some reason, cooked way faster than I expected.

I exchanged the orange peel for lemon, the salt for it’s weight in pickling salt and I added in approximately 1 dozen Allspice seeds. What a difference it made. I also crushed, ground and sprinkled allspice powder over the skin of the turkey, before roasting. I stuffed the bird with Parsley only and a full cube of butter, then baked with a lid at 275° F. To my surprise, the bird was fully cooked in under 3 hours. It should’ve taken twice that long; according to the experts. 20 to 25 minutes per lbs. The outside of the bird was perfectly cooked with an even golden brown tone. I didn’t roast at a higher temp before hand, rotate the turkey of baste either. One of the Best Turkey’s I have ever made.

Leg of Lamb with Sweet Chili Glaze

Asian Style Leg of Lamb

This Leg of Lamb recipe is phenomenal and I’m not just saying that. It’s got all of the flare and Sweet flavor that any Lamb recipe should have. It’s succulent, tender and it’s got a nice caramelized glaze that just can’t be denied. Some could argue that it’s Asian influence makes this a Hawaiian recipe but I didn’t consult any Asian or Hawaiian recipes before I put this together. Though, I do have plenty of experience with the majority of these ingredients, the variety, I think will shock you.

4 to 6 lbs Leg of Lamb

The secret to a great leg of lamb lies in the combination of a balanced flavor with a tender, slow and low roast. How is this achieved? Well, I’ve learned that beef is generally more pleasant to eat because of the saturated fats. Lamb, however, has unsaturated fats that oxidize, giving it a stronger gamy taste that can tend to be a bit overwhelming. Mustard and Vinegar can be applied to neutralize the process and minimize the unpleasant taste. In this recipe, I’ve chosen to use Wasabi and it really does the trick. And, you don’t have to be afraid of using it either. Wasabi has a mixture of cabbages, horseradish and mustard that really evens out the flavor and there’s no unbearable heat either. In fact there is no spiciness left in the meat, whatsoever. And after the Sweet Chili Glaze caramelizes, you’ve got yourself one helluva Leg of Lamb!

Be sure to check out my Garlic Crusted Rack of Lamb, my Grilled Lamb chops with Pesto or my pan seared and baked Rack of Lamb with Aju.

Leg of Lamb with Sweet Chili Glaze Ingredients:

1 Leg of Lamb, 4-6 lbs.

4 Garlic Cloves
1.5 oz Wasabi Paste
1 tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
1 tbsp Honey
1/2 tsp Anchovy Paste

Glaze
2 tbsp Garlic Bean Sauce
2 tbsp Hoisin Sauce
4 tbsp Sweet Chili Sauce

Garnish
2 tbsp Toasted Sesame Seeds
2 tbsp Fresh Mint, chopped
1/4 cup Pineapple, diced
1/4 cup Mango, diced

Follow the instructions in the Leg of lamb with Sweet Chili Glaze video tutorial and I’ll show you exactly how to make this recipe.

Roast Duck – Seasoned and Stuffed

This Roast Duck is Fantastic

Here’s a Roast Duck recipe that I would highly recommend. It’s very easy to prepare and the taste is out of this world. I stuff the duck with a wonderful array of aromatic flavors that completely permeates the breast from the inside out when it marinates and bakes and I Salt the outside with Kosher and Smoked Paprika, leaving you with an irresistible taste and an unforgettable experience.

Cantonese Roast Duck

If you are looking for more of an Oriental Style recipe, like a Cantonese or Peking Duck recipe, just follow my Cantonese Chicken recipe. It’s the exact same recipe that P.F. Chang’s uses on their Cantonese Duck and Chicken recipes. I also have recipes for Beer Can Chicken, a Tin Can Chicken Brine and a tutorial to teach you How to Carve Whole Poultry.

In the meantime, take a look at this Roast Duck recipe and the video tutorial I’ve prepared for you down below and be sure to comment and share with your friends.

Roast Duck Ingredients:

1 Duck, at room temperature

Filling
1 tbsp Kosher Salt
1 tsp Ground Sage
3 Garlic Cloves, crushed
2 Sprigs Fresh Rosemary
1 Bunch Green Onion

Rub & Basting
1 tsp White Vinegar
1 tsp Honey

1 tbsp Kosher Salt
1 tsp Smoked Paprika

Bake at 350 degrees f. for 1 hour and 30 minutes and your Roast Duck will be perfect.