In the few hundred years that we have had Thanksgiving there has been an never ending quest to figure out how to cook the perfect turkey.  Do you cook it upside down, what temperture is it really done at and of course do you cook it stuffed or not?  Well this year all the rage is to “brine” your turkey.  What does that mean?  First off it means if you are going to do one for Thursday you need to get it in the brine today because this thing takes some time to soak and get perfectly seasoned.  We can promise you though that once you do it you will never go back and that your turkey will be MOIST and tender.  So let’s get cooking…or at least brining today and enjoy the best turkey you’ve ever had this Thanksgiving.

Here’s What To Do:

For a 16 to 20 pound turkey:

• 1 1/2 cups kosher salt (1 cup of salt per gallon of water is the general rule here … )
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon whole peppercorns
• 1 teaspoon whole allspice berries
• 4 bay leaves
• 5 stems fresh thyme
• 3 stems fresh sage
• 2 to 4 sprigs of fresh rosemary (remove the leaves, discard the stems)
• 1/4 cup loosely packed parsley (stems okay here)
• 4 cloves garlic, smashed
• the peel of  a good-sized orange
• 1 gallon (at least) of  water

With everything in the pot, bring it to a boil and then let it FULLY cool back to room temperature.

Submerge the turkey in the pot (it helps to put it breast side down and make sure the innards are removed first) and put saran wrap over the top. Weigh down the bird so it stays submerged and leave it be for at least 24 hours before cooking for your feast. In fact, if you can go for 36 hours of brining, your bird will be even better. Be sure to refrigerate or set the pot in a cool area during this time.

Then follow your usual turkey cooking recipe, but pat the bird dry before placing it in the oven.