• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Plate Full of Grace
  • About
  • Recipes
  • Breakfast
  • Side Dishes
  • Holidays
menu icon
go to homepage
  • About
  • Recipes
  • Breakfast
  • Side Dishes
  • Holidays
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • About
  • Recipes
  • Breakfast
  • Side Dishes
  • Holidays
×
Home » Recipes

Apple-Herb Brined Turkey

Published: Nov 19, 2015 · Modified: Dec 15, 2022 by Rose McAvoy · This post may contain affiliate links · Leave a Comment

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

Brined turkey might sound like a lot of work but it really is very simple. If you have never tried brined turkey you are in for a treat. After a bath in a flavorful salt solution, the roasted meat comes out moist, tender, juicy, and incredibly flavorful.

Thanksgiving Dinner

The first time I tried brining before cooking a turkey I was nervous about the process. I had heard stories of people storing their soaking birds for days in coolers filled with ice - necessary to keep the turkey at a safe temperature. I had visions of cartoon salmonella germs throwing a party in my garage as they waited to infect our family with food poisoning. I also couldn't figure out how a cooler would be clean enough, before or after, to use in such an application. (btw - I now know, there is such a thing as a brining bag, you don't actually place the raw turkey directly in the cooler)

Turkey Brine Ingredients

But, I wanted to try brined turkey because it seemed everyone was talking about how amazing the meat turned out. My curious mind just had to know - is brined turkey better?

There is big science behind brining and I have also seen some interesting debate on the merits of wet (this method) versus dry (encasing in a salt mixture). The short answer to the question, is brining better, is yes! But, it doesn't have to be as big of an ordeal as I initially thought.

Turkey Brine Ingredients
For this method I make a quick salty solution, add the aromatics (herbs, apples, etc), ice it down, and add just the turkey leg quarters (legs and thighs attached). All in a large soup pot. I don't need to buy a brining bag or sanitize my cooler, I simply cover the pot with plastic wrap and slide it in the refrigerator. Preparing the brine takes a few minutes.

I also don't leave the turkey in the brine for very long compared to other methods, which can get a little too salty for my liking. I stick to about 40 minutes per pound, and since we are just using the legs it only takes a few hours.

Brined Turkey, Roasting Turkey Legs

Once the brining is done most of the seasoning work is finished. From there I do a simple roast, with more aromatics, and the meat comes out super flavorful, extremely tender and oh so delicious.

This step may sound a little daunting but trust me, it makes nailing the turkey so much easier. With this quicker method you can do everything on the same day and still have a beautiful meal on the table by 3 or 4 in the afternoon if you wish. First brine the turkey, then make the sides, put the turkey in to roast, and enjoy a less stress holiday, the way people do in television commercials.

Brined Turkey, Roasting Turkey Legs

Apple-Herb Brined Turkey

Rose McAvoy
The first thing to note is, you can use this brine for a whole turkey, parts of the turkey, or chicken! Brining is a wonderfully easy method to add flavor to turkey and chicken and helps it come out moist and juicy.
The process of brining generally yields pan juices that are too salty for making gravy or stock. Brining only the leg quarters of your turkey is much faster than brining the entire bird. It also leaves the whole breast for a more traditional roast, whose pan drippings may be used to make a gravy. --Inspired by Alton Brown's Brined Turkey recipe
Print Recipe
Prep Time 3 hours hrs 40 minutes mins
Cook Time 1 hour hr
Total Time 4 hours hrs 40 minutes mins
Course Entree
Cuisine American
Servings 8 +

Ingredients
  

  • 4 cups water
  • 1 cup Kosher salt
  • ½ cup maple syrup may substitute brown sugar
  • 1 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon whole pepper corns
  • 1 lb 2-3 crisp red apples, quartered
  • 8 cups heavily iced water
  • 5 lbs turkey leg quarters bone-in and skin on
  • 3 6+ inch rosemary sprigs
  • 4-5 thyme

Instructions
 

  • In 3 quart pan, combine the water, salt, syrup, vinegar, and pepper corns. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring until the solids have completely dissolved into the liquid then combine with the ice water to cool immediately. Alternately, you can cool and refrigerate the mixture, before adding the additional water, until you are ready to brine your turkey.
  • When you are ready to brine the turkey, get out a large stock pot or line a large, clean, food safe bucket with a brining bag, secure the edges by folding them over the top of the bucket. Place the turkey and apples in the pot or bag then cover with the ice cold brine. Make sure the turkey is fully submerged in the brine, place a plate over the meat if needed to keep it in the liquid. Tie off your brine bag if using or cover your pot with the lid or plastic wrap.
  • Refrigerate the brining turkey for 40 minutes for every pound - 3 hours and 2 minutes for 5 lbs. When enough time has passed, remove the turkey from the brine, carefully discard the brine and all the additional ingredients. Pat the skin dry with paper towels and allow the meat to sit for 30 minutes to reach room temperature.
  • While the meat rests: Set the oven rack to the vertical center and pre-heat the oven to 425F. Slice a large onion and a large navel orange into ¼ inch rounds. Arrange the slices, rosemary, and thyme sprigs in an even layer in a roasting pan. Place the turkey, skin side up, on the onion and orange slices.
  • Roast the turkey for 45 minutes - 1 hour, until the thickest part of the thigh has reached 155F degrees. Remove the turkey from the oven, tent loosely with foil, and let rest 10-30 minutes - the temperature of the meat should continue to increase to 165F.

Other great brined turkey recipes

Good Eat's Roast Turkey

Savory Sweet Life - How to Brine a Turkey

More Recipes

  • Easy ham-corn chowder is healthy comfort food for busy days. Enjoy the final days of summer and get excited about fall, with this quick soup recipe.
    Low Fat Corn Chowder
  • 3 Ingredient Carrot Cake Recipe
  • Molasses Banana-Oat Bread hearty with a subtle sweetness. Perfectly satisfying as a wholesome snack or quick meal on the go. An excellent recipe to use over-ripe bananas.
    Molasses Banana-Oat Bread
  • Turn 1 tender roast of lean beef into 4 easy meals. Get these healthy family dinners on the table in under 30 minutes each - some as little as 15.
    Lean Beef

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

Hi, I'm Skylar! Welcome to PlateFullOfGrace!

More about me →

Popular

  • 3 Ingredient Carrot Cake Recipe
  • How to Roast Buttercup Squash
    Simply Roasted Buttercup Squash
  • cooking with tea: Smoky Tomato Soup
    Sinus Clearing Soup
  • Chicken thighs baked with tomato sauce
    Healthy Baked Chicken Marinara
  • Seafood Chowder on Galway Bay
  • At last! A gluten free and soy free teriyaki chicken recipe! Easy recipe for teriyaki style marinade. Excellent with all proteins from tofu to steak.
    Teriyaki Chicken
  • Easy ham-corn chowder is healthy comfort food for busy days. Enjoy the final days of summer and get excited about fall, with this quick soup recipe.
    Low Fat Corn Chowder

Holidays

  • Tender cranberry glazed meatballs dotted with dried cranberries & fresh parsley, pan seared, then simmered in a sweet-tart cranberry glaze.
    Festive Cranberry Glazed Meatballs
  • Easy Apple Cinnamon Homemade Granola is a quick and easy granola recipe. Pair with yogurt for a quick deliciously satisfying weight loss friendly breakfast.
    Easy Apple Cinnamon Homemade Granola
  • Homemade Gift Candied Nuts
    Stovetop Candied Nuts with sugar and spice
  • easy holiday peppermint meringue kisses
    Peppermint Meringue Kisses

Hi, I'm Skylar! Welcome to PlateFullOfGrace!

More about me →

Popular

  • 3 Ingredient Carrot Cake Recipe
  • How to Roast Buttercup Squash
    Simply Roasted Buttercup Squash
  • cooking with tea: Smoky Tomato Soup
    Sinus Clearing Soup
  • Chicken thighs baked with tomato sauce
    Healthy Baked Chicken Marinara
  • Seafood Chowder on Galway Bay
  • At last! A gluten free and soy free teriyaki chicken recipe! Easy recipe for teriyaki style marinade. Excellent with all proteins from tofu to steak.
    Teriyaki Chicken
  • Easy ham-corn chowder is healthy comfort food for busy days. Enjoy the final days of summer and get excited about fall, with this quick soup recipe.
    Low Fat Corn Chowder

Holidays

  • Moist, sweet, hearty, and laced with spices to chase the winter chill away. This Gingerbread cake is the ultimate Holiday treat.
    Gingerbread Cake with Light Cream Cheese Frosting
  • Simple Holiday Sides: Maple-Orange Cranberry Sauce
  • Weeknight Potato Hash & Prepping for the Holidays

Footer

↑ back to top

About

  • Terms & Conditions

Newsletter

  • Sign Up! for emails and updates

Contact

  • Contact

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Copyright © 2022 PlateFullOfGrace