Pickle-Brined Roasted Turkey Recipe
Makes - one 12 - 15 lb turkey
Prep Time - 30 minutes
Resting Time (inactive) - 16 hours
Cook Time - 4 hours
Total Time - 24 hours
Ingredients:
1 (12-15) lb turkey, giblets removed
* 6 cups SuckerPunch pickle juice
* 9 cups ice water
* 1 1/2 cup kosher salt
(it must be kosher salt, not table salt!)
* 1/3 cup + 2 tablespoons sugar
* 2 tablespoons whole black peppercorns
* 3 lemons, halved and juice squeezed
* 1 head garlic
, cut in half
* 1 yellow onion, cut into 6 wedges
* 2 bunches fresh dill
Combine all ingredients except for the turkey and ice water in a large pot and bring to a boil, whisking to dissolve the sugar and salt. Once the sugar and salt is dissolved, turn off the heat and add the ice water. (This will help cool down the brine quickly so you can use it immediately!) Ensure the brine is at least as cool as body temperature, and no ice chunks remain, and submerge the turkey in the brine. Refrigerate for 12 - 16 hours.
Remove from the brine and rinse well, inside and out. Pat the turkey as dry as possible with paper towels, and brush down the whole turkey with vegetable oil. Season well with salt and pepper and place on a roasting rack, breast side up, tying the legs together with kitchen twine and tucking the wingtips underneath the turkey.
Roast at 350 for 3 - 4 hours, basting every 30 minutes with the pan juices, until a meat thermometer shows 165 degrees F when inserted in the thigh.