Orange and Sage Turkey Brine

Ingredients

• 1 (12- to 20-pound) turkey, not kosher, saline-injected, or otherwise pre-salted

• 3 oranges

• 3 lemons

• 1/2 cup fresh sage leaves

• 2 bay leaves

• 1 tablespoon whole peppercorns

• 5 large garlic cloves, peeled and smashed

• 4 quarts water

• 250g kosher salt (1 cup Morton, or 1 3/4 cup Diamond Crystal, or 3/4 cup table salt), plus more if needed

Directions

For best results, make sure turkey is thawed before brining! 

1. 24 hours before roasting, prepare the brine. Remove the giblets and save for making gravy. Place the turkey in a large pot, brining bag, or container large enough to keep it submerged. 
2. Prepare the brining ingredients. Strip the peels from the oranges and lemons, using a vegetable peeler (save oranges and lemons to stuff the turkey for roasting). Roughly chop the sage leaves. Measure bay leaves, peppercorns, and garlic cloves. 
3. Bring 1 quart (4 cups) of water to boil in a large saucepan or stock pot on the stove. Once boiling, add the salt and stir until dissolved. Add the orange and lemon peels, chopped sage, bay leaves, peppercorns, and garlic. Let the water return to a boil, then remove from heat. 
4. Let the brine cool until no longer steaming, then stir in the remaining 3 quarts of water. Check the temperature of the brine - it should be room temperature or lukewarm. 
5. Pour the brine over the turkey, ensuring the turkey is submerged (it's ok if the tips of the legs stick out). If brine doesn't cover the turkey, prepare an additional brine by dissolving 1/4 cup of salt in 4 cups of warm water to cover the turkey. If necessary, weigh turkey down with a plate or weight. 
6. Brine for 12 to 24 hours. Cover the turkey and keep refrigerated. 
7. When you're ready to roast the turkey, remove turkey from brine and rinse. Pat dry and stuff the cavity with leftover sage, and the peeled oranges and lemons. Salt turkey if desired. Roast as normal. Since brined turkeys often cook faster, begin checking the temperature of the turkey halfway through roasting. 

Recipe from Simply Recipes