Apple Cider Turkey Brine Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Is apple cider vinegar good for turkey brine? ›

Apple Cider-Brined Turkey with Savory Herb Gravy, is an apple cider brine recipe that makes an incredibly moist, roasted turkey. 12 servings (serving size: 6 ounces turkey and 3 tablespoons gravy). This turkey is a pleasure to offer on your table. It's incredibly moist and flavorful!

If your turkeys show signs of illnesses, don't rush to medicate them. We are glad to share some organic healing methods with you here. Adding one tablespoon raw organic apple cider vinegar to each gallon of water can help a myriad of issues including dehydration, digestion issues, and general immune system weakness.

Basic Brine

Place that volume of water in a container large enough to hold the brine and the meat. Add 1 tablespoon of salt for every cup of water you used and mix until the salt is completely dissolved. For example, if you are using 1 gallon (16 cups) of water, add 16 tablespoons (1 cup) of salt.

Here's What You'll Need:

2 gallons water. 2 cups kosher salt or coarse sea salt. A 5-gallon brining container (a large stock pot, bucket, or brining bag) 1 whole turkey, thawed.

Shake several times. Use to marinate meat or poultry for 3 hours. Reserve 1 cup of marinade for basting.

Today, marinades are generally used to bring out the flavor of the meat. An ideal ingredient for this purpose (among many other uses!) is apple cider vinegar. As a powerful bactericide, it helps eliminate any impurities in the meat.

An apple cider vinegar marinade will not only make the meat tender but will also kill all the bacteria on it. Mix ½ cup vinegar, 2 tbsp oil, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp chilli flakes or chilli powder, ½ tsp salt, ½ tsp black pepper powder, 1 tbsp parsley or any other herb and 1 tbsp soy sauce.

When Top Chef winner Kristen Kish took over the responsibility of cooking Thanksgiving dinner, she gave her brother the job of roasting the turkey. This recipe, which she taught him, uses cider vinegar as the brine, which tenderizes it and yields flavorful drippings perfect for pan jus.

Dry-brining is our preferred method for seasoning both large and small pieces of meat, poultry, and sometimes even seafood. Along with producing juicy, flavorful results, dry-brining also helps us get better Maillard browning and crispy skin.

What Is the Brine Ratio? The basic ratio of salt to water for a brine is 4 tablespoons of kosher salt per 1 quart (4 cups) of water. If you are using fine table salt, reduce the amount to 3 tablespoons. Keep in mind, also, that different kosher salt brands vary in how salty they actually are.

How much sugar do you put in brine? ›

As a general starting point, take one gallon of water and add 3/4 cup (preferable - but you can use up to a cup) of salt (Kosher is best), 1/2 cup of sugar and then the rest is up to you.

Be sure that the brine is cold before adding the thawed turkey. Place the turkey and brine in a brining bag or non-corrosive food-safe container, making sure the turkey is fully submerged in the liquid. Cover and keep in the refrigerator for the recommended amount of time.

It is the salt that you need to pay particular attention to, as if the concentration of salt in the brine is too high then the turkey could become too salty, particularly if you are soaking it for a long period.

Avoid Using Non-Food Grade Bags

Though some home cooks suggest that a garbage bag could work in a pinch, chefs warn against choosing any bag that's not food-grade, since those could be lined with unsafe dyes, scents, or chemicals.

This recipe, which she taught him, uses cider vinegar as the brine, which tenderizes it and yields flavorful drippings perfect for pan jus.

If you choose to use vinegar, your flavors will vary depending on the type, from the delicate hint of rice vinegar to the bracing rush of apple cider vinegar. On the other hand, the salt-brine method offers up flavor, clean and simple, allowing the personality of the pickled veggie or fruit to dominate.

You can spritz meat with apple cider vinegar at full strength, but I prefer to use ½ water and ½ ACV. I think it does a great job of keeping the meat moist with a crispy outside. It also adds complexity to the flavour profile by adding a subtle tartness to the crust.

Their action lowers the pH of the brine to a point that no pathogens can survive. This is the same microbial activity found in a healthy human gut. They perform the very same tasks in the small intestine as in the pickling jar; they create a pH so low that no pathogens can proliferate.