Brining a Turkey

This post is going to be a bit different than all of my other posts. I am brining a turkey today to get ready to fry it on Thursday. Normally this is Chef Delima's job, but he will be out of town this year, so it falls to me. For the last three years all I have had to do is buy the turkey. Then Chef Delima picks up frozen turkey and does the rest. However, I have to say I am really excited. Whenever I get to cook something new I feel like a real chef. I am not a real chef, but it is fun to pretend. And since I an following a real chef's recipe I can be a pretty good faux-chef!!  If you would like to receive these directions in written form, feel free to email me and I can get you the full directions. rubyroadcreations[at]gmail[dot]com.

When I am cooking, I really like to have all my ingredients set out and ready to go. Most of the time I even measure it all out and put it in little bowls like they do on the cooking shows, because it makes me feel like a real chef, plus, it is a little easier for me clean as I go. So here are all of my ingredients (except for the apple cider vinegar which I forgot and had to go back to the store for).

As you can see, I have all the essentials, turkey, parsley, rosemary, thyme, salt, sugar, lemons, goldfish and coffee. Of course, if you're a mom, you know the goldfish are for the little fingers what want to snitch things, and goldfish are much better tasting than anything else on the counter. And the coffee is for me, because i had to get up at 615 am to help my husband (pictured below) take his car into the shop. Now onto the directions!!

First get your self a cooler. (actually you should probably get a turkey first.) Make sure it is clean and will hold approximately 4-5 gallons of water.

Next boil one gallon of water and disolve 4 cups of salt and 4 cups of sugar.

 While you are waiting for the water to boil, tape 2 wooden spoons together so you can have a spoon long enough to stir the salt and sugar without burning your hand. This step is optional.

Here is my great spoon!! and this is what you get for asking your husband to take a picture for you . . .

What a sexy man!! YOU CANT HAVE HIM, HE IS MINE!

After salt and sugar have disolved in the boiling water you need to let it cool down to room temperature. You can do a number of things while you are waiting for this. Here is what i did:

  Yup, you guessed it, I calibrated my thermometer. I mean, what else should I have done? Laundry? clean the kitchen? Those are all boring. Calibrating is exciting!!! Now I know you all wish you had my life! A life where calibrating is exciting! Don't hate me because my life is wonderful.

After calibrating your thermometer and waiting for your solution to cool down, now time to add everything to the cooler! Start with 3 gallons of water and then add the following:

 One bunch of fresh rosemary

 One bunch of fresh thyme (my favorite spice/herb recently)

 Fresh parsley

1 Tbsp whole black peppercorns

3 half lemons, squeezed, and 1 cup apple cider vinegar

 Then add the gallon of the salt and sugar water, the turkey and 4 cups of ice and let it marinate for at least 24 hours. The idea is to get your turkey submerged in the water. My turkey is currently floating a bit so I will have to see what I can do about that. I am open to suggestions here.

So, that is my blog today. Brining a turkey. It was fun and not too hard. I will try to post on Friday (after i get home from Black Friday shopping!!!) a picture of the final product, the fried turkey!!! Yum yum.

And now for some random pictures of what was going on while I was brining and blogging.

 The advantages of having Daddy work from home, Ruby can play a few quick games of Chutes and Ladders. What a lucky little girl!

The little man totally OUT going on 3 hours as I type. He has been fighting a little runny nose so I guess he needs it. I gave him some Elderberry this morning, in a shot glass. Is that bad parenting? Not sure, but he was loving the cow on the shot glass. It was a gift from Switzerland. Funny what little ones like.

Now I am off to finish laundry, clean my kitchen and the rest of my house because my Mother-in-Law comes tomorrow! 

Let the holiday's begin! Happy Thanksgiving everyone!