Reviewed: Nov. 25, 2009

I've used this recipe (with a few additions) five times and I'm using it today to brine turkey for the holiday. My additions: I add 3 Tablespoons of liquid smoke which is a fabulous addition if you don't smoke your bird. I also add an equal amount of sugar to salt ratio which helps the bird brown beautifully and adds additional flavor. Fantastic receipe!

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Jen Woy

Cooking Level: Expert

Living In: San Anselmo, California, USA

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Reviewed: Nov. 25, 2009

I used to hate turkey because it was so dry but this brine made me love it :). I've used this recipe for 3yrs and it never dissapoints. My friends and family love the way it comes out, extremely juicy and tasty. So far the comments I get for my turkey have been awesome. Thanks for this recipe, now I'm making it a family tradition :-)

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chula-lolis

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Reviewed: Nov. 24, 2009

I used this brine last Thanksgiving. In addition to doing the brine, I stuffed the turkey with citrus and herbs and rubbed it down with the same mixture. In a bowl, I mix 1 onion, 1 lemon, 1 orange, all quartered with fresh thyme, sage, parsely (some roughly chopped, but most still on stems), salt, pepper, and some melted butter. I stuff the big pieces into the bird and what's left in the bowl gets rubbed all over the turkey, including under the skin and poured into the cavity. It was my first turkey and my entire family said that it was super moist and tender, which I totally attribute to the brine. I'm definitely using it again this year, starting tonite.

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Corpman

Cooking Level: Intermediate

Living In: Roseville, California, USA

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Reviewed: Nov. 23, 2009

I have used this recipe for brining the past 2 years and will be using it again this year. My turkey always comes out very juicy

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Joy

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Reviewed: Nov. 21, 2009

I used this on chicken and it turned out alright. It wasn't as moist as my usual chicken which really had me disappointed. I've never used a brine before and I was hoping for something moister. The flavor of the chicken was lacking as well - the skin was delicious but the bird itself didn't have any flavor from the brine or seem to have retained any moisture. I did as others instructed and put the bird into the oven right out of the brine and it didn't seem to help. This was my test chicken to see if I'd want to use the brine for my Thanksgiving turkey. I don't think I'm going to use it. I'm still on the fence - I might combine this brine with my usual method of roasting and put some butter under the skin to keep it moist while roasting. The meat turns out much more tender and moist this way.

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Manda

Cooking Level: Expert

Home Town: Orange, California, USA

Living In: Fullerton, California, USA

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Reviewed: Nov. 17, 2009

This was good....but after the work I can't say it was better than any other turkey we've made.

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chaela

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Reviewed: Nov. 15, 2009

I used this last year and my Grandaughter told everyone that Grandma was making the turkey every year!

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Claudia Bilbrey

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Reviewed: Nov. 3, 2009

Very good. Turned out perfect!

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Jessica Ferq

Cooking Level: Intermediate

Home Town: Ozark, Alabama, USA

Living In: Saint Petersburg, Florida, USA

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Reviewed: Oct. 15, 2009

I used this recipe to brine 2 small chickens. It was my first time to actually do that. I roasted the chickens in the oven after brining them and they turned out very moist! I didn't use the onion, but I did everything else according to the instructions.

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MessyMama

Cooking Level: Intermediate

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Reviewed: Oct. 13, 2009

As others have stated rubbing the salt is not necessary, it will be soaking in brine overnight. This was an awesome recipe. I have brined before, but using citrus was the best! I added a tart apple and sage as well.

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ZAPATISTA234

Cooking Level: Intermediate

Home Town: Lancaster, Pennsylvania, USA

Living In: North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

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Reviewed: Apr. 12, 2009

Omit the step of "rubbing salt", it's not neccesary. I let the turkey brine for 2 days in the fridge, IT WAS PERFECT!!! We used the fruit and onions to stuff it with, along with some sausage. After that, we smoked it (13LBS) for 9 hours. Doesn't get much better than that!!! WOULD RECCOMEND TO ANYONE!!!!

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ANASYRIA

Cooking Level: Intermediate

Living In: Montgomery, Alabama, USA

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Reviewed: Feb. 15, 2009

This was great, though I think it was a combination of the brine and method of cooking. I used a 4 lb. chicken instead, and got some great roast chicken tips from a food blog. Simply great presentation and even better tasting. Thanks!

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rellis44

Cooking Level: Intermediate

Living In: Auburn Hills, Michigan, USA

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Reviewed: Jan. 22, 2009

This was really the best turkey that we have ever had. Given the recipe out many times.

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dhillman

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Reviewed: Jan. 7, 2009

Brining is the ONLY way to go for a consistently moist and flavorable turkey.

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LYNN39SCAF

Cooking Level: Expert

Home Town: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA

Living In: Phoenixville, Pennsylvania, USA

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Reviewed: Jan. 1, 2009

turned out always perfect soooooooooo delicious moist tender tasty

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samreyes

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Reviewed: Dec. 30, 2008

This was the first time I ever brined a turkey, and only the second turkey I've ever attempted (we won't talk about the first.) It was an absolute winner! Hubby said it was the BEST turkey he's had! The flavor really infused into the meat and even the white meat was tender and juicy. The marinade wasn't quite enough to cover the turkey, so I mixed water, a little more salt, and couple ounces of orange juice to cover it. My bird was 14 lbs. I will be using this recipe for my next turkey.

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Pam-3BoysMama

Cooking Level: Expert

Home Town: Monroeville, Pennsylvania, USA

Living In: New Castle, Pennsylvania, USA

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Reviewed: Dec. 27, 2008

Hey, thank you for posting this recipe. I just add 2 sticks of chopped celery...love it. I posted this at my blog, thank you again.

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EBV002

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Reviewed: Dec. 26, 2008

This brine recipe is fantastic. I used this for a turkey which I cooked on my smoker. The meat was so juicy and tender and you could taste the citrus in the meat. Only change I made was the addition of a little rosemary.

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MTBIKERBBOY

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Reviewed: Dec. 20, 2008

I used this brine at Thanksgiving and had a wonderfully tender turkey. I'm going to use it again this Christmas.

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Janet

Cooking Level: Intermediate

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Reviewed: Dec. 7, 2008

i love this recipe! however, i do change it a bit. i add 4 cloves (you can leave 'em out) and zest half the oranges and lemons before throwing them in. i start with a half gallon of water and bring to a boil, then turn the heat off and let steep for an hour. this really blends and brings the flavors out!. then, i add ice until cooled and measures the gallon and a half. i put the turkey in a roasting bag to brine and as i pour the brine in, i make sure the citrus and onions go in the cavity. you can put in the fridge, or keep cool overnight on ice. smoke over cherrywood. Fantastic!

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peggys4

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