Cranberry Turkey Brine Recipes

BRINED TURKEY BREAST WITH CRANBERRY JUS

Steps:

• In a large bowl or pan (at least 8 qt.), combine 4 quarts water, kosher salt, and 3/4 cup sugar. Stir until salt and sugar are dissolved. Rinse turkey and trim off back, ribs, wing meat, and excess neck skin if attached. Submerge turkey in brine, cover, and chill, turning turkey occasionally, at least 12 hours or up to 24 (see notes).
• Lift turkey from brine, rinse well, and pat dry; discard brine. Set turkey, skin up, on a rack in a 10- by 15-inch roasting pan. Brush skin with melted butter.
• Bake in a 375° regular or convection oven until a thermometer inserted through thickest part of breast to bone registers 160°, 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours.
• Meanwhile, put remaining 1/4 cup sugar in an 8- to 10-inch frying pan over high heat; shake pan often until sugar is amber-colored, 2 to 3 minutes. Add 3/4 cup broth and the cranberry concentrate; stir over medium-high heat until blended, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat.
• Transfer turkey to a platter or board; let rest in a warm place about 10 minutes. Add remaining 3/4 cup broth to roasting pan and stir to free browned bits. Pour drippings through a fine strainer into cranberry mixture. Add any juices accumulated on platter from turkey. Stir over high heat until boiling. Remove from heat and skim off and discard any fat. Add lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste. Pour into a gravy boat.
• Slice turkey and serve with cranberry pan juices to add to taste.

ROAST TURKEY BREAST WITH CRANBERRY SOY GLAZE RECIPE

Steps:

• Mix water and salt in a large bowl and brine turkey breasts in it. Let soak for 4 hours in the fridge.
• Preheat oven to 325 F.
• Remove turkey from brine and remove any moisture from turkey with a paper towel. Place turkey on a baking sheet. Liberally rub oil on the surface of the meat. Bake in the oven about 30 minutes, until a meat thermometer indicates 170 F inside.
• Meanwhile, make the sauce. Put all the ingredients for the sauce in a medium sauce pan and heat to boiling. Cook until slightly thickened. Let cool.
• Turn the oven up to 450 F. Move the oven rack to the top. Brush or spoon the sauce all over the baked meat and bake the glazed turkey for 2 minutes. Repeat twice, taking care not to burn.
• Let rest for 10 minutes. Slice and serve.

WHITE CRANBERRY BRINED TURKEY

Steps:

• Mix all ingredients, except turkey, in a 13 1/2-quart stockpot until salt and sugar are mostly dissolved. Submerge turkey in brine. Refrigerate turkey in covered stockpot for 12 to 18 hours.

SALTY AND SWEET CRANBERRY CITRUS BRINE

Steps:

• In a large stockpot, mix together the kosher salt, orange juice concentrate, cranberry juice concentrate, water, brown sugar, cinnamon stick, lemon wedges, orange wedges, onion wedges, garlic cloves, bay leaves, thyme, and black pepper; stir until the salt and brown sugar have dissolved. To use, place a whole turkey into the brine, cover, and refrigerate 14 to 16 hours before roasting. Discard used brine.

CRANBERRY APPLE ROASTED TURKEY BREAST

Steps:

• Combine the apple cider, cranberry juice, salt, sugar, pickling spice, red pepper flakes and orange zest in a large saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat and cook until the salt and sugar have dissolved and the spices are fragrant, 35 to 40 minutes. Stir in 8 cups ice-cold water.
• Place the turkey beast skin-side down into a large bowl and pour the brine over the top. Cover and refrigerate for 3 to 4 hours (1 hour per pound).
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Remove the turkey from the brine, pat dry and place skin-side up on a roasting pan with a rack. Rub the turkey with olive oil and sprinkle with black pepper. Roast until the breast reaches an internal temperature of 160 degrees F, 1 hour 40 minutes, brushing with Cranberry Apple Glaze every 15 minutes (using about half of the glaze total).
• Let the turkey rest for 10 minutes before serving with the remaining Cranberry Apple Glaze.
• Combine the apple cider, cranberries, cranberry juice, maple syrup and apple cider vinegar in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, and then reduce to a simmer until the liquid has been reduced by 2 cups and the cranberries have burst, 18 to 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, and then transfer to a blender and puree until smooth. Yield: 1 1/2 cups.

CRANBERRY-ORANGE ROASTED TURKEY

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°. Combine garlic powder, salt and pepper. With fingers, carefully loosen skin from turkey breast; spread half of the seasoning mixture under the skin. Sprinkle skin with remaining mixture. Tuck wings under turkey; tie drumsticks together., Juice the orange, reserving the rind. In a large bowl, mix cranberry sauce, teriyaki sauce, honey, marmalade, soy sauce and orange juice. Remove 3-1/2 cups mixture for sauce; refrigerate, covered, until serving., Rub remaining cranberry mixture under turkey skin. Secure skin to underside of breast with toothpicks. Place herb sprigs and reserved orange rind in turkey cavity., Arrange onions in a shallow roasting pan coated with cooking spray. Place turkey over onions. Roast 3 to 3-1/2 hours or until a thermometer inserted in thickest part of thigh reads 170°-175°. (Cover loosely with foil if turkey browns too quickly.), Remove turkey from oven; tent with foil. Let stand 20 minutes before carving. Discard herb sprigs and orange rind. Place reserved sauce in a small saucepan; heat through. Serve with turkey.

TURKEY WITH CRANBERRY BRINE

Steps:

• 24 hours in advance, wash the turkey and remove the neck and giblets from the cavity and neck; reserve for broth.
• Mix together in a large pot 1 of the onions, 2 stalks celery, 2 carrots, 6 garlic cloves, peppercorns, 3 sprigs each of the rosemary, thyme and sage, 6 sprigs of the parsley, kosher salt and the cranberry juice; heat and stir until the salt dissolves and mixture begins to simmer; remove and let cool to room temperature.
• Place turkey in a very large pot or turkey bucket and pour brine over to submerge, adding cold water if needed; refrigerate 24 hours.
• Remove turkey from brine and rinse well; dry with paper towels. (It will be a lovely shade of pink but don't worry, it roasts a beautiful mahogany color).
• Season turkey cavity with salt and pepper.
• Place 2 stalks chopped celery, 2 chopped carrots, apple, orange, cranberries, and 4 garlic cloves inside cavity.
• Make a nest of 1 med chopped onion, 1 chopped celery stalk, 1 chopped carrot, 4 crushed garlic cloves, 3 sprigs each rosemary, thyme and sage, 6 sprigs parsley and 3 bay leaves in a large roasting pan.
• Place turkey on top of the vegetables and herbs.
• Put butter pats on the turkey or between the skin and breast meat.
• Roast in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 45 minutes.
• While turkey roasts the first 45 minutes, prepare a broth by placing the giblets in 5 cups of water; simmer to create turkey stock adding more water as needed; remove giblets. (You can chop the giblets and remove the meat from the neck and add it to your stuffing or discard it if you don't wish to use it. You can skip the turkey stock step and use canned chicken stock if desired. You will need 5 cups).
• After the first 45 minutes of roast time, pour half of the stock over the turkey; roast another 45 minutes and pour the remaining stock over the turkey.
• Continue to roast your turkey; basting with the juices from the bottom of the pan until the turkey has reached an internal temperature of 165 to 175°F (74 to 80°C).
• Remove from the oven and tent with foil; allow to rest for 10 or 15 minutes before carving.
• Strain and use the liquid in the bottom of your roasting pan to make gravy and to moisten your stuffing if desired.
• Simple gravy:.
• Discard herbs from the bottom of the roasting pan and measure out 1 cup of the vegetables and 3 cups of the juices; puree in a blender. To thicken, add more vegetables, to thin, add more pan juice. Pour through a mesh strainer to make a smooth gravy.

CRANBERRY TURKEY BRINE

Steps:

• Place all dry ingredients, wine, and 1 bottle of juice to a stock pot. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat and pour into 5 gal Bucket. Add remaining juice and ice, stirring to ensure even mixing. Slowly place turkey into brine ensuring turkey is fully immersed in brine. (If not just add water until the turkey is covered.) Put the lid on and place in fridge for 24 hours. I also added about 1 cup smashed pomegranate arils for fun. You could use one bottle of cran/pom for the added flavor instead of the arils though.

TURKEY WITH CRANBERRY BRINE

Steps:

• 24 hours in advance, wash turkey & remove neck & giblets from the cavity & neck; Reserve for broth Mix together in a large pot 1 onion, 2 stalks celery, 2 carrots, 6 garlic cloves, peppercorns, 3 sprigs each of the rosemary, thyme & sage, 6 sprigs of the parsley, kosher salt & the cranberry juice; heat & stir until salt dissolves & mixture begins to simmer; remove & let cool to room temperature Place turkey in a very large pot or turkey bucket & pour brine over to submerge, adding cold water if needed; refrigerate 24 hours Remove turkey from brine & rinse well; dry with paper towels. It will be pink but will roasts to a beautiful mahogany color Season turkey cavity with salt & pepper Place 2 celery, 2 chopped carrots, apple, orange, cranberries & 4 garlic cloves inside cavity Make a nest of 1 med chopped onion, 1 chopped celery stalk, 1 chopped carrot, 4 crushed garlic cloves, 3 sprigs each rosemary, thyme and sage, 6 sprigs parsley & 3 bay leaves in a large roasting pan Place turkey on top Put butter pats on turkey or between skin & breast meat Roast 350°F (175°C) oven for 45 minutes While roasting prepare broth Giblets in 5 cups of water; simmer turkey stock add more water as needed; remove giblets After the first 45 minutes of roast time, pour half of the stock over the turkey; roast another 45 minutes & pour the remaining stock over the turkey While roasting baste with the juices from the bottom of the pan until the turkey has reached internal temperature of 165 to 175°F Remove from oven & tent with foil allow to rest for 15 minutes before carving Strain & use the liquid in the bottom of roasting pan to make gravy & to moisten stuffing if desired Simple gravy Discard herbs from the bottom of the roasting pan & measure out 1 cup of the vegetables & 3 cups of the juices; puree in a blender. To thicken, & more vegetables, to thin, add more pan juice. Pour through a mesh strainer to make smooth gravy.