Ingredients
- 6 quart tap water
- 1 pound kosher salt
- 1 cup soy sauce
- 1 cup molasses
- 2 cup honey
- 1 tablespoon dried red pepper flakes
- 1 tablespoon dried sage
- 2 head garlic broken into individual cloves but unpeeled
- 5 pound ice cubes
Preparation
Baking Directions:
In a medium pot, bring 3 quarts of the tap water to a boil.
Put the kosher salt in a large bowl and slowly (and carefully!) pour the boiling water over the salt.
Stir to blend.
Add the remaining 3 quarts of tap water and allow it to cool for a few minutes.
Add the soy sauce, molasses, honey and red pepper flakes to the salt water mixture.
Stir to blend.
Pour the mixture into a cooler large enough to hold the brine and the turkey and stir in the dried sage and fresh thyme.
Use a large whisk to blend all of the ingredients.
Add the ice cubes.
Submerge the turkey, breast side down, in the brine.
Make sure the cavity of the bird fills with the liquid as you are submerging it.
Cover the cooler and allow the bird to sit in the brine overnight or for about 12 hours.
Remove the bird from the brine and dry it thoroughly with thick (absorbent) kitchen towels.
Take care to wipe inside the cavity as well.
Discard the brine.
