Best Turkey Brine & Glaze Recipe

Based on 16 lb. turkey

Brine:

• ½ cup of salt
• 1 cup of brown sugar
• 4 cups of hot water
• 4 cups of apple juice
• 8 cups of ice

Maple-butter glaze:

• ½ cup of maple syrup
• ½ cup of melted butter

Brine Instructions:

Step 1:

Thaw the turkey in the fridge for four days.

Step 2:

Remove guts from inside turkey and place turkey in brine overnight. I placed a turkey bag inside of a very large metal pot, like you would for a garbage liner. I then mixed the brine in the bag, put the turkey in, and then closed the bag so that the turkey would be completely covered in the brine.

Step 3:

Remove turkey from the overnight brine in the turkey bag and dab the turkey with a paper towel to remove some of the excess brine that drips off.

Cooking Instructions:

Step 4:

Place turkey into a pan for cooking and preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. While the oven is preheating, soften one stick of butter (8 Tbsp.) and rub the butter into the outside of the turkey. Throw any excess butter into the middle cavity of the turkey.

Step 5:

Place turkey in oven with a meat thermometer, to ensure the middle of the turkey is completely cooked. The turkey will take about 3.5-4 hours to cook at 325 degrees. Every half hour during cooking, baste turkey with the maple-butter glaze.

Step 6:

Once the red meat thermometer in the turkey pops up, indicating it is fully cooked, remove from oven and allow to rest for one hour (make sure to save the juices from the turkey pan). After the turkey has cooled for an hour, begin carving the turkey and separate the white and dark meats.

Step 7:

Place the carved turkey meat on cookie sheet and use either a spoon or a baster to pour a coating of juices, from the turkey pan, across the turkey meat. Cover the cookie sheet with tin foil and put back in the oven at 325 degrees, until the turkey has soaked up the excess juices that were poured over it (5-10 minutes). Then it is ready to eat!