Honey-Apple Turkey Brine

Go the extra mile by brining your turkey overnight in this lightly sweetened brine. You'll end up with the juiciest, most flavorful turkey ever and maybe even a bellyache from eating too much! The brine also works well on chicken. This makes enough for a 14- to 16-pound turkey.

• Preparation Time: 15 mins
• Cooking Time: 10 mins
• Total Time: 25 mins
• Calories: 194 Calories

Ingredients

• 1 cup honey
• 4 cups water
• 1 cup apple cider vinegar
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 medium onion, quartered
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
• 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
• 4 cups ice
• 1 cup kosher salt
• 2 sprigs fresh sage
• 8 cups apple cider
• 3 large bay leaves
• 1 large red apple, cored and thinly sliced

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Pour water into a large stockpot and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Add salt and honey and stir to dissolve. Remove pot from the heat and stir in apple slices, onion, garlic, bay leaves, rosemary, thyme, sage, and peppercorns. Let brine cool to room temperature. You can set the pot in a sink full of ice water to speed up the cooling process.

Step 2

Stir in apple cider, ice, and apple cider vinegar. Allow brine to fully chill to 40 degrees Fahrenheit (4 degrees C), or colder, before using.