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Photo : Diana Love
Kevin Erickson is a Journeyman Meat Cutter for Whole Foods Market in the Annapolis store . He is ready to help with any questions you might have about preparing a festive holiday feast .
Find more recipes on GreenBook ’ s Facebook page , keywords : better bird .
WHOLE FOODS MARKET BASIC WET BRINE
Plan on 1 gallon of water for a 12-14 pound turkey . Use 2 gallons for larger turkeys . Remember , a big turkey in a big pot of water can get heavy and take up a lot of refrigerator space , so think about the logistics before brining a bird that ' s 20 pounds or more .
1 cup kosher salt *
1 / 2 cup granulated sugar or brown sugar
Small handful of aromatics ( garlic cloves , thyme sprigs , whole peppercorns , bay leaves , lemon or orange zest removed in strips ) * For a smoky flavor , try a smoked coarse sea salt
Method : Combine salt , sugar , aromatics and 1 / 2 gallon ( 8 cups ) of water in a large pot and place over medium-high heat .
Stir until sugar and salt are dissolved .
Bring to a boil , lower heat and simmer for 5 minutes .
Remove from heat and cool .
Stir in remaining 1 / 2 gallon water ( or water and ice ) and cool completely .
Pour brine into a container just large enough to hold turkey comfortably . ( A 4- or 5-gallon vessel should be good for a 10- to 12-pound turkey .)
Add turkey ; add a little more water or ice to submerge it if necessary .
Turn bird a few times and then leave breast-side down in the water ; place a heavy plate over the poultry if it floats . Chill 5 to 6 hours .
Remove bird from brine , discard brine and roast as directed .
WHOLE FOODS MARKET BASIC DRY BRINE
This recipe is for a 12-14 lb . bird , for 7-10 people
6 TB coarse sea salt 3 TB brown sugar ( optional ) Add extras :
Whole cloves , cumin seeds and / or peppercorns , ground chile powder , smoked paprika and / or nutmeg , fresh rosemary , bay leaves and / or thyme , crushed garlic cloves and / or citrus peels . Alternatively , try a ready-made mix such as Herbs de Provence or Turkey Rub .
Method : Toast whole spices in a dry skillet , crush coarsely and mix with ground spices .
Combine spices with salt and sugar — sugar will help with browning .
Rub turkey generously with spice mixture , inside and out .
Refrigerate uncovered for about 24 hours — at least 1 hour per pound .
Rinse inside and out and pat dry before cooking as desired .
Brining Tips
› If you prefer to brine overnight , reduce the salt by about half or your finished bird may be too salty .
› Brining will produce salty pan juices . If making gravy with them , be sure to use low-sodium broth .
› Containers must be cleaned and sanitized both before and after brining .
› Don ' t stuff a brined bird ; the stuffing will be too salty .
GREENBOOK | FALL / WINTER 2016 21