Brining a turkey before cooking it takes extra time, but it pays off in juiciness and flavor. Turkey tends to dry out in an oven or roaster, and even basting it while cooking moistens the outer surfaces more than the inner portions. When you brine a turkey, the muscle fibers absorb the salted liquid, keeping the meat moist from the inside. Other fibers actually dissolve into liquid themselves and reform into solids during cooking, trapping moisture inside them as they resolidify. Brine a turkey for an electric roaster the same way you would for an oven.
Step 1
Remove the innards from the turkey the day before you plan to cook it. Discard the giblets and put the turkey inside a turkey cooking bag. Set the bag inside a large bowl.
Step 2
Pour water into the bag using a measuring cup. Add enough water to completely cover the turkey, and note how much liquid you used. If desired, replace some or all of the water with apple cider.
Step 3
Stir in 1 cup of table salt for each gallon of liquid. Alternatively, stir in 2 cups of kosher salt for each gallon of liquid. Add dry spices and seasonings to taste if desired.
Step 4
Close the cooking bag. Put the bowl and bag in the refrigerator for at least 12 hours. Do not leave it there for longer than 24 hours -- brining turkey for too long actually pulls moisture out of the meat.
Step 5
Drain the brining liquid from the bag and discard it. Reseal the bag. Insert a meat thermometer into the thigh of the turkey, and cook the turkey in the electric roaster at 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Step 6
Roast the turkey until the thermometer reads 180 degrees Fahrenheit. Cooking time depends on the size of the turkey and may range from 1 1/2 hours to 3 1/2 hours. Let the turkey rest for 20 minutes after cooking before you serve it.
Tips and Warnings
- Reduce the amount of salt you use in sauces and other elements of the turkey recipe to compensate for the effects of brining.
- Do not consume undercooked poultry.
Things You'll Need
- Turkey cooking bag
- Water or apple cider
- Salt or kosher salt
- Spices and seasonings, optional
- Meat thermometer
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