Software:
Brine:1 1/2 cups kosher salt
1/2 cups dark brown sugar
One 6-ounce container of frozen OJ concentrate1 gallon water
One 16-18 pound turkey (thawed)1 gallon of ice cubes
Canola Oil
Hard ware
1 large pot
1 large cooler with lid
Paper towels
Roasting rack
2 disposable aluminum roasting pans
heavy-duty aluminum foilprobe thermometer
Recipe: To brine the turkey: dissolve the salt, sugar, and juice concentrate in 1 quart of hot water. Cool the solution with 3 quarts of cold water. Remove the giblets (and any ofter foreign matter) from the turkey interior and place in cooler (Breast down). Pour in the brine mixture to cover. If the bird is not completely submerged. add more liquid. (Since I don't want to weaken the solution, I use canned chicken broth.) Cover with ice, close the lid, and soak the turkey for 6-8 hours. (Exact soak times will vary per your taste. Start with 6 hours and make changes to later birds.) When the bird has about 30 mins left to soak move the oven rack to the lowest level and preheat the oven to 500 F. Remove the turkey from brine and pat dry with paper towels. Rub the turkey liberally with canola oil. Discard the brine and thoroughly wash the cooler. Place the turkey on a roasting rack inside 2 disposable aluminum roasting pans. Roast at 500 F for 1/2 hour. Remove the bird from the oven and reduce the oven temperature to 350 F. Cover the turkey breast with a double layer of heavy-duty aluminum foil folded into a triangle. Insert a probe thermometer into the thickest part of the breast (push it right through the foil) and set the thermometer to 161 F. A 16-18 pound bird should arrive at the target temperature in 2 to 2 1/2 hours. Remove the turkey from the over, cover the bird and pan loosely with aluminum foil, and allow to rest for 15 minutes before carving.
