*Thanksgiving Turkey - Brined

This year we played host for Thanksgiving and I wanted to do something different for the turkey. I had heard about doing your turkey in a brine, but didn't really know what that meant.

Brining a turkey means you submerge it in a seasoned water mixture. The turkey soaks in all the flavors of the brine before you cook it.

Here's what I did for my first attempt at a brined turkey.

Ingredients: 1 packet Traeger Turkey Brine

Water

Poultry seasoning

3 Turkey Breasts (3 - 4 lbs each)

Brining bag

Directions: Follow the directions on the Brine packet to season your water and prepare it to add the turkey.

Put turkey in the brining bag, add 1 gallon water and seal the bag.

Use one of your vegetable drawers in the fridge (empty it of all vegetables and clean the drawer) to put your bagged turkey in.

If you can completely submerge the turkey in the brine. If it does not cover the turkey completely, you can turn the turkey half way through the brining time.

Let turkey sit in brine overnight.

In the morning turn the turkey breast over so that the part that was uncovered is soaking now.

When ready to cook. Remove from brine and rinse off the turkey. Then pat it dry.

Generously season with poultry seasoning and put in roasting pan. Preheat the oven to 450*.

When oven is heated. Change the heat to 350* when you put the turkey in. Cook at 350* about 15 minutes for every pound. Turkey is done when internal temperature is 165*.

We cooked 9 pounds of turkey for about 1 - 1 1/2 hours.

Let turkey rest about 15 minutes before serving.

This was one of the best turkeys I had even had for Thanksgiving! Brining really does bring out the flavor.