Honey-brined Turkey
Whether you smoke your turkey or oven-roast, this brine will add flavor, and keep your turkey juicy and delicious.
- 1 lb kosher salt
- 1 lb honey
- 1 cup peeled garlic cloves
- 1 bunch fresh thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 1/4 cup black peppercorns
- 2 sprigs rosemary
- 1 carrot (roughly chopped)
- 2 ribs celery (with greens, roughly chopped)
- 1 onion (roughly chopped)
- 1 18-22lb Turkey (Giblets removed)
- 4-8 lbs ice
For the brine
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Bring 2 quarts water to a low simmer. Add the salt and honey, simmer until clear as glass. Remove from heat.
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Bring 1 gallon water to a boil. Add the garlic, bay leaf, thyme, rosemary, peppercorns, onion, carrot, and celery. Reduce heat, simmer on low for 1 hour.
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Pour both solutions into a 5 gallon bucket. Add 4 lbs ice. Wait for ice to melt, then place Turkey in bucket. Add more ice, to brim of bucket. Refrigerate and brine for 12 hours, rotating the turkey halfway through.
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Remove the turkey from the brine. DO NOT dry, leave it good and wet, as the smoke flavor takes better to moist surfaces.
For smoking
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Set the smoker to 225°
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Place the turkey in a roasting pan with rack, so the smoke can circulate freely all around the turkey.
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Smoke for 30 min per pound, or until internal temp reaches 160°
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Remove from smoker, cover loosely with foil, and let rest for 30 minutes before carving
For oven-roasting
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Preheat the oven to 500°
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Place the turkey in a roasting pan with rack, and pat dry
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Coat the skin liberally with canola oil
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Roast at 500° for 30 minutes, then reduce the heat to 350 and continue roasting for another 2 ½-3 hours, or until internal temp reaches 160°
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Remove the turkey from the oven, cover loosely in foil, and let rest for 30 minutes before carving
Chef J. - The Culinary Evangelist 
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