Wine Brined Turkey

I use a 12 to 14 pound turkey for this recipe. I use a large plastic bag to put the turkey and brine in and I place this in a bucket in the refrigerator.

INGREDIENTS

1 (750 ml) bottle white wine (I use a pinot grigio)

1/2 cup salt

5 sprigs rosemary (can use a few bay leaves instead)

5 cloves garlic, crushed

1/2 tablespoon mustard seeds

10 peppercorns

water

DIRECTIONS

Bring 3 cups of water and the salt to a boil and stir until salt is dissolved.

Add a bit of ice to pot to speed up the cooling process and place in refrigerator until completely cooled.

Meanwhile, pour the bottle of wine in a clean bucket big enough to hold turkey.

Toss in the rosemary sprigs, garlic cloves, peppercorns and mustard seeds.

Place the completely thawed turkey into the bucket; pour in the salt water when completely cooled.

Add enough water to cover turkey and refrigerate for 12 hours.

Remove turkey from brine and rinse the turkey inside and out; pat dry.

Drizzle the fresh ground pepper over the turkey.

If stuffing turkey, do so just before cooking turkey.

Fit a roasting pan with a baking rack and place turkey on top of baking rack. Add water up 1/2 inch up side of pan.

Cook turkey uncovered in a 350 degree oven until meat thermometer reaches 165 degrees. I like to take the temperature in the meaty part of the thigh and in the breast to be sure. For a 12 to 14 pound turkey the time should be between 3.5 to 4 hours unstuffed and 4 to 4.5 hours if stuffed.