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–+ servings
blood orange sweet-tea brined turkey recipe

Blood Orange Sweet Tea Brined Turkey

Mark Gabrick
For the tastiest turkey ever, brine a whole bird in the South's signature beverage but with an orange twist. Professional chefs and home cooks rely on an old-fashioned technique of brining, which helps keep the meat juicy and flavorful without giving it a salty taste. 
5 from 1 vote
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Prep Time 2 days
Course Main Course, Thanksgiving Dinner
Cuisine American, Thanksgiving Dinner
Servings 8

Equipment

  • Brining Bucket. (we like: http://www.thebriner.com)
  • Roasting pan
  • BBQ Smoker or Grill
  • Measuring spoons and cups

Ingredients
  

  • 4 Tea bags or tea balls Family-sized Tea bags (large) Blood-Orange Smoothie Herbal Tea from, The Spice and Tea Echange.
  • 1 Cup Firmly Packed light Brown sugar
  • 1 Cup Kosher Salt Course, Blue box
  • 1 Large Onion
  • 2 Lemons thinly sliced
  • 6 Garlic Cloves Smashed
  • 4 Sprigs Rosemary Smash to release oils
  • 2 tbsp Black Pepper Butcher ground (16 mesh)
  • I Gal Water Filtered
  • 3 Cup Ice Cubes
  • 1/3 Cup Peanut Oil
  • 1 Cup Clarified butter drizzle over sliced turkey prior to serving
  • 1 Cup Sweet Heat BBQ Sauce https://www.gabrickbbq.com

Instructions
 

  • Boil 1 gallon of filtered water and steep 4 large tea bags (or tea balls) for 30 minutes for a concentrated tea blend.
  • Stir in sugar and salt and whisk till granules are completly dissolved.
  • Now, add in the sliced lemons, rosemary sprigs, black pepper, and smashed garlic
  • Add ice cubes to quickly cool brine mixture. (or prepare ahead of time and cool in fridge)
  • Add a 10-14 pound Turkey (or large roaster chicken) in the Brining bucket. We prefer the "The Briner" as it's a long, cyclindrical shaped bucket that helps keep the bird completely submerged and a plate locks in place keeping the turkey under the brining solution. If you do not have this, you can use a heavy plate to keep submerged in a well insulated Yeti like cooler.
  • Pour chilled brining solution over turkey.
  • Brine for 24-36 hours
  • Rinse after removing from brine, dry and coat generously in peanut oil.
  • Smoke, or grill at 275-300º to ensure a crispier skin.
  • Critical step: Allow meat to rest for at least 30 minutes. You can tent with foil and place towels over it, or place in a dry Yeti cooler and let rest while keeping slightly warm.
  • Warm clarified butter in a sauce pan. Drizzle butter over slices and serve.
  • if you desire a BBQ sauce for this recipe, our Sweet Heat sauce pairs perfectly on this one. Find it here: GabrickBBQ.com
Keyword Best Turkey Brine, Brined Chicken, Christmas Dinner, Grilled Turkey, Holiday Meal, Oven Roasted Turkey, smoked turkey, Sourthern Turkey Recipe, Sweet tea brine, Thanksgiving Dinner, Thanksgiving Turkey
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