Turkey Brine Recipe

Start by adding 8 cups of water to a very large pot over medium heat. To the water, add the kosher salt, brown sugar, a whole head of garlic, onion, bay leaves, peppercorns, thyme, rosemary, and sliced lemons. Stir well, and allow it to come to a boil. Let the brine simmer for a few minutes to ensure the salt and sugar dissolve completely.
Remove the pot from the heat and let the liquid come to room temperature. If you need to speed up the cooling process, add a bit of ice. Once it’s completely cooled, add 4 more cups of cold water to the brine.
Prepare the thawed turkey. Remove the neck and giblets from the cavities. Either discard these or save them in a separate container in the fridge to cook them later.
If it fits, you can place the turkey in the pot with the brine, OR place it in a brining bag and pour the contents of the pot into the bag with the turkey Place the turkey in bag into a pot or pan. Let the turkey sit in the brine in the fridge for no less than 12 hours, preferably overnight, to roast the next day. Turkey must be kept cold while brining - 40°F or below.
Turkey does need time to dry completely before cooking, which usually takes around two hours.
Season and cook turkey as desired. I recommend my Roasted Turkey recipe.