"turkey brine recipes" news and stories

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We've called in chef and author Elizabeth Karmel to answer these frequently asked turkey questions for Thanksgiving.

"Even if you make the turkey every year, you need a refresher before Turkey Day," Karmel says. "I supervised the Butterball Turkey Talk-Line early in my career and we found that since most people only cook a turkey once a year, they need help remembering how to cook it. "

1. What if you don't have enough drippings for the gravy?

I have a great gravy trick I learned from my mother, and I use it every single year:

a. Take all of the giblets and the neck (you'll find them packed inside the turkey), toss them with olive oil and salt, chop up some onions, celery, and carrots and roast them at high heat (400 degrees F), to caramelize and intensify their flavors.

b. Put everything into a sauce pan with a couple cups of chicken broth and then, while you're working through the rest of the menu, simmer it for several hours until it reduces.

c. Add white wine for depth of flavor, and whisk in to create a light turkey gravy. If you prefer your gravy on the chunky side, strip the meat off the neck, chop up the giblets and add this to the gravy.

Say goodbye to those dry turkey nightmares. Brining produces a moister, more succulent bird.

Get this brine recipe along with many others after the jump.