Maple Brine

This brine recipe works well with Turkey, chicken, beef, pork and ham. Ingredients

3 cups apple juice or apple cider 2 gallons cold water 4 tbsp. fresh rosemary leaves 5 cloves garlic, minced 1 1/2 cups sea salt 2 cups maple syrup (regular, cinnamon or coffee infused or bourbon barrel aged) 3 tbsp. peppercorns 5 whole bay leaves Peel of one orange, one lime and one lemon

Directions:

1. Combine all the ingredients in a large pot and bring to a boil, stirring until the salt and sugar dissolve. Turn off heat, cover and allow the brine to cool completely.

2. Place the uncooked turkey, chicken, roast or ham in a large brining bag or pot, pour in the brine solution to cover the meat, and refrigerate for 24-36 hours.

3. Before roasting, remove the meat from the brine (discard the brine) and pat dry, and cook according to your normal roasting method.

I also brush maple syrup on the meat and apply a nice coat of Butler Hill Maple Farm rub/seasoning mix on the meat. This recipe work well in an oven as well as a smoker.