Turkey Prayer (My Herb-Roasted, Brined Turkey Breast Recipe)

My Herb-Roasted & Brined Thanksgiving Turkey Breast Recipe
Here's a little prayer that my turkey comes out great. I brined it using the following recipe. I came up with this one by reading a few recipes and then just "freestyling" as one of my good friends says.

• 1 gallon water
• 2 cups apple juice 
• 1/2 cup kosher salt
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 large onion, diced
• 10 baby carrots
• 1 head garlic, cut in 1/2 horizontally
• 1/2 bunch fresh rosemary
• 1/2 bunch fresh thyme
• 1/2 bunch fresh sage
• 3 bay leaves
• About 20 crushed peppercorns

I let it sit overnight in a big 'ole ziplock. In the morning I poured out the liquid but kept all of the bits and pieces to stuff in the cavity.  I picked out the peppercorns by hand but if I was more prepared it would have been easier to put them in cheesecloth. Or to just use ground pepper.

I seasoned the turkey with an herb paste using herbs and butter, which I ground together in the food processor. Added seasoned salt to taste (I use Goya Light seasoning).

Then I loosed up the skin and rubbed that bird up well and good with the herb paste. Get up under that skin. Working with poultry is the only time it's a good thing to get under someone's skin. Trust me, you'll thank me later. 

Okay, after I rubbed the bird I decided the skin was still a little too white. You never want to cook poultry with white skin because it will just be bland, bland, bland. So I took about 2 tbsp. Bell's seasoning and 2 tbsp Trader Joe's 21 Seasoning Salute and rubbed it on the outer skin. (No kitchen should be without 21 Seasoning Salute. It's salt free and oh so delicious.) You could also use Emerill's seasoning too. For good measure I rubbed about another 1 tsp or so of Goya Light Seasoning on the outer skin.

The bird went back into the Zipock and back in the fridge to marinate and soak up all of that fragrant goodness. Mom would be proud. I think Mr. T's belly is going to be very thankful this Thanksgiving.