POM-Brined Turkey

Turkey:

Prepare fresh pomegranate juice, if necessary.* Line a pot or tub large enough to hold the brine and turkey with a food-safe plastic bag. Combine all brine ingredients in bag, making sure all the salt has been fully dissolved. Place the turkey breast-side down in the brine; refrigerate or surround the pot with ice packs in an insulated cooler for about 8 to 10 hours or overnight. Score 1 fresh pomegranate and place in a bowl of water. Break open the pomegranate under water to free the arils (seed sacs). The arils will sink to the bottom of the bowl and the membrane will float to the top. Sieve and put the arils in a separate bowl. Reserve cup of the arils from fruit and set aside. (Refrigerate or freeze remaining arils for another use.) After brining turkey, rinse and pat dry. Coat outside skin with 1 tablespoon vegetable oil. Rub the turkey inside and outside with herb mixture. Place chopped vegetables in a shallow roasting pan. Place turkey on top of vegetables. Roast at 325F for 12 to 14 minutes per pound (internal temperature should read 160F when a meat thermometer is inserted in thigh area). In a saucepan, reduce 3 cups pomegranate juice by half to make glaze. Mix with black pepper and arils. Cover turkey with pomegranate glaze and allow to rest covered with foil for 20 minutes before carving. Prepare gravy while turkey is resting.

Gravy:

Chicken broth. Serve this pomegranate recipe.

*For 1 cup of juice, cut 2–3 large POM Wonderful pomegranates in half and juice them with a citrus reamer or juicer. Pour the mixture through a cheesecloth-lined strainer or sieve. Set the juice aside.