Brining turkey, game birds and chicken

Brining poultry before roasting definitely stops it from getting too dry - the flesh even on the breast stays moist and succulent.

Boil copious amount of water, enough to submerge the bird in, with about 6% salt, 1% sugar, whole bunches of herbs, bay leaves, whole bulbs of garlic halved horizontally, halved lemons, peppercorns and juniper - whatever you think will give the meat nice flavour. Cool the liquid down to room temperature, find a container large enough to house the bird (especially tricky with turkey, the fridge drawer emptied and cleaned might do the trick) and drown it. Weigh it down with a plate or something similar so it's fully submerged. Leave for 24-36 hours, rinse thoroughly and dry in the fridge without covering, for at least a few hours. Roast. You won't regret the effort.

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