Portuguese Turkey Brine

Ingredients

• 2 (12 lb)  turkey

• salt, to taste
• dry white wine (2 bottles)
• 8 large garlic cloves
• 2 tablespoons sweet Hungarian paprika
• 4 bay leaves
• 2 tablespoons hot pepper sauce
• 2 teaspoons fresh oregano, leaves
• 1 lb bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
• prepared stuffing

Directions

1. 1

   Soak turkeys in salted water under refrigeration for 24 hours.

2. 2

   Combine wine, garlic, paprika, bay leaves, salt, hot pepper sauce and oregano. Marinate turkeys in this mixture for 24 hours under refrigeration. Turn occasionally.

3. 3

   When ready to cook, preheat oven to 450 degrees. Remove turkeys from marinade, reserving marinade. Pack turkeys loosely with stuffing and cover openings of cavities with bread crusts; sew cavities closed. Bake remaining stuffing separately during the last half-hour turkeys are roasting.

4. 4

   Wrap turkey wings in foil. Put turkeys into roasting pans and top with pieces of bacon, putting some beneath turkeys as well. Pour reserved marinade over turkeys.

5. 5

   Roast turkeys for 30 minutes; reduce heat to 350 degrees and roast turkeys about 2 1/2 hours more. If turkeys get too brown before they are cooked, put aluminum foil over the top. If turkeys are roasted in a single oven, they may need 30 minutes or more of extra roasting time.