Turkey Brining

[Marlene]

Ok, please don't shoot me if this is on another thread somewhere. I don't cook a lot of turkeys since my family tends to be a roast beef kind of family. However, I'm doing two separate Christmas dinners this year.

I picked up a gorgeous 7lb prime rib for my family today. Now, my hubby's family tends to be turkey fanatics. They are all flying in from Saskatchewan this year for Christmas with us, so Turkey it is. I have this tendency to buy the butterball turkeys, stuff em and leave em in the oven. This brining techinque has me intriqued though. I assume one does not brine a butterball turkey, and I assume it has to be thawed before brining. But that's all I know

What is brining and how is it done, and for how long does one brine? I'm thinking of attempting this....Help!

[CathyL]

You're right, don't brine a Butterball. It's already been 'flavored' by the producer. Otherwise, brining helps keep the bird juicy and seasons the flesh. Click here for a good article on brining whys and wherefores.

My favorite brine is very simple: 1 cup of kosher salt and 3/4 cup of sugar to 1 gallon water. Dissolve the salt & sugar in a little warm water, then add cold water to make a gallon. The brine should be cold when you put the turkey in.

Use a deep stockpot, a food-grade plastic bucket (ask for one at the supermarket), or - for a smallish turkey - a 2-gallon Ziploc bag, preferably placed in a pot. Refrigerate or, if you're in a fridge-cold place, park it outside.

I usually brine a turkey for 8 to 12 hours. Take it out of the brine, rinse well, and set on a rack in the fridge, uncovered, to dry overnight; this yields a crisper skin.

Ask more questions if you need to, Marlene. Threads elsewhere be damned.

[howard88]

I recently brined a six and one half pound roasting chicken using the brine posted previously. The chicken stayed in the brine for 24 hours. It was absolutely the most moist, flavorful roasted chicken I have had in years.

[FoodMan]

Brining is a wonderfull thing it makes the meat moist and very flavorful as the flavor is carried by osmosis (or diffusion-- but lets not get too technical) into the cells of the meat . No injection or basting can do that. For thanksgiving I made Alton Brown's brined turkey and it was a hit. guests were picking the meat while I was carving. Defenitly give it a try and you will love it.

PS: If you are brining the turkey in a 5 gallon bucket it might not fit in the refrigerator so just place it in a cool place (no more than 6 hrs) and since you add a gallon of ice to the liquid and since the liquid is very salty there really is no fear from contamination.

Brined Turkey

[Cheffie3]

Well, I used a frozen young Butterball and brined it...the entire turkey was moist and flavorful, not too salty. Sadly I worked 11 hours Wednesday and when I bought the turkey that night, I did not read whether it was already flavored or not. I used the Cooks Illustrated recipe. The site below has tips on brining. Happy Cooking!

http://www.virtualweberbullet.com/brining.html

[nyfirepatrolchef]

can ya do chicken parts brined too?

can it be done in an enamel pot?

[FoodMan]

can ya do chicken parts brined too?

can it be done in an enamel pot?

You can brine pretty much ANYTHING. I've done it with chicken (whole), Chicken (parts-- especially breasts), pork butt, pork chops (best way to eat pork chops), salmon and duck pieces. So the flavors and the cuts of meat are endless.

As for doing it in the enamel pot, I don't see why not unless the brine is too acidic maybe (but then they are not supposed to be). The best way to do it though; if it is not too big of a piece of meat; is in a zip lock bag and then put the sealed bag in a pot in the fridge. makes it easier to turn the meat if you need to and it is cleaner.

(edit to answer the second question)

FM

Edited December 2, 2002 by FoodMan (log)

[nyfirepatrolchef]

oh...and I gotta watch my sugar intake....as in no sugar...date sugar isnt water soluable....can I use something like brown rice syrup?

[FoodMan]

oh...and I gotta watch my sugar intake....as in no sugar...date sugar isnt water soluable....can I use something like brown rice syrup?

You don't really have to use sugar at all. It just adds and extra layer of flavor. You can just use Kosher salt, water and whatever flavoring you like (garlic, onion, herbs and spices).

If the rice syrup is water soluble and tastes good then try it.

FM

[Marlene]

Well, I used a frozen young Butterball and brined it...the entire turkey was moist and flavorful, not too salty.  Sadly I worked 11 hours Wednesday and when I bought the turkey that night, I did not read whether it was already flavored or not.  I used the Cooks Illustrated recipe.  The site below has tips on brining.  Happy Cooking!

http://www.virtualweberbullet.com/brining.html

terrific site! I'm gonna go for it. I'll let you know how it turns out!

[albie]

To me the criteria for perfection in roast turkey are (1) moist breast meat and fully cooked dark meat; (2) crispy skin and (3) uniform coloration.

What is the secret to the uniformity of colors always seen in magazines and advertisements but so seldom attained at home? It is a convection oven?

Also any insights as to how to assure consistently crispy skin at the same time?

[fifi]

What is the secret to the uniformity of colors always seen in magazines and advertisements but so seldom attained at home? It is a convection oven?

Dark brown glazing liquid, paint brush, oil sprays for glisten, professional lighting, resident food stylist.

[Carolyn Tillie]

I use the trick written by Cook's Illustrated - start with the bird breast-side down, browning the bottom first for 45 minutes, then turning so each leg is up for 15 minutes on each side, finishing up with the breast-side up the last.

Yeah, it is pretty hard to muscle the bird and get it turned (especially when it is a 20 pounder or so). But I always end up with a uniformally-browned bird.

[Schneier]

I use the Joy of Cooking technique of starting the bird at a much higher temperature. I also start it breast down, and then flip it.

Bruce

[budrichard]

Turkey, fresh butchered last Monday, rubbed with olive oil, salt, pepper and dry herbs. 22# stuffed, foil tented into convection Viking oven at 425-375, 4.5 hours later, perfect, browned crisp crackling skin. moist dark and white meat.

Secrets are a fresh fat turkey, olive oil and convection oven, foil tenting. No moving or peaking at the bird.

It works for me!-Dick

Edited November 28, 2003 by budrichard (log)

[sumac]

Cheese cloth on the turkey breast, lots of butter, baste frequently and voila...perfection.

[mighty quinn]

agree with the high temp start-did mine at 500 x 20 minutes. also try using a roasting pan with low sides (almost like a lasagna pan)

[Raynickben]

Does a brined turkey take longer to roast than a plain old turkey? Should the temperature be adjusted as well? (ok, that's two questions)

Thanks!

[JPW]

Last time I did one, I did not notice a significant difference.

Then again if you've got a big bird, who'se going to really notice the difference between 4 hours of cooking or 4 1/2?

Given the wide range of approaches to temp, this will likely bring the most debate, but I typically use the same temps for brine and non-brine.

My typical turkey brine is from Alton Brown's recipe.

[Dave the Cook]

Brining usually makes things cook faster. As a percentage of cooking time it's not very much, but with an item that normally takes hours, there will be a noticeable difference.

By "temperature," I assume you mean oven temperature. No adjustments are necessary, especially if this is your first brined bird. Note your results and adjust accordingly. A brined turkey can better withstand high temperatures, a big plus if you're a fan of high-heat roasting.

[Hest88]

Is it really faster? I haven't noticed a difference, but by the time I get near the end I'm no longer going by the clock anymore.

[Dave the Cook]

My experience is that brined turkeys and chickens cook faster, but YMMV, of course. And no, the difference between four hours and four-and-a-half is not necessarily a big deal, given everything else that's usually going on -- but it is less time. And if memory serves, a whole chicken goes even faster, proportionally speaking.

Regardless, I think we can agree that Raynickben doesn't need to allow more time for roasting, which was his concern.

[col klink]

I've had 20 lb brined birds finish in less 3 hours so I've noticed a large difference. Remember folks, go by the temp -- not the time!

Though knowing generally when the bird is going to come out does help in presenting the whole meal.

[Raynickben]

Well, I can report back that MY result with the brined turkey was that it took exactly the same amount of time to reach the proper temps. This was actually my second brined turkey. The first took an hour longer to cook but that was in a different oven (a convection oven actually which doesn't make sense) so that experience led me to ask the question. Maybe I need to get my oven re-calibrated.

[Gifted Gourmet]

Since the turkey will soon be a major issue which must be dealt with in some spectacular manner by Thanksgiving Day, the question must, inevitably, now arise, do you brine?

Not an intimate look into your culinary soul so much as a realistic, should we or shouldn't we, do we or don't we, brine the bird?

Your opinions?

Is it actually worth the extra trouble?

Adds too much salt?

Better results in the completed bird?