To brine or not? What's in your Turkey?

[Mikell]

I love a well brined bird, or any cut of meat for that matter. Common paradigm is a 1/4c per litre, or more technically, 5% salt by water weight.

The Food Lab - if you're unfamiliar with the practice

Standard

Brined!

What's your preference?

I cut the salt by 1/2, and add a very small fraction of sugar. Just finished filling up a 5 gallon bucket to drown the gobbley-de-gobble in for a quick 24hr brine. I've let it go as far as 3-4 days in the past with pork and the odd bird, and find the half measure of salt gives it more of a background effect over a long brine, especially welcome for the antisaltites that abound these days.

Obviously more of a poll for the bird-cookers of the household, but you can't ignore the opinion of the bird-eaters!

What really converted me was a brined bird that was left on the rotisserie far too long. Temp'd out at 210, but was the juiciest overcooked roast chicken I've had to date

 

[resinryder]

I like brined as well. Also, I liberally apply butter to the whole bird and under the breast skin, in cavity with onions, apples, and celery, and a heavy dose of my bar-be-que seasoning inside and out. Wrap the whole bird in foil and cook at 450 in a roasting pan for 3 to 4 hours depending on weight, opening the foil to expose the breast the last 20 minutes. Roast and steams it this way. Always comes out juicy and tasty!!

 

[Eighths-n-Aces]

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[BOMBAYCAT]

Mine is brine, brown sugar, garlic, black pepper and thyme. Makes it tasty and it doesn't dry out.

 

[chefbudz]

Brown sugar, ,Sage, thyme SALT Apple cider! or Cold aromatic chicken stock

 

[jd4083]

Always brine unless you plan to smoke the turkey and still make gravy with the drippings, as they tend to become bitter during that process.

 

[Former Guest]

What type of salt do you all use? I've used sea salt and table salt before with varied results.

Brine is also the secret to my gravy I had a ham once that sat in apple cider for two days and I hate pork but she insisted and was right.

 

[jd4083]

What type of salt do you all use? I've used sea salt and table salt before with varied results.

Brine is also the secret to my gravy I had a ham once that sat in apple cider for two days and I hate pork but she insisted and was right.

Kosher salt assuming that you can heat the brine to fully dissolve. Sea salt could substitute as well, but not worth the price increase for the intended use. if for some reason you need to keep the brine cold the entire way through (as is the case with certain brines with citrus peels, etc.) then you can use pickling salt, which will dissolve in cool water. Just make sure you pay attention to the conversion rate for kosher to pickling, iodized to pickling, et al. I would never recommend iodized table salt for pickling or really any cooking purposes short of basic baking applications where kosher salt is too coarse.

 

[Former Guest]

I couldn't find kosher salt when I used the table salt. Used quite a bit less but still salty. Good tips!

 

[jd4083]

I couldn't find kosher salt when I used the table salt. Used quite a bit less but still salty. Good tips!

No kidding? That's weird, it is pretty ubiquitous in every store I've ever been...never visited the PNW though? Big box for under 2 bucks anywhere you look out this way at least.

 

[Former Guest]

They had table salt, rock salt ice cream salt and that was it. Looked in the kosher section and there was nothing. Nobody knew what I was asking for.

 

[Mikell]

A butcher might be the line there.


Had to Google ice cream salt, that was a bit of a face palm... I was thinking along the lines of a salt to go with a caramel choco something hehe

 

[Midwest sticky]

What type of salt do you all use? I've used sea salt and table salt before with varied results.

Brine is also the secret to my gravy I had a ham once that sat in apple cider for two days and I hate pork but she insisted and was right.

I use the McCormick sea salt tha has a grinder attached on the top. Best way to go IMO.

 

[stoned-trout]

inject heavily and then deepfry......yeehaw^^^^^ I just did a cider ham...delicious ..gonna do some ribs with leftover marinade..

 

[Capt.Ahab]

I brined and smoked a large whole chicken the other day.
Used salt, maple syrup, ginger, whole cloves, black pepper corns and a mixture of herbs from out back.
Also injected some of the brine mix before smoking. Yum.

 

[shithawk420]

What?if you have the option always brine it.even if its just water and salt

 

[Mr.Miner]

We brine turkeys (and pork loin) in my kitchen with apple cider, Kosher salt, fresh bay leaves, fresh thyme, and black peppercorns. Makes for some tasty proteins.

 

[LostTribe]

I'll take my Bird WILD and 151 only way to go!

WILD TURKEY 151

Gobble Gobble

or you could do a Turkey Blaster a double shot of WT151 dropped into a highball of red bull and taken like a MAN SHOT!

 

[shithawk420]

well i dont see the point in using 151 to brine turkey.i would just drink it!lol use MR.Miners tech. i think some people are confusing brine with marinade.the simplest brine starts with salt and water.

 

[LostTribe]

well i dont see the point in using 151 to brine turkey.i would just drink it!lol use MR.Miners tech. i think some people are confusing brine with marinade.the simplest brine starts with salt and water.

The 151 Turkey was a shot instead of brining!