To Brine (a turkey) or not to brine-THAT is the question

11-20-10 | self

[Former MSM Viewer]

I have never brined a turkey. Is it beneficial/ I want a fresh turkey this year and was told I should brine the bird for 2 days. Any experience with brining you could share would be appreciated.

[Former MSM Viewer]

Is it worth the trouble to brine a fresh turkey or is injecting better?

[mad_as_he$$]

Best turkey I have ever had:

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/good-eats-roast-turkey-recipe/index.html

[libstripper]

You need to watch out. A cousin of mine tried to brine a Swift’s Butterball and miserably failed. Turned out that Swifts injects shortening that defeats much of the brining process and makes it unnecesary.

[drbuzzard]

Brining is completely worth the trouble. It’s really not too difficult to do, and the return on time invested is great. I have a large plastic container with a lid I use, and my brine consists of water, salt, garlic powder, orange juice concentrate, and bay leaves. I leave the turkey in there for a day or so.

[Williams]

Been reading that brining is great, plan to buy a Trader Joe’s brined turkey this year.

I’ve read one hour per pound, I think 48 hours might be too long.

[Jemian]

I have never brined a turkey. I use fresh turkeys. I inject some spices, but mostly I just baste.

No one has ever died from my cooking.

[SumProVita]

It is definitely worth it. This recipe was yummmmy...

http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/turkey-brine-from-living

[SatinDoll]

Do you put it in a cool, dark place like a basement, or do you put it in the refrigerator?

[ladyvet]

I have cooked turkeys every way possible. My family likes a brined turkey. It's easy and they turn out well if you follow directions. If you want to try it I'll send you a recipe. What ever recipe you decide to use make sure you rinse and air dry it over night in the fridge.

[Tennessee Nana]

I usually thaw mine out for 2 days...

Is that the same thing ???

(I know its not...brine is kinda like pickling...)

[drbuzzard]

I also second the nomination for using the Good Eats recipe linked above.

[70th Division]

I have been brining turkeys for years. Yes, it is worth it. Put Kosher salt in warm water till you can float an egg (in the shell) Then add herbs and brown sugar. Cool the broth ( abag of ice will do) Put the bird in and let is set in the frig for 2 days. Take out rinse thoroughly, pat dry. I put mine in a cool area or frig and let the skin dry out over night. Then I rub with olive oil. Or you can use butter. I grill mine on a Big Green Egg over hickory. Apparently they are good. Family always wants one. And so does the office for Christmas.

[trisham]

No one has ever died from my cooking.

***************************

I would guess that is Rule #1.

[WackySam]

It is always worth the extra hassle to brine a turkey. Just remember the 2-2-2 rule. 2 cups kosher salt, 2 cups of sugar, and 2 gallons of water. You can then add whatever spices you like to the mixture. Brine for 1 hour per pound. Any more than that and the turkey will become too salty.

[Renderofveils]

We fix a beer-brined turkey at Thanksgiving every year now. We used to do two birds: one fried, one baked. Personally I love it, and it’s really not all that much trouble. The only real problem is that it takes up so much room in the fridge right when we’re trying to get all of the other dishes ready to roll for the big day. (Although it’s a shorter time than a standard brine... if you’re using a stout or porter you don’t want to leave the turkey sitting for more than five or six hours depending on the size.)

[CAluvdubya]

Brinning is the only way to go!

[Leo Farnsworth]

We have been brining a turkey for five or more years.

I use a five gallon bucket, put 2-3 pounds of kosher salt in it then put it in my shed (covered with a lid) for a few days to chill down (it's Montana - the shed is a refrigerator).

I plunk a 12 to 14 pound bird into the chilled water for 24 hours.

Very moist and delicious.

Good luck!

[Don@VB]

I talked to a butcher and he said if ypu want a fresh turkey (surprisingly) get a frozen on because they are frozen immediately after slaughter. The bigger the bird the better the meat to bone ratio. 2 gallon brine mixtute salty to the taste like sea water; we use bullion cubes for part of the salt content for 2 days in pot in the fridge.

[darkwing104]

Now since you got good advice, I must add a a word of caution;

This is not a proper method to brine a turkey...

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Get a fresh turkey, not a Butterball.