How To Brine a Turkey

[Anonymous]

I was about to come here and ask if anyone had any good instructions on how to brine a turkey, but then I decided not to be lazy and Google it myself.

And I found these great step-by-step instructions which do not look too intimidating so I think I will try them, and just thought I'd share.

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2007/10/brining_a_turkey/

Please tell me though if you personally have brined a turkey and do you recommend doing it?

[Anonymous]

We brine ours every year and then we smoke it. It always tastes good, but I wouldn't call it extraordinary.

[Anonymous]

Back when I used to host thanksgiving, I always brined my turkey. I think it does taste much better and keeps the turkey more moist. It's kind of a pain, but worth it.

[Anonymous]

We brined a turkey breast a couple of years ago and loved it. Easy and kept the meat moist. A whole turkey would be a lot harder to do, but I think it's probably worth the effort.

[Anonymous]

Brined turkey is good, but you can't use the drippings for gravy because it is too salty.

[Anonymous]

We make our brine in a super-large stockpot (but not filling it more than half way because the turkey will displace so much brine when you add it) - water, kosher salt, pepper corns, star anise, mustard seeds, bay leaves. Then we clean the turkey and put it in the night before Thanksgiving, so it gets about a 14 hour brine. But PP is right that brined turkey does not make good gravy. Our problem is that we don't get enough fat or drippings to start the gravy.

[Anonymous]

I've never been impressed with brining or smoking or any of the other time- and labor-intensive techniques folks are so into these days. I've never done it myself, but have been a guest at several thanksgivings where we all had to talk interminably about the cook's turkey-prep method.

Mine doesn't require talking about, and routinely gets "best turkey I've had in years" type raves. Just like my grandmother did, I slather the skin with butter, then cover the whole bird in a thin dishtowel soaked in oil. About a half-hour before the bird is done, I take off the towel to brown the skin. The meat is moist and flavorful, and it's good for presentation because of the browning. I also cook the stuffing IN the bird (with a thermometer, of course) which I think adds to the moisture/flavor.

[Anonymous]

OP here -- thanks for all your comments!

My turkey routinesly comes out NOT worth talking about -- very dry and blah -- but my gravy is always yummy, and the skin is always crunchy!

So I am looking for a change!

But I didn't know that about the brining meaning your gravy is too salty. Can't you add some water or bother to make it less so?

PP -- seems risky cooking a dishtowel in the over with the turkey -- doesn't it catch on fire?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I've never been impressed with brining or smoking or any of the other time- and labor-intensive techniques folks are so into these days. I've never done it myself, but have been a guest at several thanksgivings where we all had to talk interminably about the cook's turkey-prep method.

Mine doesn't require talking about, and routinely gets "best turkey I've had in years" type raves. Just like my grandmother did, I slather the skin with butter, then cover the whole bird in a thin dishtowel soaked in oil. About a half-hour before the bird is done, I take off the towel to brown the skin. The meat is moist and flavorful, and it's good for presentation because of the browning. I also cook the stuffing IN the bird (with a thermometer, of course) which I think adds to the moisture/flavor.

A dishtowel soaked in oil? How do you not smoke up the house doing that?

[Anonymous]

Re: dishtowel in oil... Hm. I don't know why it doesn't smoke. I'm just doing what my grandmother always did, and it works out fine! I do stick it to the buttery skin and tuck the corners in pretty firmly. Perhaps if there were a corner flapping free it would be a problem.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Re: dishtowel in oil... Hm. I don't know why it doesn't smoke. I'm just doing what my grandmother always did, and it works out fine! I do stick it to the buttery skin and tuck the corners in pretty firmly. Perhaps if there were a corner flapping free it would be a problem.

Interesting, what type of oil is it you use?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Brined turkey is good, but you can't use the drippings for gravy because it is too salty.

To make up for this I boil the package of neck/organs in water (no salt) with onion, celery, and garlic to make a stock and then use this mixed with a small amount of the drippings to make the gravy, it comes out really good

Also you can not stuff the turkey with stuffing or else it will be too salty. Half the reason I brine mine is to have an excuse not to stuff the turkey, it grosses me out for some reason, plus I like the crispy crust the stuffing gets when you bake it in it's own pan in the oven.

[Anonymous]

OK -- if the gravy is too salty and the stuffing is too salty -- does the turkey taste salty too??

[Anonymous]

I've never cooked stuffing in the turkey because they say it dries out the turkey (the turkey needs more time to cook because it's solid all the way through, with stuffing).

I've used brined turkey drippings for gravy and never noticed a salt problem. Never even occurred to me, though it makes perfect sense.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Brined turkey is good, but you can't use the drippings for gravy because it is too salty.

To make up for this I boil the package of neck/organs in water (no salt) with onion, celery, and garlic to make a stock and then use this mixed with a small amount of the drippings to make the gravy, it comes out really good

Also you can not stuff the turkey with stuffing or else it will be too salty. Half the reason I brine mine is to have an excuse not to stuff the turkey, it grosses me out for some reason, plus I like the crispy crust the stuffing gets when you bake it in it's own pan in the oven.

This is what I do (and am going to do this Thanksgiving).