Brine A Turkey

Brining turkey is the worst, according to science — Quartz. It’s a topic of perpetual debate, especially this time of year: To brine or not to brine?

Common wisdom says that brining a turkey, or soaking it in a bath of saltwater (plus extras, depending on the recipe), is the best way to make a juicy bird. Heck, even Martha Stewart says to do it that way. But the common wisdom is wrong. As Buzz. Feed showed in a 1. The skin doesn’t crisp. The taste doesn’t wow.

But that leaves home chefs with a problem: How do you get a turkey that is both juicy and flavorful? The answer is simpler than soaking: Use a dry brine, aka a rub. Wet and dry brines serve the same basic function: Both are vehicles for salt, which dissolves muscle protein and helps flesh loosen up to absorb extra liquid, as scientist- chef J. Kenji López- Alt explained to Quartz. Salt, in theory, makes for a moister, more tender bird. But when you use a wet brine, a lot can go wrong. Water goes in and flavor compounds go out, leaving the turkey’s taste in the brining bucket instead of in the meat where they belong, says López- Alt.

My Favorite Turkey Brine Serves 18 Ingredients: 3 cups Apple Juice Or Apple Cider 2 gallons Cold Water 4 Tablespoons Fresh Rosemary Leaves 5 cloves Garlic, Minced 1-1. Brining or dry-brining your bird can mean the difference between dry turkey and supremely moist and plump turkey. Over the years I've written many articles on brining. Brining is the secret to flavorful turkey. Brining makes it moist. So, despite the moisture loss during the long cooking time, you end up with a juicy bird. Learn how to made you juiciest bird ever with this simple method that can be used with any roast turkey recipe.

Buzz. Feed’s resident cooking genius, Christine Byrne, has a rival theory: The extra moisture actually cooks off in the oven, leaving the turkey even drier than had it not been brined at all. Either way, an unpleasant mouthful. In a dry brine, however, experts agree: something extraordinary happens.

U.S. History books record that the first presidential pardon ever given was by Harry Truman in 1947, to a turkey. Now, in honor of this pardon, 2 turkeys are spared. Learn how to brine a turkey to perfection in time for Thanksgiving or any occasion, from the chefs at Cooking Channel.

First the salt draws the turkey’s own juices out. Then the turkey sucks those natural juices back in. As explained on cooking blog the kitchn: First, the salt draws out the meat juices through osmosis. Next, the salt dissolves into the juices, essentially turning into a “natural” brine even though there isn’t any added liquid. And finally, this brine is reabsorbed into the meat and starts breaking down tough muscle proteins, resulting in juicy, tender, seasoned meat. The other benefit of a dry brine is the crispy skin, which is the result of brining the turkey uncovered or loosely covered in the fridge, rather than submerged in water.

This causes the skin to dry out, letting it cook crispy, instead of rubbery. A dry brine can be as simple as plain old salt, but for extra flavor, it can also incorporate sugar, other herbs or butter. How To Reheat Hollandaise.

López- Alt recommends one tablespoon of salt for every five pounds of meat. You can take that up a notch with this dry brine from Byrne, or for something spicier, the kitchn recommends mixing in some dried herbs like thyme, sage, rosemary or a blend. A juicy bird with all its natural flavor and a crispy skin? Spinach Potato Curry there. That’s something to be thankful for.

How To Brine Turkey (with video)Brining is the secret to a juicy, flavorful turkey. Here are two different ways to brine your turkey, plus loads of tips for brining success. Photo by Meredith. What Is Brining? Applying salt to an uncooked turkey, either by soaking in a water solution (wet brine) or by sprinkling salt directly on the bird (dry brine) causes the protein strands in the meat to break down over time so the meat tenderizes, absorbs flavors, and retains moisture. This means that despite the moisture lost during roasting and the long cooking time, you end up with a juicy bird. How to Wet- Brine a Turkey. Always start with a completely thawed turkey.

Turkey Brining 1. Allrecipes. Tips for Wet- Brining a Turkey. Salt Solution. The basic ratio for turkey brine is two cups of kosher salt to two gallons of water. Some recipes include sweeteners or acidic ingredients to balance the saltiness. Dissolve kosher salt (and sugar, if using) in two cups of hot water. Stir in remaining gallon plus 3 ½ quarts of cold water. Remove giblets and neck from turkey.

Immerse turkey in the cool (never warm or hot) brine and refrigerate for at least eight hours but no longer than 2. The Right Container. The real trick with wet- brining is finding a non- corrosive container that’s large enough to submerge the turkey, yet small enough to fit in your refrigerator.

Try a stainless steel stock pot or roasting pan, an enamel- coated pot, or a plastic bucket. Note: If you cannot fully submerge the turkey, you will need to turn it periodically so that each side rests in the brine. Place the container on the lowest shelf of the refrigerator so spills won’t reach foods below. As an alternative, you can put the turkey and the brine solution in a large food- safe sealable plastic bag and place it in an ice chest or bucket large enough to hold the filled bag plus plenty of ice packs to keep the turkey very cold. Store it in the coolest spot you can find. WATCH: How To Wet- Brine A Turkey. Cooking a Wet- Brined Turkey.

When you’re ready to roast, pour off the brine. Rinse the turkey well with cool tap water, and pat dry with paper towels. Proceed with your preferred recipe, but remember that the turkey has already absorbed a significant amount of salt; any drippings that you use for gravy will already be salty, and no salt should be added to compound butters or spice rubs. How to Dry- Brine a Turkey. Dry- brining does exactly what wet- brining does, only without the bother of finding a large enough container to submerge the turkey.

Also, fans of dry- brining swear that the turkey flavor really comes through because it’s not diluted by water. For best results, you’ll need to dry- brine for at least 1. Start with a completely thawed turkey. Use 1 tablespoon kosher salt for every 5 pounds of turkey. For a 1. 5- pound turkey, you’ll need 3 tablespoons. You can add any dry spice you like, but it’s the salt that going to work the juicy magic here. If you want to put flavored (but not salted) butter under the skin, do it now because dry- brining will make the skin quite firm and prone to tearing.

Sprinkle the turkey inside and out with salt, concentrating most of the salt on the breast area. If you’re going to truss the turkey, do it now. Cover the turkey loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate.

Uncover the turkey during the last 8 hours so the skin can air dry. This helps promote a crisper skin when you roast it. No need to rinse the bird, just pat it dry and proceed with the recipe of your choice. Note: A dry- brined turkey retains moisture so well that it usually doesn’t yield a lot of pan drippings for gravy. To keep from burning away what drippings there are, pour unsalted or low- sodium turkey or chicken stock into the roasting pan before it goes into the oven. Taste the liquid before you make gravy to make sure it’s not too salty. Stuffed or Unstuffed?

Whether you wet- brine or dry- brine your turkey, it’s always best to bake stuffing or dressing in a separate pan so it won’t become overly salty from the turkey itself.