Do you brine your Thanksgiving Turkey

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legend_018

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I know I didn't grow up with my mother and father doing that. Any here brining there turkey?
 
I did once, but I really don't have the room for it. I don't trust leaving anything outside in the "chiller" since we are in an apartment. I guess I could lock it in our storage closet. But now, I don't do a whole turkey anymore.
 
I know I didn't grow up with my mother and father doing that. Any here bringing there turkey?

A big fat HE!! NO. Commercial Turkeys are already pumped with lots of SALTY BROTH, why would I want to brine one at home and up the SODIUM?? That is just crazy.:sick::wacko:
 
YES! A proper brine does not produce a salty bird, just one full of flavor that retains its moisture. Seriously I have "wowed" many people with brined birds. My mom never brined, her turkeys were good, but really needed that gravy to give the white meat any flavor.

Yes it is kind of a cumbersome process, but for me, really worth it.
 
As Patty mentioned, a lot of commercial birds are already pumped up. Maybe if you're lucky enough to get a fresh turkey, it might be nice to brine.
 
I've only brined previously frozen birds, never fresh, it works great. Frozen birds may already have a solution, but it really isn't "brined"
 
BIL, who worked for Butterball for many years, brined his turkey last year. It was good, but his turkeys are always good, brine or no brine!
 
I plan on cooking Trader Joe's brined turkey this year on the Weber kettle grill. It's been pre-brined before packaging. In fact, this will be my first turkey ever.
I've always brined whole chicken and they always come out good and moist.
 
Not all commercially available turkeys are "already pumped with lots of SALTY BROTH". I buy a fresh Butterball every year and brine it (frozen Butterballs are injected with a brine). Since I started using the Good Eats Thanksgiving Turkey recipe, I've had the juiciest and tastiest turkeys I've ever eaten.

One of the reasons some turkeys come brined is because brining works!
 
Not all commercially available turkeys are "already pumped with lots of SALTY BROTH". I buy a fresh Butterball every year and brine it (frozen Butterballs are injected with a brine). Since I started using the Good Eats Thanksgiving Turkey recipe, I've had the juiciest and tastiest turkeys I've ever eaten.

One of the reasons some turkeys come brined is because brining works!

Don't hate on the salty broth ;)
(not you specifically)
 
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no brine. I like to rub an herb butter under the skin and a little over the top of it. I then use a dry rub of salt and Bells seasoning with a little Old Bay.
 
Ditto. Rubbing with salt (more salt than you think is right) and leaving it in the refrigerator (uncovered) and a couple of days gives a similar result with a drier and therefore ultimately crisper skin. No salt should be visible when you take it out to roast it.
 
I have never brined a turkey. I usually buy frozen ones, and usually I have to assume, without remembering now, that they are injected. It's bad enough their breasts are all puffed up that they can barely stand up straight. It's a wonder they dont' catch scoliosis and develop weak knees. I have to think that was not always the case. Those worthless little Plastic Pop Ups When Done thingies have been inserted in frozen birds for a long time. So they could have been injected for a long time as well. This is how I do it. After they are prepared and / or stuffed, I cover the turkey with cheesecloth or my oldest thinnest (clean) dish towel, and then pour melted fat on it. I used to use Crisco before they converted it to transfat free and ruined it. Today, if I had to, I would use peanut oil, since that is pretty much what is in the pantry. I don't think I would use olive oiil, but I am not sure why. I wonder if Lard would work. Anyway, I Baste throughout and tent if it starts to get too brown. Start with a 450 degree oven and immediately Lower oven to 325. Use thermomenter probe to check for doneness.

If I ever get a fresh farm raised turkey with no added chemicals I would use Alton Brown's brine recipe. I do not make our holiday birds. My Bro in Law at thanksgiving, and Sis in laws at Christmas always turn out good/ great / Respectable Turkeys. I am more apt to grill turkeys on a Weber Charcoaler in the summer, similiar minus the cheesecloth. and add herbs / onions/ cut up apples/ orange whatever in the cavity. Oh, and I make gravy from the drippings caught in a pan that sits alongside the coals and which also works to keep the coals separate, so it is as much indirect heat as those big turkeys allow on a Weber.

I get so jealous of Canadian Thanksgiving in October. It's like a being a kid who can't wait until Santa. Now, it's Only 10 more days til Thanksgiving. I can wait. Barely. I love turkey.

Fred
 
CharlieD said:
I do not, but since I use kosher turkey it sort of was brined before. Part of kashering process.

I was reading a review about best turkeys on America's Test Kitchen website, and kosher came up on top as the best tasting.
 
I find it interesting how often, those that are the most against brining are often the ones that have never tried it.
 
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