I usually buy the Butterballs because they are consistently good and my family loves oyster stuffing. I always injected it with butter and put salt and pepper on the bird. I ordered a natural turkey last week and know I'll need to season it a bit. I brined some chicken a while back and didn't care for the texture. Does anyone think brining alters the texture of turkey? Thanks.
Turkey - Brine, Dry Brine (Salted/Rubbed), No Brine
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bbquzz
Master Chef
Did a "natural type, free range bird" last year and did a basic brine ... Best ever!
Bob In Fla.
Head Chef
The only time that I've noticed a texture problem with a brine is when I left the chicks or the turkeys in too long. About 6 to 8 hours or overnight shouldn't be too long for a turkey or even a large chicken, but for a smaller chicken or chicken parts, I'd say its possibly starting to make the meat mushy.
And of course, as usual, YMMV.
:|
BOB
And of course, as usual, YMMV.
:| BOB
Nick Prochilo
Chef Extraordinaire
I agree with Bob, don't brine it too long.
Going to be talking brining on the radio show with Dr. BBQ Ray Lampe tomorrow night and then again next week with the guy from Amazing Ribs.com Might be some good info for you there as well.
Whole turkeys are real durable as regards brine time. 2 or 3 days works great depending on how strong is your brine of course. 1 cup salt per gallon along with an equal amount of sweet stuff to counteract the salt is considered a weak brine. No need to rinse blah blah blah. With a butterball it already shot full of mo betta stuff than you could brine into it yet again. Injecting maybe help it but would keep it low salt. If you are getting a real unpumped bird brining would be a good plan. Alton Browns recipe is very good and easy to find. Now I think he is just burning money on the vegetable stock deal. That is sorta nutty.
Tri Tip
Head Chef
My best bird ever was 17 lb fresh that I brined for 1 hr per lb. Per gallon, it was 1 cup Kosher salt and 1 cup brown sugar with some other seasonings mainly garlic, onion powder and herbs. I cooked it on my 22 in kettle super hot. I put a heaping chimney of Blue K fully lit half on each side of a drip pan. Pan had foil elevated from the bottom to insulate the drippings from burning and used em later for gravy. Put the bird directly on the rack trussed of course. I let it come up to room temp first outside, with air temp 65. Started the cook at 475 and when it was finished cooking it was down to 340. I did add foil deflectors to the side and top when the color was just right. Pulled at 2 hours and 20 min 165 in the breast and it came up to 170 resting 25 min. Skin was crisp and was the best I ever cooked. I’m totally against slow smoking a turkey. Comes out too rubbery and nobody in my family likes the pink meat. I have had some good smoked turkey thought just have no clue how they did it.
Oh forgot to mention. I shoved almost a lb of butter mixed wiht herbs under the skin and inside the center.
Oh forgot to mention. I shoved almost a lb of butter mixed wiht herbs under the skin and inside the center.
Well guessing the brining angels was watching over you. I do not pokes holes in the breastes portion but if I did...by the time it hit 170 I would have to say to myself..Self you have done over cooked this poor critter Breastes was invented to be no higher than 160..or since I like old Alton Brown so well I would agree to 161. I plan on taking him under my wing and teach him how to cook Turkeys one of these days. Forget about the breast and poke holes in the thighs which need to be crying out 175. If the thighs are right the breastes is close enough. Now this applies to rational folks who cook them face down of course. That allow a person to get rid of old Alton's tinfoil breastes shield and other goofy stuff like that.
Breastes was invented to be no higher than 160..or since I like old Alton Brown so well I would agree to 161. I plan on taking him under my wing and teach him how to cook Turkeys one of these days. Forget about the breast and poke holes in the thighs which need to be crying out 175. If the thighs are right the breastes is close enough. Now this applies to rational folks who cook them face down of course. That allow a person to get rid of old Alton's tinfoil breastes shield and other goofy stuff like that.
Tri Tip
Head Chef
bigwheel said:Well guessing the brining angels was watching over you. I do not pokes holes in the breastes portion but if I did...by the time it hit 170 I would have to say to myself..Self you have done over cooked this poor critter
I Thermopen the breast because I can go from the opening of cavity under the skin into the breast without puncturing the skin. I'm with ya, you poke that breast through the skin and you'll get a qtr cup of juice run out.
Captain Morgan
Chef Extraordinaire
was it a whole chicken or pieces? individual pieces don't need long at all.
