Brining a Turkey ...

Brining a turkey, using either a wet or dry method, can make a huge difference in the taste and texture of the meat.

Turkeys have a subtle taste. The reason that many commercial turkeys are so often "enhanced", which essentially means that the turkey has been brined, is that the industry knows that brining a turkey makes it better tasting. It also provides a buffer against overcooking.

Some people discourage brining heritage turkeys. And occasionally we are admonished that it is not necessary to brine a turkey or any bird which is to be deep fried, but the results of taste tests usually indicate that brining does improve the taste of all turkeys.

Heritage and a wild turkeys are different than a conventional turkeys in both texture and flavor. Heritage and wild turkeys are more intense in flavor and most diners find that the flavor is not masked but actually enhanced by brining.

The reason that wet turkey brine has been discouraged for a bird destined for the deep fryer also has to do with safety because moisture is introduced into the turkey.

If the turkey is not patted dry of excess moisture before it is deep fried, lowering it into hot oil will cause splattering and hot steam. Many deep fried turkey recipes do call for brining a turkey with a wet brine, so if you decide to wet brine these birds just be extra careful.

Alternatively, you can dry brine the turkey as described below.

Brining a Turkey - Two Methods

Brining a turkey is a way to introduce juiciness and flavor into a turkey. It takes time and effort, but the results can be outstanding. Enhanced and Kosher birds are already treated with salt, so additional brining is not needed.

Wet Brining:

To wet brine, you need a food grade container or a non-reactive cooking pot large enough to contain the turkey while it is submerged in the brine.

If you don't have a food grade container, you can buy a brining bag which can be placed in a clean but non food grade containers such as a plastic bucket. It is worth buying an actual brining bag manufactured for that purpose. Non food grade bags (e.g. garbage bags) aren't safe, and certain food grade bags made for collecting and storing dry items have a tendency to leak.

Brining a turkey takes up quite a bit of refrigerator space. As an alternative, this process can be accomplished in a cooler with an iced brine that maintains the bird at a safe temperature - below 40 degrees F. Be sure to clean and disinfect your cooler before using it to brine. To keep from diluting your brine, you can use reusable ice packs. Or, make your own ice packs by partly filling milk or orange juice containers with water and freezing them.

The brine itself is a solution of water, sugar, salt, and other flavoring agents that bring flavor and moisture into the bird through osmosis. It also locks natural moisture into the turkey by breaking down (denaturing) the protein.

There are many recipes for the brining solution, all use salt. Most use water or a combination of liquids and sweeteners like sugar or honey to reduce saltiness and to help with browning.

To cool a brine quickly, don't use all of the water called for in the brine recipe when you dissolve the salt over heat. Instead, add some of the water in the form of ice after the salt is dissolved.

Defrost while Brining? Sorry but No!

You can not brine a bird during its defrosting period because a frozen product will not absorb the brine. You must thaw the bird, then place it into a cooled brine, and keep everything refrigerated at 40 degrees F or less.

Dry Brining:

Dry brining, also called "pre-salting" or simply "seasoning," is a method of applying a dry salt "cure" or "rub" to the turkey. The purpose isn't to preserve the meat but rather to enhance the flavor and texture while making it more succulent.

When using this method, mix a cup of salt with a tablespoon of cayenne and a tablespoon of black pepper. Add other seasonings you like such as sage, thyme or rosemary. Rub this mixture over the turkey, place the salted, seasoned turkey in a plastic bag and refrigerate for 24 hours.

The plastic bag is important because it keeps the turkey from drying out.

Before cooking, wipe off excess dry brine crystals from the turkey, inside and outside, with a clean dish towel.

Marinade:

Brining is a type of marinade. If the solution is based on salt water, it is usually referred to as a brine. If the soaking liquid is acidic, it is usually referred to as a marinade. To make things more complicated, a marinade can also be dry in which case it is often referred to as a dry rub.

Marinating is done for smaller pieces of meat because a marinade does not penetrate into the muscle as far as a brine does (because it doesn't use osmosis). Also, marinating is usually done for a shorter period of time than a brine.

When working with marinade, smaller pieces of meat are soaked in it but whole turkeys can be injected with the marinade with a kitchen device made just for this purpose.

To maximize the intensity of flavor, inject the marinade first and then proceed with dry brining. Then let the marinated injected, dry brined turkey cure in a plastic bag, in the refrigerator, for up to 24 hours before cooking.

Click here for some turkey marinade recipes.

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