Why Brine a Turkey?
WHAT YOU NEED TO BRINE A TURKEY
- Malcom’s Bird Brine
- HowToBBQRight Meat Bags
- Raised Rack
- Pitmaster GlovesÂ
If you want a juicy Thanksgiving turkey, start with the brine.
Turkey is lean meat without much fat, and it doesn’t have a lot of flavor on its own. A good brine helps it hold onto moisture while it cooks and gets flavor deep into the meat.
What about turkeys with an added solution?
Most grocery store turkeys already contain an added saltwater solution, but I don’t consider that a substitute for a good brine. I still brine every turkey I cook
Start with a Completely Thawed Turkey
If the turkey is still icy when you drop it in the brine, it doesn’t seem to absorb the brine as well. So I use this chart – and then add an extra day – just to be sure.
|
Turkey Size |
Refrigerator Thawing Time |
|
8–12 lbs |
2–3 days |
|
12–16 lbs |
3–4 days |
|
16–20 lbs |
4–5 days |
|
20–24 lbs |
5–6 days |
What Goes in a Turkey Brine
There are plenty of good brine recipes out there, but I use my Bird Brine because it’s already got the salt, sugar, herbs and seasonings mixed together.
You can add fresh lemons, oranges or whatever flavors you like.  Most people use water, but you can also use apple juice, cider or even beer. Lately, I’ve really been liking sweet tea for the flavor and the good color it gives the turkey while it brines.
How Long to Brine
A good rule of thumb is about an hour per pound, but I pretty much brine all my turkeys for 24 hours regardless of the size.
|
Turkey Size |
Brining Time |
|
8–12 lbs |
8–12 hours |
|
12–16 lbs |
12–16 hours |
|
16–20 lbs |
16–20 hours |
|
20–24 lbs |
20–24 hours |
 
Keep Your Turkey Cold
If you’ve got room in the refrigerator, a brining bucket works great.
Otherwise, I put the turkey and brine in a Meat Bag, set it in a cooler and pack ice around it.  Either way, make sure the bird stays completely submerged in the brine and the temperature stays at 40°F or below the entire time.
Dry the Skin
Once your turkey comes out of the brine, get the skin as dry as possible. Pat it down really well with paper towels, including inside the cavity.
But if you’ve got the time, put the turkey on a raised rack in the refrigerator for a couple hours. That air circulation helps dry the skin even more, giving you better browning and crispier skin when you cook it.
Malcom Reed
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The post How to Brine a Turkey appeared first on HowToBBBQRight.