To brine or not. That is the question...
While my Sister will be roasting (and basting, and basting, and basting) the big bird, I am doing a small turkey with the fixin's at our house so we can have leftovers! (oink) I've been thinking about using a brine, and wanted some feedback. I feel like we have traveled this ground before on here, but I'm too lazy to search.  |
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| I'm a baster; every 15 minutes, for the whole time it bakes. Its always delicious. I always am tempted by brining. But then I think, my bird is always very good, always very moist. It doesn't even require gravy. So why mess with it? But I am curious..... |
| I have been brining for 3 years...once you do it you will never go back! It makes the turkey so tender and moist with little effort. I use Alton Browns recipe from foodtv...over 2700 rated it 5 stars and it's good! The hard part is finding a 5 gallon container to put it in and keeping it cold...I put it in a hefty garbage bag in a cooler with ice. I usually do it late Wed. afternoon until 7 am Thursday. Make sure you wash it good before putting in the oven or it could be too salty. I don't bast it at all once in the oven. |
| Alton's bine is wonderful. I've been tempted to try it on other meats. Another thought noticed on Cooking channel or Food Network, cutting the turkey before cooking. Since the legs and thighs take longer, cut them off all in one cut, given them time in the oven before putting the breast/wings over the top and continuing. I'm not ready to do it this year, I'll start learning how to remove the two sections on chickens before I go after a big bird. |
I do neither.  Well, actually, TODD does neither..... 2 things we do..... use a roasting bag (love this, works great, and less cleanup!! - and that IS my job!) and do the injecting into the bird before roasting. Both have been wonderful  |
| I inject during roasting in addition to my basting. I REALLY hate dry turkey! |
| I baste but have never injected a turkey, what do you use and do you get the injector at a grocery store or do you have to go to a kitchen supply store. Rather doubt our grocery store has anything like that but maybe down by my daughters. |
The injector came with the sol'n. The one I used last year was Tony Chachere's, and got it at Walmart.  Here's a link - I just got 1 bottle, not a whole pack like pictured - http://www.turkey-fryers-online.com/gif ... de_kit.htm But, it really is just a 20ml syringe with a large bore needle - I would say at least an 14g. (OK, the nurse in me can't resist!) You could get this from any farm store or vet if not available in the food markets! And there are many recipes online to make your own liquid as well. We made the turducken this year, in an electric roaster (limited oven space) with tin foil securely over it. No basting, no nothing extra and it was all moist, even the white meat. |
| The nurse is you will probably be horrified to know I use the injector my mom used to use, and she got it from a friend that was a Vet, over 20 years ago. He specialized in horses. So ours is just a giant syringe. I try my damnedest to keep it clean; and I only break it out for Thanksgiving. |
Darth Snuggle wrote: The nurse is you will probably be horrified to know I use the injector my mom used to use, and she got it from a friend that was a Vet, over 20 years ago. He specialized in horses. So ours is just a giant syringe. I try my damnedest to keep it clean; and I only break it out for Thanksgiving. Not at all! needles and syringes never used to be disposable - they were made to be cleaned and reused. I reuse them for the sheep all the time. They get washed and air dried and put away. Needles too - and get reused until they are too dull. I usually buy the good stainless needles that are meant to be reused also. |
| Ok, sounds good. Just wondering also if you could just inject with the drippings, my family isn't big on experimenting with other flavors. Suppose I could call the feed mill and see if they have anything. |
ICH wrote: Ok, sounds good. Just wondering also if you could just inject with the drippings, my family isn't big on experimenting with other flavors. Suppose I could call the feed mill and see if they have anything. I would think you could. The other stuff you inject while it is still cold - right before you put it in the oven. So you would need to wait for drippings, then inject. Should still work though! |
| Thanks everyone. Called the vet's office as she works with horses too and needed Tripper's ear drops anyway so asked them if I could get one. Well when she got done laughing she decided it was a good idea and she'd do it too. We're all set, found a couple decent sounding marinades to inject before hand so will make those up at home as don't know if daughter has the spices or not. Should be good, glad we had this conversation. |
ICH wrote: Thanks everyone. Called the vet's office as she works with horses too and needed Tripper's ear drops anyway so asked them if I could get one. Well when she got done laughing she decided it was a good idea and she'd do it too. We're all set, found a couple decent sounding marinades to inject before hand so will make those up at home as don't know if daughter has the spices or not. Should be good, glad we had this conversation.  I love it !! |
| YAY!!!!! |
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