Brine AND inject turkey??

dawsonhull · November 2012

The turkey I'll be cooking this Thanksgiving is all natural - no enhancements or injections. I'm going to try to follow the recipe from amazingribs.com. However, I'm not sure if I should brine it AND inject it or if that is an either/or.

These are the ingredients for the web brine:

1 cup [56 ml] hot water in a 2 cup measuring cup
1 pound [454 gm] salt (any salt will do)
1 cup [56 ml] white sugar
8 tablespoons of garlic powder (not garlic salt)
6 tablespoons ground black pepper
2 gallons [7.6 L] cold water

These are the ingredients for the injection:

1 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoons sugar
1 cups [56 ml] water or low sodium chicken stock, or a mix of both

If it is an either/or, which would you suggest - brining or injecting?

SmokeyPitt · November 2012

Just my $.02, but I'm pretty sure it is an either or. I think if you do both it will come out too salty.

I was just looking here:

http://www.amazingribs.com/recipes/chicken_turkey_duck/ultimate_smoked_turkey.html

...and found the paragraph below, which sounds like the author did mean an "either or".

Injecting and brining

For years I have advocated wet brining turkey, but I have changed my tune and I now prefer injecting. Yes, I am a flip-flopper, so don't vote for me if I run for President.

dawsonhull · November 2012

Ah....that's what I was looking for. I bet you're right. There is so much to sift through in that recipe - or should I say, dissertation!

Thanks!

U_tarded · November 2012

a lot of times i will inject a few spots with the brine mix, i think it helps get the other herbs deeper into the meat. like on a turkey i will do 2 syringes in each breast, 1 each thigh and various spots like legs, wings etc. i don't make a different injection just use the same one.

nolaegghead · November 2012

You can do both, there are no rules here other than you don't want it too salty. If you brine, the salt level is covered. Inject salt-free butter or salt free broth, fruit juice, herbs, whatever - just don't add more salt. That's covered, you can always add layers of flavor.

Howdy, Stranger!

Forums

Brine AND inject turkey??

Comments

Injecting and brining