To Brine or Not to Brine BB Guidelines

EggZona · November 2008

Lots of talk about this on the forum. I had always heard not to brine if it was a frozen/basted Turkey. Went to Butterball site and found the following guidelines-

Guidelines to Get You Started:
Use a fresh, non-basted turkey. Brining is ineffective on frozen turkeys and may interfere with the flavor of basted or kosher turkeys.

Use 1 cup kosher salt per gallon (4 quarts) of water. If you must substitute table salt, use 1/2 to 3/4 cup per gallon of water.

Add herbs if desired. You could add a combination of 6 to 8 bay leaves, 1/2 cup dried rosemary, 3 cloves peeled garlic, 2 teaspoons peppercorns, and 1/2 cup dried thyme leaves. Try adding some brown sugar or 1 cup small dried red chili peppers if you want to add some heat.

Length of brine time depends on the size of the turkey. As turkey gets larger, increase brine time rather than salt concentration.

Place turkey, breast down, in a large container made of food-grade plastic, stainless steel, or glass that will fit in the refrigerator. Add brine to cover.

Keep cold in refrigerator while brining.

Remove turkey from brine after recommended time and pat dry with paper towels. Not necessary to rinse. Cook turkey as desired.

NOTE: The turkey will look bluish-white before cooking and will not brown as well as non-brined turkeys

http://www.butterball.com/tips-how-tos/how-tos/brine

Another intersting fact that I found out on the Butterball site was thawing.

Thursday BEFORE Thanksgiving-

It’s National Thaw Day!

•Take your frozen turkey out of the freezer and begin refrigerator thawing (recommended method). Allow one day of thawing for each four pounds of turkey. A thawed turkey may remain in the refrigerator for four days before cooking.

Celtic Wolf · November 2008

In 39 years of cooking Turkeys I have never used a Brine.

The idea of brining is to help retain moisture and to add flavor. Turkeys cooked right on an Egg don't need any more moisture added and Turkey sure doesn't need more flavor.

Marvin · November 2008

In contrast, we always brine our turkeys cooked on the Egg. A lot of what you read on the Butterball site is correct; some is not. Definitely do not brine a turkey that has been processed by adding flavors, "juices", fluids, whatever. If a turkey has been frozen, but not flavored or injected - unprocessed - it can be handled like any fresh turkey and brined. We use 2/3 cup of Kosher salt ; 2/3 cup of sugar; crushed juniper berries and some whole cloves per gallon of water. Emerse turkey; keep at

mad max beyond eggdome · November 2008

i have to agree with CW on this one ... i've never brined a turkey in my life. ...when cooked properly, the breast meat is very moist. ...and i want my turkey to taste like turkey, not something else ....do the ice bag trick to insure the breast doesn't overcook and stays nice and moist . ...

Charleston Dave · November 2008

I have not Egged a turkey, and have to date only oven-roasted.

My experience is that brining does improve flavor when oven-roasting a previously non-injected bird.

I use free-range birds that have not been previously injected, so my experience wold not be applicable to cooking Butterballs, and might not be applicable to cooking on the Egg.

civil eggineer · November 2008

I picked up a frozen turkey at Walmart a week ago. I looked at three or four different brands and all of them were factory brined. I don't know if you can even buy an unbrined turkey any more.

Marvin · November 2008

The grocers here in upstate NY all have unbrined, fresh or frozen turkey.

Celtic Wolf · November 2008

If you are anywhere near Syracuse you should head out to Plainville and get one that walked across the road in the morning HAHAHA

Bordello · November 2008

I can only speak for Butterball, I have called them each year for the last 5 or 6 and I called them this morning. Their FRESH turkey's are NOT injected, only the frozen ones.

Hope that helps,
Bordello

civil eggineer · November 2008

I was looking at frozen turkeys so maybe they are typically brined??? I can't think of the last time I saw a turkey that wasn't frozen except live ones.

Unknown · November 2008

what is the ice bag trick?

mad max beyond eggdome · November 2008

take a 1 gallon zip lock bag full of ice cubes, and for the last 20 to 30 minutes prior to putting your turkey in the egg (or oven), lay the ice bag over the turkey's breasts. . ..this will lower the temps of the breast meat sufficiently that during the roasting period it will allow the thighs to finish at 180 degrees and the breasts to finish at 160 -170 and not be dried out .. resulting in nice moist breast meat. ...read the complete details at the mad max turkey site. ..

http://www.nakedwhiz.com/madmaxcentral/madmaxcentral.htm

Bordello · November 2008

My local Basha's have fresh ones about a week or so before turkey day. Don't usually see them the rest of the year but your local butcher may be able to order one in.

Cheers,
Bordello

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