Brine AND inject turkey??

dawsonhull

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

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

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

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

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.