Turkeys...To Brine Or Not To Brine

mimauler

The only time I don't brine is when I fry a turkey usually throw some citrus in there lemon and orange brown sugar and salt. 

bclarksicle

tarheelmatt said:

Try dry brining... 

+1

dihtn

Does the dry brining help make the skin crispy?

littlerascal56

based on what I am reading, I think this years bird will get a "dry brine" before it hits the XL.

bgebrent

Dry brine will help flavor your bird. It also extracts moisture.  Wet brine flavors your bird, and extracts less moisure. I prefer wet brine cuz I like moist breast meat. If you like the thigh/drum, it probably doesn't matter.

Golfergirl

 This is our first year to cook turkey on the egg.  We plan to brine first, but (dumb question) are we supposed to rinse the brine off before cooking?

JohnInCarolina

bgebrent said:

Dry brine will help flavor your bird. It also extracts moisture.  Wet brine flavors your bird, and extracts less moisure. I prefer wet brine cuz I like moist breast meat. If you like the thigh/drum, it probably doesn't matter.

Dry brining is still going to result in a turkey that tastes more moist than one that isn't brined. The salt helps loosen the muscle fibers up, so they don't contract as much during the cook.  That contraction is what ends up giving you a dry turkey.

Wet brining gives you a more moist bird, for sure, but it's a mess and mostly what you get is a watery bird.  But, to each his own.

cazzy

JohnInCarolina said:

bgebrent said:

Dry brine will help flavor your bird. It also extracts moisture.  Wet brine flavors your bird, and extracts less moisure. I prefer wet brine cuz I like moist breast meat. If you like the thigh/drum, it probably doesn't matter.

Dry brining is still going to result in a turkey that tastes more moist than one that isn't brined. The salt helps loosen the muscle fibers up, so they don't contract as much during the cook.  That contraction is what ends up giving you a dry turkey.

Wet brining gives you a more moist bird, for sure, but it's a mess and mostly what you get is a watery bird.  But, to each his own.

I'm currently watering down two birds for my wife's holiday party on Thursday.