Turkey brining question

Searljd

Is it best to brine them spatchcock or spatchcock and then brine?

dannys

I wet brine the whole bird.  I start the flavored bring 2 days before, then remove bird to fridge for a day, then cook on the third.

I have a cooler that is just big enough to hold the bird in a giant ziploc. I then surround the ziploc with blue freezer blocs.

lkapigian

Personally, Spatchcock, Dry Brine otherwise wet 

Langner91

Searljd said:

Is it best to brine them spatchcock or spatchcock and then brine?

Yes.

fishlessman

spatchcock first then a dry brine for 3 to 4 days. wet brine doesnt do it justice, takes to much room, and not much flavor if you are going with a flavor brine. i usually set it up on sunday for a thursday bird. dry brine makes a better skin as well.

fishlessman

this is the brine i use, great everytime for traditional. if i was going nontraditional like a spatchcock i would add some heat to it

https://www.askchefdennis.com/dry-brine-roast-turkey/

Foghorn

@fishlessman and others - do you dry brine a free range turkey - or only a storebought one that has essentially already been wet brined?  

Foghorn

@fishlessman and others - do you dry brine a free range turkey - or only a storebought one that has essentially already been wet brined?  

fishlessman

Foghorn said:

@fishlessman and others - do you dry brine a free range turkey - or only a storebought one that has essentially already been wet brined?  

used to use turkeys from the farm but the prices the last couple years have been insane (would still buy from the same farm if i had a larger crowd as the birds there have breast meat double the the size) my suprmarket has fresh, solution added maybe 6 percent, and some crazy like 12 percent. i dont buy the crazy high ones and still dry brine the others. kosher birds are just salt rubbed, net wet brined, usually see them frozen. you can just herb them several days. theres nothing wrong just cooking a salt rubbed kosher bird as is.

on a different note, i used to cook 20 plus birds every weekend before tday for a fraternity family get together, house ovens, catholic center ovens, and school ovens, upside down makes it better, juicier, pulls apart easier to slice. the presentation bird needs to be cooked sitting proper. did that for 6 or 7 years in a row

Legume

Fry the turkey, much less fussy re brine and the peanut oil will only cost you 2x the cost of the bird.