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Turkeys...To Brine Or Not To Brine

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  • mimauler
    mimauler Posts: 136
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    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. 
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  • bclarksicle
    bclarksicle Posts: 167
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    tarheelmatt said:
    Try dry brining... 
    +1
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  • dihtn
    dihtn Posts: 234
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    Does the dry brining help make the skin crispy?
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  • littlerascal56
    littlerascal56 Posts: 2,104
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    based on what I am reading, I think this years bird will get a "dry brine" before it hits the XL.
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  • bgebrent
    bgebrent Posts: 19,636
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    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.
    Sandy Springs & Dawsonville Ga
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  • Golfergirl
    Golfergirl Posts: 15
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     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?
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  • JohnInCarolina
    JohnInCarolina Posts: 30,976
    edited November 2015
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    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've made a note never to piss you two off." - Stike
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  • cazzy
    cazzy Posts: 9,136
    edited November 2015
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    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.  


    Just a hack that makes some $hitty BBQ....
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