RSS
Home
Welcome to the brined turkey help group
Print
Email
RSS
Subscribe
Tom Turkey
Thanksgiving is almost here. Can you feel the excitement? The main attraction on nearly all Thanksgiving dinner tables is the turkey.
First, you need to take the time to get to know your bird -- Are you fresh or frozen? Are you male or female? Where did you grow up? What's your sign? Ok, so maybe the last question isn't necessary, but you get my drift. Knowing a little about your bird will help you plan your dinner.
When possible, it is best to pick a fresh turkey, rather than a frozen one. If you buy a frozen bird, you will need to thaw it at least 2 days prior to brining. The proper way to thaw a bird is to place it in the refrigerator (not on the counter). If you are strapped for time, you can thaw it out by placing it under cold running water.
Female turkeys tend to be smaller in size than males. Depending on how many mouths you are feeding, the best flavor comes from smaller birds (as opposed to 30 pounders - YIKES!). The trend right now is to buy free-range birds. Wild turkeys are also available, especially here in Montana.
Basic Brine for turkeys (adapted from Alton Brown)
- 1 cup kosher salt
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar
- 1 gallon vegetable stock
- 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
- 1/2 tablespoon allspice berries
- 2 oranges, cut into wedges
- 1 gallon iced water
Combine all brine ingredients, except iced water, in a stockpot. Bring to a boil. Stir to dissolve salt and sugar, then remove from heat and cool to room temperature. Refrigerate until thoroughly chilled. (If you add the turkey to a hot brine, you will begin to cook it -- not what you want to do.)
The night before cooking, combine the brine and ice water in a clean 5-gallon bucket. Place turkey breast side down in brine, cover, and refrigerate or set in a cool area, like on a porch or ideally in your refrigerator (if it fits) for 6-8 hours. Turn turkey over once, half way through brining.
Remove bird from bring and rinse inside and out with cold water. Discard brine and bake the turkey according to Grandma's instructions (or whomever you look up to for baking the perfect turkey).
Stay tuned for instructions on how to bake the turkey.
Related Articles:
Comments
