To Brine or not to Brine?

To Brine or not to Brine?

Yes – definitely Brine your Thanksgiving turkey, unless it is a butterball, which has already been brined, which is why they always come out so juicy and flavorful. Brine is simply a salt water solution with herbs and seasonings, and is the secret to a juicy, flavorful turkey. Salt causes the meat tissue to absorb water and flavorings. It also breaks down the proteins and makes a more tender turkey.

The difficult part is having a container that is large enough for the turkey, and small enough to fit in your refrigerator. A stock pot lined with a roasting bag works well. Be sure to put it on the bottom shelf of your refrigerator so spills won’t affect other foods.

Below I will give you an excellent brine recipe, but first I want to talk about the technique. First you will take the salt and seasonings and cook in 2 cups of the water, until the salt dissolves, then add the rest of the water and let this completely cool (You can even make the brine a day ahead.) Next place your turkey breast side down in the container and gently pour the brine over the turkey. That’s all there is to it. Let it set for 8 to 12 hours, then rinse the brine off, being sure to rinse the cavity and roast your turkey by your regular recipe. When preparing the turkey to roast do not add quite as much salt, and also when making gravy from the drippings be careful not to add too much salt.

Brine Recipe:  7 quarts water

                           1 ½ cups coarse salt

                           6 bay leaves

                          2T. Black pepper

                           2 med. Onions – sliced

                           6 garlic cloves

                           1 bunch fresh thyme