beltainelady (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
beltainelady) wrote2008-11-24 06:46 pm
beltainelady) wrote2008-11-24 06:46 pm
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Brining your turkey
People have asked me in the past about my brined turkey, so instead of hunting through past posts, I figured I'd just make a new one.
Depending on the size of your bird, you'll either need to use a large stock pot or a cooler.
After taking out the giblets, rinsing and cutting out extra internal fat, sprinkle 1 1/5 to 2 cups (depending on bird size) of KOSHER salt in the cavity and on the outside. Dissolve about a 1/2 cup to a cup of brown sugar in 3 quarts of water, then add herbs and spices. I usually add a couple of torn bay leaves, a palmful of thyme, sage and oregano. Place the bird in the pot/cooler and cover it with water. Keep it overnight in your fridge, if you have room, using a can inside the bird to keep it from floating. If you don't have room, put all of this in a large, unscented garbage bag, squeeze out the air and stick them in a cooler and cover it all with ice.
That's it. Make sure you rinse it well before cooking and don't add ANY salt to as it cooks. You won't need salt if you make pan gravy either. Make sure you use KOSHER salt, not table salt or sea salt. Kosher salt has the right coarseness for brining and won't break down. Regular salt just makes the meat salty and gross.
This year, I'm going to use the convection option on my oven. It's a tiny oven, to make room to cook other things I'll need the convection to free up some time.
Depending on the size of your bird, you'll either need to use a large stock pot or a cooler.
After taking out the giblets, rinsing and cutting out extra internal fat, sprinkle 1 1/5 to 2 cups (depending on bird size) of KOSHER salt in the cavity and on the outside. Dissolve about a 1/2 cup to a cup of brown sugar in 3 quarts of water, then add herbs and spices. I usually add a couple of torn bay leaves, a palmful of thyme, sage and oregano. Place the bird in the pot/cooler and cover it with water. Keep it overnight in your fridge, if you have room, using a can inside the bird to keep it from floating. If you don't have room, put all of this in a large, unscented garbage bag, squeeze out the air and stick them in a cooler and cover it all with ice.
That's it. Make sure you rinse it well before cooking and don't add ANY salt to as it cooks. You won't need salt if you make pan gravy either. Make sure you use KOSHER salt, not table salt or sea salt. Kosher salt has the right coarseness for brining and won't break down. Regular salt just makes the meat salty and gross.
This year, I'm going to use the convection option on my oven. It's a tiny oven, to make room to cook other things I'll need the convection to free up some time.
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Too many dishes planned, not enough kitchen!