Brining a turkey?

[carslo 0]

Does anyone have any experience/recipes to do with brining their holiday turkey? We are having the extended family (45 people) in, and we are doing the turkey and ham. I already know that I will be getting a spiral ham, and I am wonder if all the fuss about brining a turkey is hype, or the next best thing since sliced bread.

Thanks for your input.

Janet

[trailmix 77]

Does anyone have any experience/recipes to do with brining their holiday turkey? We are having the extended family (45 people) in, and we are doing the turkey and ham. I already know that I will be getting a spiral ham, and I am wonder if all the fuss about brining a turkey is hype, or the next best thing since sliced bread.

Thanks for your input.

Janet

I have never done this, but my Sister has for the last 2 years and raves about it.

She uses Alton Brown's recipe: link

Recipe courtesy Alton Brown

Show: Good Eats Episode: Romancing the Bird (A Good Eats Thanksgiving)

1 (14 to 16 pound) frozen young turkey

For the brine:

1 cup kosher salt

1/2 cup light brown sugar

1 gallon vegetable stock

1 tablespoon black peppercorns

1 1/2 teaspoons allspice berries

1 1/2 teaspoons chopped candied ginger

1 gallon heavily iced water

Edited December 7, 2008 by trailmix

[Marilyn. 340]

I brined a turkey one year and it came out really good.. you really notice the difference in the leftovers.. they aren't so dry and have a nice flavour..

I used Alton's Brown's recipe....

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-b...cipe/index.html

[Aaralyn 0]

I brined our turkey for Canadian Thanksgiving and it really was the best turkey I've ever tasted. Like Marilyn said, even the leftovers were juicy and yummy.

[Sprailenes 47]

Omg BRINING!

I thought you were talking about "bringing" not brining!

I must have read this thread about 3 times when you first posted it going: "So what if you're bringing a turkey... whats the big deal about bringing a turkey??"

Then I just read it again now after reading trailmixes answer I finally got it.

Edited December 8, 2008 by Sprailenes

[Marilyn. 340]

Does anyone have any experience/recipes to do with brining their holiday turkey? We are having the extended family (45 people) in, and we are doing the turkey and ham. I already know that I will be getting a spiral ham, and I am wonder if all the fuss about brining a turkey is hype, or the next best thing since sliced bread.

Thanks for your input.

Janet

I have never done this, but my Sister has for the last 2 years and raves about it.

She uses Alton Brown's recipe: link

Recipe courtesy Alton Brown

Show: Good Eats Episode: Romancing the Bird (A Good Eats Thanksgiving)

1 (14 to 16 pound) frozen young turkey

For the brine:

1 cup kosher salt

1/2 cup light brown sugar

1 gallon vegetable stock

1 tablespoon black peppercorns

1 1/2 teaspoons allspice berries

1 1/2 teaspoons chopped candied ginger

1 gallon heavily iced water

you can't go wrong with Alton Brown

[xtinab 0]

LOL I totally thought it was bringing also!!

[MissStacey 1]

Alton rocks!!

[Sprailenes 47]

LOL I totally thought it was bringing also!!

I know! I first thought maybe they were asking about "Bringing" it across the border maybe?

But it didn't make ANY sense. Glad I didn't respond right away!

[trailmix 77]

Alton rocks!!

Agree!

Edited December 8, 2008 by trailmix

[carslo 0]

Omg BRINING!

I thought you were talking about "bringing" not brining!

I must have read this thread about 3 times when you first posted it going: "So what if you're bringing a turkey... whats the big deal about bringing a turkey??"

Then I just read it again now after reading trailmixes answer I finally got it.

Oh, that is so cute

[carslo 0]

Well, thanks for your help with the turkey situation. I thought I would give you an update. I bought two 15 pound turkeys and defrosted them. I bought the huge zip lock bags. On the stove I boiled veggie broth, apple juice, 8 cloves of garlic, 2 tbsps pepper corns, 1 tbsp savory, 1 tbsp, rubbed sage, 1/2 cup whorestershire(sp?) sauce and 1 cup sea salt. I washed the birdies real good inside and out. Fried up the inards for hubby's breakfast yuck, boiled the necks in a pan of water for the gravy. I brined the turkeys for 24 hours on the bottom shelf in the fridge ion the zip lock bag (2 turkeys fit in one bag). Washed them of and patted them dry - put celery sticks and onions chunks in the cavity and put them in cooking bags in the oven for 2 hours. WOW!!! The meat was so moist, I let them rest for 30 minutes and then I carved them and put the meat in a rectangular hot water type chafing dish to stay warm. This has to be the best turkey I have ever made. I may tweek the brine in the future, but you definitely do not need to salt the gravy! The meat was not salty at all.

Thanks for your help and if you haven't tried this method it is well worth the extra effort

[trailmix 77]

Well, thanks for your help with the turkey situation. I thought I would give you an update. I bought two 15 pound turkeys and defrosted them. I bought the huge zip lock bags. On the stove I boiled veggie broth, apple juice, 8 cloves of garlic, 2 tbsps pepper corns, 1 tbsp savory, 1 tbsp, rubbed sage, 1/2 cup whorestershire(sp?) sauce and 1 cup sea salt. I washed the birdies real good inside and out. Fried up the inards for hubby's breakfast yuck, boiled the necks in a pan of water for the gravy. I brined the turkeys for 24 hours on the bottom shelf in the fridge ion the zip lock bag (2 turkeys fit in one bag). Washed them of and patted them dry - put celery sticks and onions chunks in the cavity and put them in cooking bags in the oven for 2 hours. WOW!!! The meat was so moist, I let them rest for 30 minutes and then I carved them and put the meat in a rectangular hot water type chafing dish to stay warm. This has to be the best turkey I have ever made. I may tweek the brine in the future, but you definitely do not need to salt the gravy! The meat was not salty at all.

Thanks for your help and if you haven't tried this method it is well worth the extra effort

Interesting Carslo, glad it went so well for you!

My Sister brined her turkey again this year, unfortunately when she took it out of the bag and went to put it down all the excess water splatted all over her and the kitchen - so she spent who knows how long wiping and disinfecting everything.

[Amy and Adrian 0]

Never brined a turkey- but I can tell you deep fried turkey is also excellent. Be prepared for NO leftovers !