Even though I am supposed to be the head chef at Thanksgiving this year, my dad keeps dropping hints about brining a turkey which I had never heard of. (The parents are all going out for a game of shotgun golf on Thanksgiving day…)
Apparently it is all about soaking the turkey in salt water overnight to create a moister, more favorful roasted turkey. I read through an explanation on the analyticalcooking site, and here is a recipe from the foodnetwork. I tried to get a recipe from the Cook’s Illustrated site, but it was available only for members/subscribers. I can get a 14-day trial subscription for free, but it that case I should probably wait until closer to turkey day. I really don’t want to be in charge of the turkey… sigh.
so far:
Bella – “that’s so trailer” corn
Me – cranberry chutney; oyster and chestnut stuffing; and pecan pie
Joss – roasted veggies
Sue – Drunken Potatoes, and cheese cake
Mrs. Oh – green beans
Chad -
John -
Songbae – drinks, deboning turkey and clean-up
Joe – drinks, clean-up
Hey, who knows how to make gravy? And do we need more green stuff? And a non-oyster stuffing for Joe?
November 1, 2006 at 10:34 am
The turkey is the easiest part of the meal. Brining isn’t so bad. Ask Maya. She’s going to brine our turkey.
November 1, 2006 at 10:34 am
where’s the pumpkin pie? what about whipped cream? and brussel sprouts?!!
November 1, 2006 at 10:08 pm
you don’t have to sign up for any stupid 14 day trial. flavorgirl can give you a good brining recipe and instructions. it’s not hard as long as you can spare the fridge space.
the basic proportions are 1cup (non-iodized) salt and 1 cup sugar to each gallon of water.
you want enough brine to cover the turkey inside and out. you can add bay leaves, garlic cloves, rosemary, citrus, or whatever you want to the brine. you need a container (or food grade plastic bag, but make sure it won’t break!) big enough to hold the bird and the brine at 41 degrees or lower for 24 hours before you cook it.
the process is this: wash the bird and remove giblets etc. dunk it in the brine and create some way to keep it submerged. stick it in the fridge or some creative fridge-like situation. when the brine is done, rinse, pat dry and roast as usual.
and remember – the flavorgirl hotline is always there if you run into trouble.
November 2, 2006 at 11:11 am
So, how does the brined turkey taste (for those who’ve had it)? I’m curious because I’ve had smoked, deep-fried and roasted turkey, but had never even heard of brined until now. Anyone? Anyone?