Preventing a dry turkey definitely sounds worth it, right? To ensure the best Thanksgiving turkey, check out our guide on how to brine a turkey, including how to wet-brine a turkey, how to dry-brine a turkey, how to add flavor to a turkey, and more. The same can be done with cut-up pieces of citrus, heads of garlic, other alliums like shallots or leeks, and sprigs of herbs too. Others use large buckets and place the turkey outside to keep cold overnight while it is in the brine. For smoking on a Traeger, Turkey by Rob Cooks suggests putting the turkey on the Traeger at 180 degrees Fahrenheit for two hours, 225 degrees for another hour, and then finish at 325 degrees. As salt is drawn into the turkey it will start to break down the proteins within the meat, which loosens them, then as the turkey cooks, they don’t tighten up as much, helping to keep the meat moist. “It’s not bad that those turkeys are processed with salt, but you have no way of knowing how salty they are before you cook them.” Using a heritage or organic turkey, on the other hand, allows you to control how much salt you add to the bird. “Kind of think about it like salted or unsalted butter,” she says. You can also submerge your turkey in a clean basin of cool water to help get rid of excess salt. Whether you’re dry brining or wet brining, Youngman says you’ll want to use “about a little over a tablespoon of kosher salt to about four pounds of turkey.” For a traditional 12- to 14-pound bird, she recommends about 3 1/2 tablespoons of kosher salt. Youngman says that if you’re pressed for time day-of and don’t have time to brine in advance, mayonnaise is a good option, since it will “add salt and flavor, add fat, and insulate the bird, making it super moist and juicy.” It’s a tip Justin Chapple uses in his recipe and accompanying how-to video for slathering turkey with chipotle mayonnaise under and over the skin, resulting in “super-juicy, delicious meat.” The dish is one of several that made it onto our mayo-centric Thanksgiving menu, in case you’re a big fan of the condiment like we are. For smaller cuts of meat like wings I’ve just preferred to think soaking it in a wet brine helps permeate the skin and flesh of the meat more thoroughly. One key reason is the taste—whether you wet-brine or dry-brine, using all! Toss in a cup of your favorite whiskey or bourbon along with 8 ounces of honey or maple syrup per gallon of water for a more robust sweet flavor. via amazon.com 20-quart stockpot. While looking through some old leather-bond notebooks, we came across this amazing brine recipe created by William G. Bell almost 150 years ago at the start of the Bell's Spice Company. Never brine your bird for more than 24 hours. Use caution when taking the internal temp to stay away from the bones as this will give you innaccurate reading. The general rule of thumb for brining is about 1 hour per pound of turkey, with 24 hours the maximum you should brine any bird. Prepare your brine. If turkey floats, fill a 1-gallon resealable plastic bag with water and place it on top of turkey. Make sure to use Diamond Crystal kosher salt rather than another variety of kosher salt (or table salt)—since the size of salt crystals vary, the saltiness of a spoonful of salt varies too. Use some alcohol. In this recipe I will show you how easy it is to prepare a duck, dry brine it, season it, cook it up on your smoker and then finish it off with some high heat to render some of that fat in the … Alcohol can help carry the brine's flavors, allowing them to penetrate more deeply into the meat. Price $ 10.95 - $ 21.90 $ 3.99 – $ 21.90; Quicklook. Brine mix ingredients: Coarse salt, spices including black pepper, rosemary, oregano, sage, garlic powder, and onion powder. As the bird rests the internal temperature will rise, level out, then begin to drop as it cools. While we can’t figure out your entire day for you, we can help out with the menu and share some advice. To help the dissolution process along, you could warm some of the water separately first and dissolve the salt in there (the warm water will help the salt "dissolve more readily," Youngman says) before adding that mixture to the rest of the cool water. But it’s not necessary. A slow cooker can can take your comfort food to the next level. “Probably the number one fear people have with turkeys on Thanksgiving is dry meat, aside from undercooking it,” she says. The buckets include two giant resealable plastic bags and a salt-and-seasoning mixture. You could theoretically rub on spices and seasonings at this point, too, but again, your best bet is waiting until after you’ve brined the turkey. Carving immediately after cooking just spills all those flavorful juices and hard work across your cutting board. Pressure Cooker Classic Mashed Potato Seasoning; Sugg. This brine mix and turkey seasoning pack from Old World Spices has everything you need to help your bird stay moist and delicious. While the turkey brine helps moisten the meat, the skin needs to be nice and dry in order to get that crispy finish. Getting it under the skin, Youngman says, will help permeate the meat and flavor it, while salting on top of the skin will help dry it out and get it crispy. This list includes some classic smoked meat recipes plus a few unique smoked meat recipes that your friends and family will love. With a wet brine, your turkey soaks in a bath made of salt, water and the herbs or spices of your choice for 8 to 12 hours. A dry rub will usually suffice for pork and beef, but when it comes to poultry, sometimes it pays to think beyond the surface. Any salt will work here but keep in mind that not all salts are created equal. Some people use brining bags but they can be expensive and/or hard to find. Dry skin = golden skin. To Season your Turkey, Rub 2 Tbsp. If you have a favorite spice blend, you can feel free to rub it on or mix it with butter. Be aware though, that the longer the bird brines, the saltier it will be, so don't let it sit for too long. And in this case, we’re diving into how to brine a turkey. … Brine the turkey Put the turkey breast side down in a pot or tub large enough to hold it and the brine. You can use this simple brine recipe for turkey, chicken or pork and can be used before any other full recipe to add moisture. Accepted within 30 days. Let it rest. Brine mix helps retain moisture during cooking The salt concentration in water triggers a chemical reaction so that the liquid will slowly enter the cells of turkey meat, bringing all the added flavor from the herbs in with it. We recommend at least 20-30 minute rest for the best results. Place turkey in brine and place into the refrigerator for a minimum of 8 hours; AREN’T ALL BRINES CONSIDERED LOW-CARB? Food and Wine presents a new network of food pros delivering the most cookable recipes and delicious ideas online. But chances are turkey isn’t the only thing you’re cooking for the holidays, and it could use some good wood-fired flavor more than that sweet potato casserole. We have the brine kit, rubs, tools and hardwood pellets you need to make a next-level turkey. Add as little as a tablespoon of strong, neutral alcohols like vodka or … To plan ahead, a good rule of thumb is to use as much liquid by weight as you have meat. Our 22 Best Crock Pot and Slow-Cooker Recipes, slathering turkey with chipotle mayonnaise. https://www.foodnetwork.ca/recipe/how-to-brine-and-roast-a-turkey/3540 Some say wet brines dilute the turkey’s flavor, though. Youngman prefers dry-brining, since she thinks it’s easier, takes up less space, and “results in a tastier end product.” Bonus: it can help you achieve that ultra-crispy skin. You won’t need all of the dry brine, but it’s good to have extra since some of it will end up on the baking sheet as you season the turkey. For extra crispy skin, start cooking the bird covered in foil at a low temperature, and then take the foil off to cook at 375 degrees Fahrenheit. The type of liquid you choose should pair well with the overall flavor you’re craving. So we tapped Youngman to share her tips for turkey brining and created a helpful guide for everything you need to know about the process, from picking out a turkey at the store (hint: avoid salt-processed ones) to pulling off both wet and dry brines. Buy It Now. Read honest and unbiased product reviews from our users. Another route includes creating an aromatic butter by mixing butter with herbs, spices, and/or citrus zest—Youngman says she loves taking sage, thyme, and oregano, chopping them up, and mashing them with butter to create an herb butter. See our recipes below for quantities. If your brine is heated, be sure to cool it to room temperature before brining. Each product we feature has been independently selected and reviewed by our editorial team. She also provides suggestions for adding even more flavor to the bird post-brining, and has a helpful day-of tip from our culinary director-at-large, Justin Chapple, if you don’t have time to brine. - Nichole Dailey Chef de Cuisine at Traeger HQ. #JustAddHeat No matter which liquid you use, you'll want to make sure your turkey is fully submerged so that all of the meat will be flavorful. Happy cooking! You might be wondering why you’d want to brine a turkey in the first place, as not all recipes call for it. A lot of recipes even call for maple syrup, believe … You’ll need a large rimmed baking sheet, a wire rack, and something to cover the bird: Either cheesecloth, flour sack towels, plastic wrap, or even a turkey-sized oven bag to cover the bird. This brine will infuse your bird with flavor and moisture and the rub makes for a beautiful and savory finish. The most important components are the salt and the water, but if you’d like, Youngman says you can also feel free to add spices and seasonings like peppercorns, bay leaves, thyme, or sage at this point. Williams Sonoma Buttermilk Black Pepper Dry Brine; Sugg. If you opt to make your own brine, here are the three main ingredients that you’ll want to use: Keeping your bird’s moisture content as high as possible before smoking, roasting or cooking is essential to a perfectly juicy outcome with these options: Use caution when adding liquids such as vinegar, wine, or soy sauce, as the acid or salt content can greatly affect the flavor profile, saltiness or texture of the finished product. Wet Brine– This technique is called wet brining. All Rights Reserved. Leaving it too long will make it overly salty and negatively affect the texture. Thanksgiving dinner is the most celebrated meal of the year and we all want our turkeys to be moist and delicious, right? Ships from. Once the salt has entered the meat, it retains moisture and flavor throughout the cooking process. We believe the most special, impressive, and delicious way to cook a turkey is to use a pellet grill. Turkey rub features onion, garlic and paprika. The stores now carry brine bucket kits that take the guesswork out of preparation. We think so, too. Sugar is just one of many tools at your disposal. Williams Sonoma Turkey Herb Dry Brine; … When you remove the bird from the brine, remember to let the cavity drain well. The general rule of thumb for brining is about 1 hour per pound of turkey, with 24 hours the maximum you should brine any bird. However, she points out that “it’s not really where the major flavor is going to come in”—those accoutrements won’t really infuse in the cold water—and recommends waiting to add additional flavor until after the brining process is complete, before roasting. We know you will love the added flavor of a brined turkey as much as we do and hope you'll make Bell's Turkey Brine a new holiday tradition for generations to come.more; 2. Our Oxley Spice & Blends Gourmet Turkey Brine Kits will make your life easy and you will create the most delicious, juicy, tender and flavorul turkey you have ever eaten. The most important tool for creating a wet brine is a large container with 5 … It needs some help, which is why you should brine your turkey. Hello Select your address All Hello, Sign in. Let it rest. I have used a large zip bag that held an 18 lb Turkey. Our. Youngman recommends using a heritage or organic turkey and avoiding kosher, self-basting, and water-added turkeys, since they’ve been infused with salt already. BBQ Spot Brine Some Turkey Brine & Seasoning Kit BBQ Barbeque Smoking Grilling | eBay A Yeti cooler could work as well. Not even close! Skip to main content.sg. During brining, the turkey absorbs extra moisture, which in turn helps it stay more moist and juicy both during and after cooking. For a simple or classic savory flavor, stick with water, beer, or stock. Turn up the heat with your favorite fresh chopped peppers and chiles, but be mindful that the longer it brines, the hotter it gets. You could roughly chop up aromatics like carrots, celery, and onions and place them in the pan under the bird while it roasts, which would not only flavor the turkey, but the pan juices as well, giving your gravy a boost. Add to cart. Due to smaller crystals, 1 cup of table salt weighs more than 1 cup of kosher salt which means that your brine will be more concentrated if you use table vs. kosher. Tools You Need for Wet Brine. To wet brine, Youngman says you’ll need “either a cooler or a really big fridge,” since you’ll have to contain the turkey, keep it fully submerged in the brine, and keep it cold and covered. More than 82% sold. For a classic zest, pair that combination with some fresh garlic, sage, and bay leaves. f you ever want to mix it up or reinvent Thanksgiving, try out some of the following variations. 30-day returns. Spirits always pair well with easy turkey brines. infuses the bird with flavor, giving it an extra boost before you add any spices or aromatics. Est. When it levels out is where you want to hit your target temp. BRINE SALT. If you’ve ever wondered how to keep chicken from drying out, wet brining is the answer and will result in the juiciest chicken ever! Buy It Now. Turkeys absorb salt really well, so dissolving salt in your brining water achieves two key things – flavor and tenderization. Account & Lists Account Returns & Orders. I’ve usually only used dry brines for larger cuts of meat (for example, whole turkeys). Cart All. No matter how you flavor your brine, it's critical that the brine temperature is below 40 degrees Fahrenheit when you add the turkey, and throughout the entire brining process, so make sure to clear some room in your fridge. via amazon.com 22-quart Cambro container . It turns out juicy but not flavorful, and the skin tends to be more water-logged than an unbrined turkey. It’s really easy to get creative with what you toss in, and hard to go wrong. Again, the bird needs to be dry, and Youngman also notes “it’s not particularly sanitary to wash meat in the sink.”. Once your bird is brined and patted dry, you’re all set to add more flavor, and there are plenty of ways to do it. Youngman recommends removing the turkey from the refrigerator about an hour before cooking. I used a suction pump to pull out the excess air. Stuffed it and was amazed - only took two hours and forty minutes to … You can also add your favorite fruit juice to sweeten the deal.