Want to prepare delicious brined Turkey? Read on to find out the best technique for flavorful brined turkey…
The most flavorful birds can be prepared if they are brined before use. This actually helps to draw out the flavor of the bird while adding heaps of moisture to prevent the meat from drying out. It takes a lot of time to prepare a good brined turkey, but your guests and family will relish the grilled, smoked or roasted bird once you have brined it.
Equipment Required for Brined Turkey
Start one night before you have to cook the brined turkey which is a 10 -12 hour process. Get a large container to hold the turkey in and enough brine to cover it completely. Stainless steel pots are a great choice followed by large plastic buckets because you will need room to turn the turkey occasionally.
Preparing the Bird
Get a fresh turkey or thaw a frozen one completely. Clean out the poultry well and thaw them completely but this should not be a self basting bird because this already has too much salt.
Ingredients for Brine Solution
Add 1 cup of table salt per one gallon of water. To check if there is enough salt in the water, set a raw egg in it and if it floats you have the right ratio. Dissolve the salt completely and then you can season the water with peppers and cayenne along with savory herbs and garlic. Sweeten it with molasses or brown sugar. You can create a sweet and sour mixture to suit your requirements.
Add a little sugar to maintain the flavor of the bird and balance it out. The ratio is one cup per gallon of brine solution and you must make sure it does dissolve thoroughly.
Technique for Brined Turkey
Put the bird in the container and cover it in brine, leaving two inches on the top. Place this in the fridge and leave it there for a total of 1 hour per pound of meat. Do not over brine and keep an eye on the time. If you can’t make space in the fridge then use a cooler or large ice box or place the container in loads of ice in the sink and keep replenishing the ice supply.
After the the appropriate amount of time has elapsed and the turkey has been brined, remove it from the pan and give it a good rinse. Make sure the salt is thoroughly removed from the bird and each speck is rinsed off. Now you can cook the bird using any of your preferred methods. When the brined turkey is carved, you will see how moist and succulent it is. This technique can be used for all sorts of birds to make delicious meals.
Brined Turkey Cooking Suggestions
Since a brined bird can retain moisture well, you can select a recipe for grilling or roasting the poultry. Apart from this you can bake the turkey in the oven or even fry it for a crispy finish. Serve it with or without gravy and delicious warm bread. Make sure it is accompanied by tart cranberry sauce to complement the sweet meat of the bird.
