Want to learn more about brining turkey? Read on for tips and tricks on how to brine a turkey before proceeding with your recipe…
It is believed that brining Turkey is the best way to start off when preparing a turkey recipe. Starting off with the brining will help you to get more moisture and an enhanced flavor and at the same time it will prevent the poultry from drying out. Irrespective of the particular recipe that you will be using it is definitely worth brining your Turkey whether you are preparing it fried, smoked, or roasted.
Turkey Burning Supplies
In order to proceed with the brining you need to start your planning a night before. First of all you need some sort of a container that can hold your turkey. Then you need some basic ingredients including salt, sugar, seasonings and water. You should also have a refrigerator that is big enough to hold the container with the turkey in it.
You will also require a large stockpot, preferably made out of stainless steel. Alternatively you can use a large plastic bucket. Remember, the container should be large enough enabling you to easily rotate the turkey. You should also acquire large sized seal able bags that will help to keep the brined turkey fresh over time.
Turkey for Brining
You need to start out by cleaning out your turkey and then making sure that it has been completely thawed. A self-basting Turkey is not recommended for brining. This is because these turkeys come with a salty stock already added. This will make your turkey too salty for the liking. Its best to use a fresh turkey but if you already have one in your freezer then take it out and thaw it for brining.
Turkey Brining Process
For preparing the brine you will need to mix one cup of salt with a gallon of water. This is the ratio that you need to maintain throughout the procedure. The way to test the amount of salt in your brine is to toss a raw egg in it. If it floats it means the salt level is good. It is important to ensure that the salt has completely dissolved in water prior to adding the seasonings. Do not add more salt with the seasonings of your choice.
You have the choice to make your brine spicy hot by adding some cayenne and peppers. If you prefer a savory taste then you can add other ingredients like garlic and herbs. Molasses, brown sugar and honey can be used to create sweet brine for your turkey. There are endless variations that you can experiment with when it comes to turkey brining.
Sugar can be added to the brine to balance the salt. However, you always have the option not to add sugar. Mot chefs recommend that a little sugar be added as it helps to preserve the natural flavor of the bird. You should maintain the same ratio for sugar as you did for the salt making sure that it dissolves completely in the liquid.
Once the turkey brine of your choice is ready you need to pour it over the bird and then store the brined turkey in a large container soaked in brine. Refrigerate for about an hour before proceeding with your recipe.
