That's a fascinating notion, Keith. Never heard of it TBH. What is the purpose meant to be?
We have only ever cured bacon with brine - Fiona's articles here, so I have no idea about turkeys.
Do please let us know if you do go ahead and what method you used, how the outcome was etc.
I wonder if anybody on here has tried this?
Never knowingly underfed
have you tried google? I find answers for everything there, that was how I became addicted to this site
Trying to enjoy life as it is
I tried one year, following a recipe that I think was a Nigella one, it involved soaking the turkey for several days in a brine, spices and orange solution, can't say it made a massive difference. My reccommendation is definitely one of those plastic looking roasting bags, they seem to work wonders at keeping things nice and moist.
Having searched the internet, if you search for brine, nigella & turkey, there are loads of links come up.
Best way I came up with for a moist bird was to put it in the oven on a very low heat about midnight, or an hour or 2 later, Christmas eve BREAST SIDE DOWN, finish off at slighty higher temperature breast side UP in the morning. Frees up the oven for other stuff that needs to be cooked at a high temperature, as well.
Failing is not a fault, refusing to try is
I do this to my older chickens to make them tender; I do this after hanging the feathered carcass for a couple of days in a cold airy place. You make a strong salt solution (I use Maldon salt or good sea-salt, don't use a cheap table salt to save money). Leave the chicken in the solution for a couple of days, then dry thoroughly & cook. I am not sure that it would make a lot of difference to a standard bought bird ( which has been bred to fatten fast, so therefor is tender,although pretty pappy & tasteless) as it is a process for dealing with birds which have been running around the yard for a couple of years. You also have to cook these birds at a lower temperature for much longer.
I have never tried flavouring the salt solution with anything else, but I do sometimes marinate them in wine, vinegar,olive oil, garlic & herbs etc; sometimes I use fresh pineapple juice if the bird looks as if it might be very tough ( a very good tenderiser of meat).
I think you might find advice on this American poultry forum in it;s archives¦.it has an extensive archive for you to search in.
http://www.backyardchickens.com
I suspect you will find the information in either the recipe section or the processing one. The Americans are very forthright about the methods of processing so you have been warned. You can also join the forum & ask questions. They like Brits so they will be helpful.
Good luck!
*** Added later¦..I just found this on Google.
"The beautiful is as useful as the useful...perhaps more so."
from Les Miserables
You can inject a brine solution in to the breast meat - this was one thing we used to do when I worked in a meat plant. However, I can't remember a recipe for the brine anymore (twas at least 30 years ago) but we used a large plastic syringe with a thick needle- I'm sure googling will turn something up. You can add flavouring spices or herbs at the same time.
Alternatively why not inject melted butter?
Are we having fun yet? I am!
I tasted brined turkey at a Thanksgiving dinner SiL got us invited to. It was a nice turkey, but no moister than the ones I cook. I follow my Mum's tip of not stuffing inside the cavity, but rather putting a halved onion and halved lemon inside. The stuffing goes under the skin, with the overspill (and there is always overspill), being cooked separately. Apart from the size it's just like roasting a chicken, don't overcook and make sure to let it rest.
And now, by typing that I've doomed myself to ruin this year's turkey 😉
Well, I brined the Turkey, used an american recipe which used a gallon of water a cup of cider vinegar salt sugar and dried herbs, let it soak for 12 hours, rinsed, dried and roasted, and to be honest I dont think it made a deal of difference maybe if its not a good turkey it can improve it but a good bird doesn't need brining, on the results don't think I will bother next time, Ah well at least I tried it and I won't be wondering any more Happy New Year veryone, hope its a good one
Keith
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