Brined Turkey?

[yasmina]

Has anyone ever made one?

The recipes I've been looking at look terrific. Here's one that looks pretty easy:

http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/recipe.aspx?recipeId=36107

Although my dh does all of our T-Giving cooking, I thought maybe I'd try this out on a smaller bird.

How are they? Are they as good as the recipes sound?

 

[themarquis]

I did it last year, and the turkey (my first ever) was delicious.

The brining solution was one my dad told me to use -- can't remember the proportions, but like all brining solutions, it was a mix of some kind of salt, some kind of sugar, and some kind of acid (i.e., lemon juice). I think I used sea salt (doesn't have all the anti-caking agents and iodine like regular salt).

The turkey was very moist.

It pretty much came out very much like a regular turkey, just more moist and a bit more flavorful. There was also a lot of gravy b/c of all the liquid the turkey soaks in.

 

[Crankyshank]

Let me put it to you this way, I don't foresee myself ever not brining my turkey.
To save time, I just buy the Williams Sonoma brine. It's pricey but definitely worth it.

 

[JennyMominRI]

I'm with crankyshank

 

[OlderMan]

I did this for the first time last year using an Alton Brown recepe from the Food Network. I just found it today since Thanksgiving is just (over) two weeks away. I let the brine cool, added the turkey, covered it and left it alone for 12 hours or so. Then I turned the turkey over in the brine for another 12 hours before roasting in.

Needless to say, it was delicious--moist, but not salty.

Just type "brined turkey" in the Food Network recipe search engine.

 

[Maleficent13]

Everytime I scroll past this thread, I think it says "Brained Turkey".

Which is not a pleasant mental image.

 

[Annette_VA]

I always brine mine, using Alton's "Good Eats Roast Turkey" recipe. Turns out perfect every time!
http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,,FOOD_9936_8389,00.html

 

[MomofKatie]

I brined our turkey 2 years ago using Alton Brown's recipe. It was fine tasting, but I wasn't thrilled with it- too much prep, mess, and time for the result, IMO. I just season, then pop the bird in a baking bag and it comes out just as moist as the brined ones.

 

[travlnman1]

I always brine.
Turkey is just so dry and tasteless otherwise.

 

[fan_of_small_world]

Dh did this for the first time last year at Christmas (he has "turkey duty") and it was delicious. He also smoked it on our Big Green Egg so that added to the flavor.

ETA: The added benefit of smoking it was that the oven was available for all of the other stuff we cook!

 

[java]

Williams sonoma brining going on here too! (so juicy!!)

 

[DVCLiz]

I might brine if Williams-Sonoma will help me...

I'll tell you what I AM going to get from them this year. I tasted some of their Turkey Gravy made from the turkey gravy base they sell, and their stuffing with the foccacia bread cubes, and it was to die for!!!! It's all I can do not to drive there right this minute and buy some for dinner. And they had a squash casserole sample made up that was delicious. DD13 had seconds, and anything that can get her to eat SQUASH is a miracle.

 

[shirleyb]

We brined last year for the first time, and it was a hit!

You don't need to buy any fancy ingredients - kosher salt and water will do the trick.

 

[Nana Annie]

Let me put it to you this way, I don't foresee myself ever not brining my turkey.
To save time, I just buy the Williams Sonoma brine. It's pricey but definitely worth it.

I'm with crankyshank

And thanks for the tip on the Williams and Sonoma brine. I will have to give it a try.

We use a recipe that has Kosher Salt, molasses and juniper berries along with some other herbs and spices.

 

[cbrindle]

Alton Brown's Honey Brined Smoked Turkey is to die for. I like this brine even if I am roasting instead of smoking.

 

[dg39]

I started brining (sp?) several years ago using Alton Browns method also. It was absolutely the best tasting turkey we ever had. We've been doing it ever since and we don't plan on ever stopping.

I get a big turkey every year and bought a large bucket so everything fits without the turkey being cramped inside.

We all love it........

 

[karmic]

I'm with crankyshank

Me,too!

 

[MinnieFan]

To save time, I just buy the Williams Sonoma brine. It's pricey but definitely worth it.

We use the Williams Sonoma brine as well. The turkey tastes great and it's not all dried out. Incidentally, Williams Sonoma also makes an excellent turkey gravy base - you just add milk and you have perfect gravy. (I'm cooking Thanksgiving dinner for 30 people - I need to save time wherever I can!)

 

[reeeoga]

I use the "good-Eats" recipe, but I add 2 cloves of garlic for every pound of Turkey!

 

[hentob]

We have dazzled our guests by using Wolfgang Puck's recipe. OMG! To die for


http://www.wolfgangpuck.com/recipedetail.php?Alias=RE_WP3147

Also-I love his idea of stuffing the turkey with apples