Turkey is a relatively lean bird, and the breast-to-leg ratio isn't ideal: By the time the dark meat is cooked through, the breast meat may have overcooked. For many home chefs, wet brining is one way to counteract the dryness. The process—soaking the turkey in a saline solution prior to cooking—helps the turkey take in extra moisture, resulting in moist and juicy dark and light meat.
Giving your Thanksgiving turkey a bath in salt water isn't complicated, but there a few things to keep in mind before you start the brining process.
Plan Ahead
Perhaps the most important part of brining is planning ahead. Not only does the process take anywhere from 8 to 18 hours, but making the solution itself can be time-consuming, too. You'll want the salt to dissolve into the water—and a reliable way to ensure that happens is by heating the water and simmering it until the salt is completely absorbed. Then, you need to cool the brine to room temperature before using it, since pouring hot or warm brine over a raw turkey can cause bacteria growth.
Timing
When you begin the brining process, set a timer or reminder to remove the turkey from the salt solution. Brining for too long can result in meat that tastes overly-salty and has a spongy texture. If you're not ready to roast the bird after 18 hours, remove it from the brine, rinse it, pat it dry, and refrigerate for up to two days.
In its most basic form, the brine is salt and water—but many cooks don't stop there. Aromatics will add flavor and dimension to the cooked turkey; classic vegetables, like carrots and celery, your favorite herbs, like fresh garlic, and citrus fruits, such as lemon and orange, are all good additions.
Brining Ingredients and Materials
This recipe makes enough brine for one 18- to 20-pound turkey.
Ingredients
7 quarts (28 cups) water
1 1/2 cups coarse salt
6 bay leaves
2 tablespoons whole coriander seeds
1 tablespoon dried juniper berries
2 tablespoons whole black peppercorns
1 tablespoon fennel seeds
1 teaspoon black or brown mustard seeds
1 fresh whole turkey (18 to 20 pounds), patted dry, neck and giblets reserved for stock, liver reserved for stuffing
1 bottle dry riesling
2 medium onions, thinly sliced
6 garlic cloves, crushed
1 bunch fresh thyme
Tools and Materials
5-gallon brining container (tub, stockpot, or bucket)
One day before roasting your turkey, bring 1 quart water, the salt, bay leaves, and spices to a simmer, stirring until salt has dissolved. Let cool for 5 minutes.
Step 2: Submerge the Turkey
Line the container with a large brining or oven-roasting bag to minimize cleanup.
Line a 5-gallon container with a large brining or oven-roasting bag. Place the turkey in the bag.
Add salt mixture, remaining 6 quarts (24 cups) water, and the other ingredients.
Tie bag; if turkey is not submerged, weight it with a plate.
Refrigerate for 24 hours, flipping the turkey once.
If there isn't room in your refrigerator, place the bagged bird inside a cooler, and surround it with ice, replenishing as necessary to keep it at 40 degrees.
Step 3: Remove and Dry
Remove the turkey from the brine 1 hour before you're ready to roast it. Pat it dry inside and out.
This dilutes the salt solution to the best ratio for brining and also helps further cool the solution. Make sure the turkey is completely submerged. If needed, prepare more brine solution at a ratio of 1/4 cup salt per quart of water to completely submerge the turkey. Cover and refrigerate.
Make the brine. Using the ratio of one cup kosher salt to one cup sugar per gallon of water, combine all your brine ingredients in a large pot, and bring to a boil to dissolve the salt and sugar. ...
This dilutes the salt solution to the best ratio for brining and also helps further cool the solution. Make sure the turkey is completely submerged. If needed, prepare more brine solution at a ratio of 1/4 cup salt per quart of water to completely submerge the turkey. Cover and refrigerate.
You should always rinse the turkey after wet or dry brining. Once rinsed, you can let the turkey air dry, uncovered, in the refrigerator for several hours, or pat it dry with a paper towel.
The rule of thumb is to let a chicken brine for approximately one hour per pound of meat, though you may want to lengthen or shorten that time depending on the strength of your salt solution or the level of salt you want to achieve.
Place that volume of water in a container large enough to hold the brine and the meat. Add 1 tablespoon of salt for every cup of water you used and mix until the salt is completely dissolved. For example, if you are using 1 gallon (16 cups) of water, add 16 tablespoons (1 cup) of salt.
After the brine cools to at least room temperature, pour it over the turkey inside your food-safe container. If the turkey floats, weigh it down with a plate. You can begin the wet brining process while your turkey is still frozen, or begin with a thawed turkey.
More importantly, that water stays put even after the meat is cooked. By brining meat, you can decrease the amount of total moisture loss by 30 to 40%. To demonstrate, I cooked three identical turkey breasts in a 300°F (150°C) oven to an internal temperature of 145°F (63°C).
After 12 to 18 hours, remove the turkey, dry carefully with paper towels, and roast. For crisper skin, brine a couple days in advance, and let your turkey air-dry at least overnight and up to two nights, uncovered, in the refrigerator on a rack set in a rimmed baking sheet.
Prepare the brine by mixing ingredients until all of the salt is dissolved. If your brine recipe calls for heating the mixture, be sure to cool it to room temperature before using it. Then place the turkey in the brine and place in the refrigerator. Don't leave the turkey sitting out at room temperature while brining.
This master pickle brine calls for just four ingredients: white vinegar, sugar, salt, and water. The white vinegar provides a mild acidity that doesn't impart too much extra flavor on the fruit or vegetable you choose to pickle. A small amount of granulated sugar adds a balanced sweetness you'll love.
Butterball turkeys are of the highest quality product and will be sure to impress your guests. Here's why Butterball is the right choice, especially for the holiday season: Butterball turkeys are always tender and juicy because we take the extra step of individually pre-brining them based on size.
Step 1: Mix together liquid, salt, and sugar (if using) until salt and sugar are fully dissolved. Step 2: Add the protein to the brine, making sure that it is fully submerged. Step 3: Leave the protein in the brine for an hour per pound.
Brining Times: Pork chops, chicken breasts, or meats about one inch thick: 45 minutes to 4 hours. Fish: Its structure is delicate so brine no more than 1 1/2 hours. Whole chicken and Cornish hens: 4 to 8 hours, depending on size.
Tip: There is no need to boil all the brine liquid because you can fully dissolve the salt and sugar and extract the flavor out of any seasonings in 1½ cups of liquid. Step 2: Allow boiled brine to cool completely to room temperature.
The exact number of hours depends on the size of the turkey, but we do not recommend brining for longer than 24-36 hours for a bird larger than 15 pounds. For birds less than 15 pounds, 18-24 hours.
Wet brining involves submerging the turkey in a cold-water solution for several hours. With this method, the turkey picks up salt, water and flavor from the liquid. Since this approach relies on the water and salt to tenderize the meat, you'll want to ensure these ingredients are well balanced.
One trick is to use a large, food-safe sealable bag. Both Reynolds (Oven Roasting Bag for Turkeys) and Ziploc (XL Storage Bag) make very large food-safe bags that are great for brining. Place one of these bags in a large stockpot, which keeps everything together and makes clean-up easier.
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