This may depend on what’s in the brine. I’ve heard the “dry overnight” recommendation also, however the brining mixture I currently use (apple juice is a major ingredient, along with salt/sugar/spices) leads to a very deeply-browned bird with crisp skin, even w/o any drying time.
Yep! I’ve brined previously-frozen turkeys and the results are “meh, so what’s the big deal”. Yeah, they probably taste better than if I’d just chucked them into the oven undoctored, but nowhere near as spectacular as if I’d started with a fresh bird.
I think they’re recommending 1 to 1.5 pounds per person, which allows for leftovers. No sense in going to all the trouble of cooking a turkey if you’re not going to have enough to chow down for a few days, after all!
Does Alton Brown really say it’s not necessary to keep a brining turkey in the fridge??? I’d be rather leery of letting it sit out; in fact, every set of instructions I’ve ever seen says to do it in the fridge. Some instructions say to do it in a large plastic cooler; if you’re starting with cold turkey and cold brine, that should be safe enough (maybe add some bagged ice to the mix).
The best way (space-wise) I’ve ever heard though was to use those plastic turkey-roasting bags, double-layered; you put the turkey in the bags, pour in the brine, fasten the inner bag, fasten the outer bag, then let it sit in the fridge in a roasting pan (to catch leaks). Does a great job of keeping the turkey mostly covered. I move the bag around every few hours so that each part has plenty of time to soak.
Anyone have any solo ideas? I saw a lot of my family at a wedding last Sunday, and don’t feel like driving across Wisconsin again (I flew to the wedding from Milwaukee), so I’m going to have Thanksgiving alone. I will have mashed potatoes and stuffing. But I’m not insisting on turkey. Duck or cornish game hen maybe?
Lefovers are OK (in fact I want them), but I don’t wan’t to cook a 10 pound bird…
Brian
No, I can’t imagine it would be safe to keep a brining turkey out at room temperature!!! Please don’t try this without consulting a Food Safety Professional!
A possible exception might be if you live in a a cold climate where the outdoor temperature is like a refrigerator, but indoor room temperature - not a good idea! A little salt in the water is not some kind of magic elixir.
Actually Aton Brown’s recipe (linked above) does use ice to cool the brine and in the show, he kept it in the fridge. However if you are doing a straight salt brine, you could keep it at a cool room temp safely, if you wished. A brine is quite a bit more than a little salt. A proper brine is so salty it creates a enviroment that the bugs that cause problems cannot survive.
Brining was used back in the day, long before there were fridges.
[hijack]This reminds me of shopping at a Wal-Mart in Oregon before Easter many years ago. There was a display of Smithfield Hams (salt and smoke cured, stored at room temp) Two adult ladies were looking at the display. One commented that these hams must not be edible, the other agreed. I spoke up and said that they were salt cured, and prefectly safe to eat, and if prepared right were wonderful. They gave me this look like I was crazy. I reminded them that back in 1700s people did not have Kenmore fridges in their log cabins, and just how did they think people preserved their meat? They still gave me the :dubious: look. [/hijack]
No, Alton Brown does not say it’s safe to let it sit out at room temp. The water is supposed to be kept chilled.
IIRC, if you’re in a cold enough climate, you can keep it in an unheated garage (so it’s not in direct sunlight) or in the fridge. I keep mine right outside the back door, under an overhang, in the shade. It’s always cool enough, and I keep ice in the brine water.
I’m hoping for some more stuffing recipes. I will be baking my in a dish, but I’m hoping to make a couple different types of stuffing. One with cornbread and one with sausage. I made a simple one last year with cornbread and bacon and it was pretty tasty.
Wait, huh? Is this right? Why on Earth hasn’t it been mentioned before? I bought my Butterball turkey from a Publix and I’m 99% sure it was frozen by them at some point like most others. I mean, I recall the outside the of the bag looking frosty. 72 hours is an awfully long time for a turkey to be doomed to mediocrity innit? Ever since I brought it home it’s been thawing out. Does that count for anything? Where would I even go to buy a turkey that hasn’t been frozen?
At most stores, you can go to the meat department and ask them to order you a fresh, unfrozen turkey. I’ve done it at the local Kroger and at the local IGA. They’ll call you when it comes in and you’ll need to pick it up right away. That’s how it works around here, anyway!
I agree with Rick. I’ve had really good results brining previously frozen turkeys, too. Just make sure they’re thawed out before you drop 'em in the brine. Works great for me! I really don’t see a difference in flavor between a fresh brined and a previously frozen brined turkey.
My dad’s parents were serious depression-era scroungers. Thanksgiving and Easter were the only 2 Holidays that were splurged on. Ham on Easter and Turkey on Thanksgiving. And by splurge, I mean money and calories.
It is however, simple, easy and sooooo good.
My dad’s stuffing - made the day before - for a 15lb bird…I double for my 20lber and make extra on the side
One loaf white bread - left out and cubed - can be Italian, but harder to cube
2 sticks butter
1 stick margarine
1/2 head of garlic
1/2 head celery - diced fine
1 1/2 onion - diced fine
1/2 cup broth (hopefully homemade or Swanson’s)
1 TBSP Salt
1 TBSP Pepper
Thyme, Rosemary and Sage–fresh herbs or dried.
Melt all that together and let it simmer for an hour with a lid on. Resist urge to dunk bread in buttery goodness. Toss with breadcrumbs and refrigerate overnight. You can do this on the day of, but my dad gets up at 4 in the morning to start the turkey. I stuff every available spot where the skin pulls apart, above the breast and thighs, etc. I’ve never used a brine and my turkey is moist and delish…
Gravy.
Take the neck and boil it in 1/2 water and 1/2 chicken broth. Do this while the turkey is cooking.
When you take the turkey out to let it rest, take 1/2 cup of the drippings and add flour to make a creamy paste. Slowly add the neck water to this mix for gravy that is less fatty. I do like to use all the drippings, but mind you, there is like a pound of butter in there.
I recall reading a recipe book for bachelors that had the following recipe for turkey stuffing:
1 bag of pretzels crushed
1 bottle of beer
Mix together and put in bird.
Every year I think about trying that, it sounds like it might be good.
