Turkey Brining Recipes, Please

[Haven]

I''d like to brine our turkey this year, and I''m looking for a good recipe.

Also, two of our local stores were out of kosher salt, so do you know how much I should cut out if I use regular table salt instead?

Thanks!

 

[Haven]

Never mind--found a good recipe, and figured out the salt conversion.
Thanks anyway!

 

[mercoledi]

An easy short cut is to buy a kosher turkey, it''s already been salted and are often higher quality than your average bird. Good luck with the brining!

 

[Ellen]

Hey merc, where does one find a kosher bird?

 

[mercoledi]

From a Kosher deli/food store. I live in an area with a very diverse population, so we have places that specialize in Kosher meats. We also have Islamic Halal food stores, but I don't know if they salt as extensively as the koshering process does.

You might be able to find a place near you by Googling or looking in the phone book. I don't recall exactly where you are, but here's one in St Louis: http://kohnskosher.com/

I've never brined (this is only my third turkey) but Gourmet magazine tested brining techniques a few years ago and said that starting with a kosher bird was essentially as good and way less work. I'm not afraid of work, but the microbiologist in me cringes at the thought of dealing with gallons of liquid contaminated with raw poultry.

DH and my MIL are big turkey freaks and think that these birds are as good as hers, so I'll take it!

Haven: You probably don't want to use iodized salt for the brine, usually sea salt or kosher salt are used because the iodine can be overwhelming.

 

[Clairitek]

Date: 11/26/2008 7:40:17 AM
Author: Ellen
Hey merc, where does one find a kosher bird?

Trader Joe''s also sells them if there is one nearby.

I bought my brined fresh turkey (non-kosher) from there this year.

 

[Haven]

Clairitek--I''ve heard great things about the Trader Joe''s brined birds, do tell how yours is after the holiday.

I used non-iodized table salt, and found a few different resources that told me how much to reduce the salt since I used table salt, so hopefully it will work.

Brining really isn''t much work at all. I just boiled all the ingredients in two quarts of water, added the rest of the water, and then let the entire thing cool all the way. Then I put an oven bag in my roaster, added the brine, then the bird, and put it in the fridge. I like using the oven bag because then I don''t need a huge container for the brining because the bag and the liquid enveloped the bird, and it fits in the fridge really well, too.

I''ll let you know how it works!

 

[Steel]

Haven, I thought your title read - Turkey BURNING recipes, please!

 

[Haven]

Date: 11/26/2008 11:25:23 AM
Author: Steel
Haven, I thought your title read - Turkey BURNING recipes, please!

Ha ha, Steel! I pretty much have that part covered . . .

 

[Ellen]

Thanks guys!

Haven, let me know how it turns out.