Backbeach Jake Posted November 20, 2011 Report Share Posted November 20, 2011 Was wondering around Trader Joe's yesterday and saw brined turkeys. What's the scoop on these, how are they different or better? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
metaliczombi Posted November 21, 2011 Report Share Posted November 21, 2011 I don't know about Trader Joe's turkeys but I brine my turkey and it's way better than not brining it. Not only the turkey but the gravy I make from the drippings is excellent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NS Mike D Posted November 21, 2011 Report Share Posted November 21, 2011 brined or enhanced, doesn't make too much of a difference. The Trader Joe process focuses more on a "naturual" bined bird. Like if you raised it on your own farm and then a simple salt brine. Many store turkeys have additives and other stuff. I think teh enhanced birds are injectetion with the brine and not submerged for a day, so they can't be called brined ths is from the TJ site: Trader Joe's, means that they are minimally processed with NO artificial ingredients, they never receive any antibiotics or growth hormones, and they are raised on a diet of 100% vegetarian feed. But we don't stop there. All of our turkeys come brined (with salt – Kosher salt is used for Glatt Kosher birds) to ensure that they remain succulent and juicy as they roast. "... let it go - lets move forward." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sudsy Posted November 21, 2011 Report Share Posted November 21, 2011 We brined a Shop Rite turkey two weeks ago (normally I get Butterball but this was the free bird for spending x number of dollars). It came out every bit as good as the much more expensive name brands, maybe even better. 1 cup kosher salt + 1/2 cup sugar in 1 gallon of water. 25 lb bird soaked completely covered in a cooler on the porch for 12 hours (outside temp was about 40 degrees) I used a large measuring cup on top of the bird, held down by the cooler top and a cinder block on top of that to keep the bird from floating up in the brine.. I'll never do another turkey without brining The only thing to be aware of is that the gravy is going to be very salty. You need to thin the pan juices with low/no sodium broth. Next time I'll try the brine with pre-simmered carrots and herbs in it. I just wanta play everyday despite small nagging injuries -- and go home to a woman who appreciates how full of crap I truly am. ~ Crash Davis Social Distancing since 1962 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NS Mike D Posted November 21, 2011 Report Share Posted November 21, 2011 BTW I stopped brining my own turkeys and use enhanced turkeys and inject them just before cooking Brine: moisture retention through salt Injection: flavor "... let it go - lets move forward." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimW Posted November 21, 2011 Report Share Posted November 21, 2011 I am no longer allowed to brine turkeys for Thanksgiving, good gravy much more important to my wife than the turkey. Prairie girl says to wash a brined turkey under running water in and out for a few minutes and then soak submerged in fresh water for 15 minutes to reduce the salt in the gravy but haven't tried it yet. "I have ... put a lump of ice into an equal quantity of water ... if a little sea salt be added to the water we shall produce a fluid sensibly colder than the ice was in the beginning, which has appeared a curious and puzzling thing to those unacquainted with the general fact."- Joseph Black Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve in Mass Posted November 21, 2011 Report Share Posted November 21, 2011 Sudsy, suggestion.......lose the sugar and instead use apple juice. The apple juice will impart not only sweetness that the sugar will, but flavor. I use frozen concentrate.In addition, since table sugar is a single molecule and salt is two molecules, sugar does not have the same "osmosis power" as salt does, so it does little for moisture retention. As to salty gravy, I'm thinking that a cup of salt per gallon of water is way too much (and especially if you are not using kosher salt, but table salt). Most of the standard poultry brines I have read about use about half that much, i.e 1/2 cup of KOSHER salt per gallon. If you are using pickling, sea, or table salt, you need to use even less, as those are smaller grained and thus more dense than kosher salt. Other stuff I throw in my brine is bay leaves, allspice, coriander, celery seed, crushed peppercorns and crushed juniper berries "You know the Bill of Rights is serving its purpose when it protects things you wish it didn't." "You can no longer be oppressed if you are not afraid anymore - Unknown" SOL Member #174 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kings over Queens Posted November 21, 2011 Report Share Posted November 21, 2011 I've never had a problem with salty gravy with a brinned bird. Possible you guys are bring birds that are already enhanced? You know that some of them are already in a solution, right? I do rinse my bird off after coming out of the brine. I don't soak it, just a good rinse, and then paper towel to dry. #otterlivesmatter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimW Posted November 21, 2011 Report Share Posted November 21, 2011 Steve convinced me that I was probably using too much salt but haven't got around to trying a turkey again. I don't brine much although I salt meat and poultry a day in advance sometimes. Brined turkey legs on the smoker have never been too salty, the turkey itself has been great when I've brined, but gravy sucked. "I have ... put a lump of ice into an equal quantity of water ... if a little sea salt be added to the water we shall produce a fluid sensibly colder than the ice was in the beginning, which has appeared a curious and puzzling thing to those unacquainted with the general fact."- Joseph Black Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimW Posted November 21, 2011 Report Share Posted November 21, 2011 Saw today in NYT Q&A for Thanksgiving- "Q.How does one make good gravy from a brined turkey? — C. Smith, Mass. Wednesday’s “Kitchen Rescue” mentioned that brined birds don’t make good gravy. Why not? And what’s one to do for gravy if not use the drippings? — James, New York Is is advisable to make gravy from kosher turkey drippings, or are they too salty? — Paul, Manhattan A.Brining 101: The point of brining is to infuse the turkey with salt and water. This increases the succulence and juiciness of turkey meat, which tends to be dry. While the turkey is roasting, some salt water, mixed with the turkey’s fat and juices, drips into the bottom of the pan. These “drippings” dry out and cook in the oven’s heat. Most cooks find these drippings, even when deglazed with stock, inedibly salty. Some people say that you can use the drippings of a brined bird for gravy so long as your stock is unsalted. In the absence of unsalted stock, another solution is to discard the drippings and use only the fat for gravy, cooking flour in the fat until golden and then thinning out this roux with homemade stock. It will have some fresh-roasted-turkey flavor, but not too much salt. However, do not expect this method to produce the rich, meaty, dark-brown gravy that is preferred at some tables: a fat-flour-stock gravy will always be lighter in color and flavor. Dry-brined and kosher turkeys usually make perfectly fine gravy. However, it is prudent to taste the drippings before beginning. If they taste too salty, use them only sparingly." "I have ... put a lump of ice into an equal quantity of water ... if a little sea salt be added to the water we shall produce a fluid sensibly colder than the ice was in the beginning, which has appeared a curious and puzzling thing to those unacquainted with the general fact."- Joseph Black Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Posted November 21, 2011 Report Share Posted November 21, 2011 I use 1/2 cup kosher salt and 1/8 cup brown sugar per gallon. After dissolving that over heat in a small volume, with the hard spices, I get to final volume with 50% apple juice/ 50% water and a dark beer. Then I'll throw in the herbage, garlic, orange, onion, celery, etc. I rinse thoroughly after brining but do not soak. I've never had an issue with the gravy being salty. "Depend not on fortune, but on conduct." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skinnywater Posted November 21, 2011 Report Share Posted November 21, 2011 1/2 cups of kosher per gallon is what I use. Really the sky is the limit with what else you can add to the brine add what you like. I will go with salt,water,apple cider,beer,garlic,fresh herbs in the brine for tday. I think this was said but if not bring the brine to just a simmer then chill before adding to your turkey. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HardyG Posted November 23, 2011 Report Share Posted November 23, 2011 I did a turkey last year that was brined 24 hours in a combo of maple syrup, garlic and kosher salt. Stuff the cavity with carrots, onions and celery, and laid a bed of carrots onions and celery in the roasting pan. Cooked it upside down on my Big Green Egg for three hours and pureed the pan contents in the food processor. My family said it was the best turkey they had ever had. Same deal will be starting in about four hours. Just imagine how happy you would be if you lost everything you have in life and then suddenly got it back SOL Member #101 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Little Posted November 23, 2011 Report Share Posted November 23, 2011 Quote: Originally Posted by Kings over Queens I've never had a problem with salty gravy with a brined bird. Possible you guys are bring birds that are already enhanced? You know that some of them are already in a solution, right? I do rinse my bird off after coming out of the brine. I don't soak it, just a good rinse, and then paper towel to dry. Rinse is a big part of getting rid of the salt I think, noticed this with chickens. Rinse the living hell out of em. Rinse rub, massage, give it a real working over. I am going to look today for one of those nine or ten pounders to do tomorrow and leave at home for hot browns and soup “My happiness is not the means to any end. It is the end. It is its own goal. It is its own purpose.” Ayn Rand Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kings over Queens Posted November 23, 2011 Report Share Posted November 23, 2011 Put mine in the soak this morning. On the fence about whether or not to use the WSM to cook it in tomorrow, or not risk it and use the oven. #otterlivesmatter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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