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Step 4Brine Yer Bird
With a fully-thawed bird, you are now ready to brine. You can do this the night before you plan to bake your bird.
The great thing about a brine is it doesn't make the meat taste salty. That's because the salted water (infused with your added flavors) will begin penetrating the meat as soon as you dunk it. After a few hours, the salt will reach equilibrium, meaning no more salt will be added to the bird from the brine. At that point, leaving the bird in the drink won't make it any saltier.
Clean your sink thoroughly. I use a product called Greased Lightning to remove any gunk. Then I use soap and water and finish with a light bleach spray to sterilize. Then rinse completely.
Set the turkey in the sink and open the sack up. At either end you'll find a bag of goodies. I freeze this and use it later for turkey broth. You can discard it if you prefer. Don't leave these bags in the bird!
Your turkey may also come with a wire leg holder to keep the legs together. It can be tough to remove, so be gentle.
Rinse the turkey inside and out.
Now for the brine...
Drop some ice cubes into the bucket to make it easier to set the turkey down.
Then place the bird in the bucket breast-down.
Pour in the brine. I used a ladle to keep down the mess.
Add ice and top off with water.
The cavity of the turkey should also fill up with brine, so you might have to jiggle the turkey to get it to fill up.
Cap the bucket and put it in a cool place for 6 to 8 hours.
The great thing about a brine is it doesn't make the meat taste salty. That's because the salted water (infused with your added flavors) will begin penetrating the meat as soon as you dunk it. After a few hours, the salt will reach equilibrium, meaning no more salt will be added to the bird from the brine. At that point, leaving the bird in the drink won't make it any saltier.
Clean your sink thoroughly. I use a product called Greased Lightning to remove any gunk. Then I use soap and water and finish with a light bleach spray to sterilize. Then rinse completely.
Set the turkey in the sink and open the sack up. At either end you'll find a bag of goodies. I freeze this and use it later for turkey broth. You can discard it if you prefer. Don't leave these bags in the bird!
Your turkey may also come with a wire leg holder to keep the legs together. It can be tough to remove, so be gentle.
Rinse the turkey inside and out.
Now for the brine...
Drop some ice cubes into the bucket to make it easier to set the turkey down.
Then place the bird in the bucket breast-down.
Pour in the brine. I used a ladle to keep down the mess.
Add ice and top off with water.
The cavity of the turkey should also fill up with brine, so you might have to jiggle the turkey to get it to fill up.
Cap the bucket and put it in a cool place for 6 to 8 hours.
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