Deciding to make a turkey for Thanksgiving is quite an undertaking. Cooking this traditional holiday fowl comes with a handful of potential difficulties, like finding the right size turkey for your groupadding enough flavor, allowing enough time to thaw, and avoiding one of the most common turkey problems: making sure it doesn’t dry out. A way of avoid a dry turkey it’s by brining it, but how exactly do you brine a turkey the right way?

Brining involves immersing the turkey in a salt water solution, which not only seasons the meat from the inside out, but also changes its protein structure. This allows the meat to retain more moisture while cooking, resulting in a juicier, more flavorful turkey. Unlike just surface salting, which only reaches the outer layers, brining distributes seasoning and moisture throughout the bird. While this extra step isn’t necessary, it can take any turkey from mediocre to stunning.

If you’re brining for the first time or making a feast for a crowd, the process can seem a little intimidating. That’s why we consulted expert chefs to share their best tips. Read on to learn how to brine your Thanksgiving turkey like a pro, and for more dinner inspiration, check out 25 Best Thanksgiving Recipes.

Thaw the turkey.

A common mistake people make when preparing their Thanksgiving turkey is that they don’t realize how long it takes for a frozen turkey to thaw.6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e

According to Chef Chris Nirschel with Catering service in New YorkYou need to make sure your turkey is completely thawed before you start brining it, “which can take several days in the refrigerator, so plan accordingly.”

THE USDA said, as a general rule, thawing your turkey in the refrigerator takes about 24 hours per 4 to 5 pounds of bird. For larger turkeys weighing around 20 pounds, you’re potentially looking at around 5 days of thawing!

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Find the right container for a large volume of brine.

A major consideration when preparing to brine your turkey is making sure you have the right container for it. Since the brining process takes a bit of time, you’ll need a container that’s not only big enough for your turkey, but small enough to fit in your refrigerator.

Your turkey must be completely covered with the brine solution, says Michael Handalchief instructor at Culinary Education Instituteso you’ll need either a 10 quart saucepan with high sides, or a brining bag if a large saucepan won’t fit in your fridge.

“You need to make sure whatever you brined your turkey in can fit in your refrigerator, as well as make sure your container doesn’t react with your brining solution and leave an unpleasant flavor,” says Heidi Diestel4th generation farmer Diestel Family Ranch.

To accomplish this, Chef Thomas Riccivice president of culinary operations at Glouglou & Sun basket says “You can use a bag of turkey or (if using a dry brine) a large plate covered with foil before letting (the turkey) sit in the refrigerator for 36 to 48 hours before cooking.”

How to make a brine.

A brine is a fairly simple cooking technique. Technically, all you have to do is create a salt water solution with 1 cup of salt for every gallon of water you use.

Although a basic brine solution consists of just salt and water, chefs highly recommend adding other items to enhance the flavor. “The flavor molecules lodge in the turkey’s tissues between the cells, so the more intense the flavors in your brine, the more those flavors will potentially be transmitted to the meat,” explains Erin Millerexecutive chef and owner of Urban home.

Basic brine recipe

Courtesy of Chef Éric Caronchief executive officer for Lombardo Hotel Group

• 7 liters of water
• 1.5 cups kosher salt
• 0.25 cup sugar
• Additional seasonings: citrus, carrots, celery, ginger, garlic, sage, rosemary, fennel, cilantro, juniper, five-spice blend and dried chili peppers.

Mix all the ingredients in a large container until the salt and sugar are dissolved, then let sit for 24 to 48 hours. “If your recipe calls for the salt and sugar to be dissolved by heating the brine, make sure the brine has been completely cooled before adding the turkey,” adds Chef Handal.

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Buttermilk Brine Recipe

Courtesy of Chef Chris Nirschel with Catering service in New York

• 1 whole turkey (12-14 pounds)
• 2 gallons of buttermilk
• 1 cup kosher salt
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon of black pepper
• 1 tablespoon dried thyme
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• 1 tablespoon of paprika
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (adjust to taste)
• 1 large onion, cut into quarters
• 1 lemon, cut in half
• 4 sprigs of fresh rosemary
• 4 sprigs of fresh thyme
• 4 cloves of crushed garlic

A basic brine solution consists of water, salt, and herbs, but chef Chris Nirschel suggests taking it up a notch and using a buttermilk brine. “I like to use a buttermilk brine,” he says. “Even though it’s not as conventional, it’s very effective.”

To make the buttermilk brine, Chef Nirschel says, “In a large mixing bowl, combine buttermilk, kosher salt, brown sugar, black pepper, dried thyme, garlic powder, onion powder , paprika and cayenne pepper. Then stir the mixture until the salt is obtained. and sugar are completely dissolved.

Dry brine recipe

If you’re smoking your turkey or just looking for a no-mess, no-fuss alternative, you may want to consider dry brining, says Chef Thomas Boemer of Awakening.

Boemer suggests using your favorite BBQ rubor if roasting the bird, try a combination of kosher salt, granulated garlic, onion powder, black pepper, thyme, sage and paprika.

“Make sure your turkey is completely thawed and dried so there is no excess moisture,” says Boemer. “Season all surfaces, including the inside of the cavity, in the morning before roasting. Leave the turkey uncovered in the refrigerator overnight, which will dry the skin slightly to produce a crisp, golden exterior, then roast as usual. habit.”

Consider separating the bird into several parts.

“Turkey breast and turkey leg quarters might as well come from different animals when it comes to cooking technique,” ​​explains Erin Millerexecutive chef and owner of Urban home. “The fact that we try to cook them together using the same techniques really perplexes me. The result is rarely good.”

While turkey breast brines well because it’s lean, leg quarters need less brine because they contain more fat and connective tissue, according to Miller. In fact, she says brining the thighs can actually dilute the flavor. Instead, she advises seasoning them with a very salty marinade or dry rub.

“After brining the brisket, I usually butterflied it, applied a dry spice blend, re-rolled it, roasted it in the oven, then brought it together with the leg at the table,” adds Miller.

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Be careful about the type of salt you use.

Salt is salt, right? Not exactly. According to Handal, it’s crucial to use the specific type of salt listed in your chosen brining recipe.

Kosher salt and sea salt have a coarser grain than table salt. And because of the different sized granules, the amount of salt in a tablespoon or cup can vary. This means you cannot substitute one for the other without adjusting the amounts. Not only that, but what further distinguishes kosher salt from table salt is that it does not contain iodine, which affects the flavor.

“Table salt and kosher salt differ in density and can have dramatically different results,” says Handal.

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Plan to brine for at least 12 hours.

“When you want meat seasoned to the bone, time is your best friend,” says Brian Jupiterexecutive chef at The Chicago Border And Ina Mae Tavern. And ideally, Jupiter recommends brining your turkey for 24 to 48 hours.

According to Handal, you’ll need to aim for a minimum brining time of 12 hours. But don’t go beyond 48 hours, he says, or you risk ruining it.

“If you choose the 48-hour method, reduce the amount of salt you put in your brine by 25 percent so your turkey isn’t overly seasoned,” Jupiter adds.

Do not brine a “pre-brined” turkey.

Many people don’t realize that when you buy a turkey in the store, it is sometimes pre-brined, meaning it has been injected with a brining solution before being sold.

“Most basic turkeys already get an injection of salt and water, so you don’t want to brine this bird,” says Diestel.

Pre-brined turkey will be labeled as “kosher,” “basted,” or “self-basted,” so pay attention to these keywords when shopping for your Thanksgiving turkey.

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