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Brining the turkey

(27 Posts)
kittylester Wed 22-Dec-21 09:46:16

I've never done this before so have been looking at methods on line. Now, I am totally confused so does anyone have a tried and tested method please.

And, daft question I know, but do you rinse it afterwards?

Charleygirl5 Wed 22-Dec-21 09:52:21

kittylester I do not have a clue what you are talking about. Brining is not a word I have ever heard before.

shysal Wed 22-Dec-21 09:56:00

I have never tried brining. I have always been pleased with the Phil Vickery method as detailed on the This Morning and his own websites
I shall be interested to hear how you get on, good luck! ?

Calistemon Wed 22-Dec-21 09:58:03

Nigella Lawson was on TV one year bringing the Turkey.

First of all you need a rand new bucket ....

Calistemon Wed 22-Dec-21 09:58:34

Brand new bucket

I need a brand new stylus and new specs

GrannyGravy13 Wed 22-Dec-21 09:58:41

Sorry Kittylester I cannot help, never brined a Turkey.

Another vote for the failsafe Phil Vickery method.

Calistemon Wed 22-Dec-21 09:59:47

Forget my other posts!

www.nigella.com/recipes/spiced-and-superjuicy-roast-turkey

Lizzie72 Wed 22-Dec-21 09:59:50

Never done this, but River Cottage recipes are usually reliable and here they say to rinse…..

www.rivercottage.net/recipes/brined-christmas-turkey

Good luck!

Parsley3 Wed 22-Dec-21 10:02:22

The turkey is brined chez parsley in a big plastic box. It does make it more juicy and tender.

Urmstongran Wed 22-Dec-21 10:09:41

Calistemon

Brand new bucket

I need a brand new stylus and new specs

??? best comment!

I’ve heard of brining but just thought it was something old fashioned that was no longer done (or needed) ...

Didn’t we use to rinse chickens under a cold tap and rub them with salt? I’m in the late 70’s here. I remember my mother in law doing it but then a few years ago we were warned by Public Health to get the oven super hot & bung the chicken in to avoid salmonella (around the taps, sink, chopping board etc).

Less is more anyway in my handbook.
#lazygran

kittylester Wed 22-Dec-21 10:17:54

Does one brine a boneless breast too?

MayBeMaw Wed 22-Dec-21 10:21:49

Talk about late onset dyslexia I read that as binning the turkey!

Calendargirl Wed 22-Dec-21 10:24:18

MayBeMaw

Talk about late onset dyslexia I read that as binning the turkey!

Alongside the out-of-date pastry, I assume?

grin

kittylester Wed 22-Dec-21 11:01:17

MayBeMaw

Talk about late onset dyslexia I read that as binning the turkey!

It could easily come to that!!!

FannyCornforth Wed 22-Dec-21 11:03:45

It’s all go isn’t it! ?

It all sounds a bit double entendre to me, and now that Nigella and a boneless breast are involved…
(Bring your own bucket)

Oopsadaisy1 Wed 22-Dec-21 11:39:37

I always have a bucket nearby if I watch Nigella……..

I try to avoid her though, all that hair wafting around as she purrs over some dead meat and caresses a potato. Yuk yuk

FannyCornforth Wed 22-Dec-21 12:10:51

‘Caresses a potato’
This thread is marvellous! ?

MaizieD Thu 23-Dec-21 08:53:12

My DD brined the turkey a la Nigella a few years ago and it didn't seem to make the slightest difference to taste or texture.

The best method I found was covering the bird with butter soaked muslin. Not overcooking it helps, too...

SuzieHi Thu 23-Dec-21 08:55:48

Not worth the time or effort! We couldn’t tell the difference. Each bird is different though - maybe ours was not so good that year?

Sago Thu 23-Dec-21 09:16:06

Unless you spend the money on a Kelly Bronze then turkeys are generally very dry.
This can be overcome with good preparation, butter,bacon and basting will usually do the trick.
Cover the wings and legs with double layer of foil and only remove that for the last 30 mins or so.
Do not over cook and rest the bird for appx an hour before carving.
I have tried brining, overnight slow, upside down and something crazy with a bottle of champagne, it makes such little difference it’s not worth it.

LtEve Thu 23-Dec-21 09:17:46

I follow Nigella’s original method in ‘How to Eat’. So far it’s never let me down, no brining involved, I would worry about the dogs locating the bucket and having their own party.

kittylester Thu 23-Dec-21 09:34:03

The way I've cooked it for the last 50 tears or so then!!!

We are having a crown and stuffed, boned thighs which I have done for the past 10 tears or so.

Calistemon Thu 23-Dec-21 09:37:45

LtEve

I follow Nigella’s original method in ‘How to Eat’. So far it’s never let me down, no brining involved, I would worry about the dogs locating the bucket and having their own party.

???

FannyCornforth Thu 23-Dec-21 09:50:55

I’ve got How To Eat on Audible read by Nigella herself.
It’s sooo relaxing to listen to to get to sleep

You’d probably need to repurpose the bucket after the dogs had demolished the turkey.

FannyCornforth Thu 23-Dec-21 09:56:09

The dogs and the turkey has reminded me of a phone in to Danny Baker years ago.

The caller told the tale that It was Christmas Day lunchtime, and she was looking out of her kitchen window while she did the final meal prep.
She was surprised and horrified to see her dog delightedly cavorting around the garden with an entire and huge cooked turkey.

But it wasn’t her turkey!
So for want of anything else that she could do, she drew the kitchen blind and carried on with her preparations grin