Civic Communications Specialist
833 Boonville
Springfield, MO 65802
417-862-9284
burtond@missouri.edu
October 30, 2009
Brining the Thanksgiving Bird can Make it More Moist
Many families already have a favorite method of preparing their Thanksgiving turkey to perfection. But something that is gaining in popularity, according to Tammy Roberts, a nutrition and health education specialist with University of Missouri Extension, is a pre-soak method called brining that helps assure a moist, tasty turkey.
According to USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service, brining is a method of steeping the turkey in a strong solution of salt and water. Other ingredients can be added for flavor but the salt is what makes the turkey moist.
"Salt helps to dissolve the protein in muscle and the salt and protein reduce the moisture loss during the cooking process," said Roberts.
The entire turkey has to be completely submerged in the brining solution.
"It's hard to find a container that will hold a turkey larger than 14 pounds," said Roberts. "For this reason, many people only brine their turkey when they are going to cook one weighing less than 14 pounds."
University of Illinois Extension provides these instructions for brining.
Start with a fresh or completely thawed turkey that has the giblets removed and has been washed inside and out. To make the brine, dissolve 4 cups of kosher salt or 2 cups of table salt in two gallons of cold water. Add one cup of sugar. Stir the mixture until the salt and sugar are completely dissolved. You can add other flavoring ingredients as desired such as bay leaves, thyme, or your favorite poultry seasoning.
Place the turkey breast side down in the solution, place the container in the refrigerator and soak for 6 to 8 hours. Remove the turkey from the brine and rinse it inside and out under cold running water. Pat the turkey dry. The turkey is then ready to be roasted.
Another option is to place the turkey back in the refrigerator overnight after it has been patted dry. This allows the skin to dry out so it will become crisp during roasting.
"The turkey is done when the temperature at the inner most part of the thigh, the breast and the wing all reach a minimum of 165 degrees. The thigh juices running clear and the leg wiggling freely are other signs the turkey is done," said Roberts.
For another brining recipe, or to see more in-depth brining instructions, see the University of Illinois web site at http://urbanext.illinois.edu/turkey/techniques.html.
Source: Tammy Roberts (417) 682-3579
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