How To Cook A Turkey ~Herb Roasted Whole Turkey Recipe With Buttermilk Brine Recipe ~ Moist & Flavorful!!! (2024)

FAQs

How long should you soak a turkey and brine before cooking it? ›

I recommend that you should let the turkey brine for roughly 24-72 hours in the fridge. Trust me, its worth it. The mixture gets slathered on the bird and then permeates the turkey for about 24 hours. Then pat it dry and proceed with my favorite turkey recipe!

You should always rinse the turkey after wet or dry brining. Once rinsed, you can let the turkey air dry, uncovered, in the refrigerator for several hours, or pat it dry with a paper towel.

No dish has more riding on its success than the holiday turkey. Brining locks in a turkey's natural juices, so it won't dry out during the roasting process, ensuring the perfect centerpiece for a flavorful feast.

Brining takes longer than marinating, as the salt needs more time to work on the meat and get through the bird. Marinating typically only reaches into the first quarter inch of the meat. During brining, the turkey absorbs extra moisture, which helps it stay juicy.

This dilutes the salt solution to the best ratio for brining and also helps further cool the solution. Make sure the turkey is completely submerged. If needed, prepare more brine solution at a ratio of 1/4 cup salt per quart of water to completely submerge the turkey. Cover and refrigerate.

Dry brining takes longer than wet brining but requires less refrigerator space and results in browner and crispier skin. Before brining, some prep work needs to be done. If purchasing a frozen turkey, make sure it is thawed before brining.

Do you season turkey after brining? Brine is very salt-rich, so there's no reason to add salt to a brined turkey. You can add your favorite dry rub, herbs or spices to the turkey after it brines, or you can add flavor to the turkey later by serving it with a compound butter.

Once the dry-brining waiting period is up, there is no need to rinse off the surface of your food. The meat will not be overly salty, and rinsing the surface with water will undo all of the surface-drying achieved by the dry-brine process. That, in turn, will prevent browning.

Wash your hands, but not the turkey! Many consumers think that washing their turkey will remove bacteria and make it safer. However, it's virtually impossible to wash bacteria off the bird. Instead, juices that splash during washing can transfer bacteria onto the surfaces of your kitchen, other foods and utensils.

Oven-Roasted Turkey

We recommend starting the turkey in a 425 degree oven for 30-45 minutes before tenting the pan with foil and lowering the temperature to 350 degrees until a meat thermometer reads 165 degrees when inserted into the thickest part of the bird.

Does a turkey need to be refrigerated while brining? ›

Prepare the brine by mixing ingredients until all of the salt is dissolved. If your brine recipe calls for heating the mixture, be sure to cool it to room temperature before using it. Then place the turkey in the brine and place in the refrigerator. Don't leave the turkey sitting out at room temperature while brining.

"It's important to ensure that the brine bag or [oven roasting bag] is large and strong enough to fully submerge the turkey," says Malouf, who recommends using the latter if you can't find the former. "Remember to leave yourself enough slack for squeezing out any air and cinching the bag with kitchen twine or string."

To brine a turkey, you will first need a large, nonreactive container; this can be plastic, glass, or stainless steel. Other metal containers will react with the brine solution and give the turkey a metallic flavor. One trick is to use a large, food-safe sealable bag.

NOTE: A brined turkey cooks slightly faster than an unbrined turkey, so check the internal temperature frequently. Remove turkey from the oven and allow to stand for 20 minutes before carving.

Brining for too long can result in meat that tastes overly-salty and has a spongy texture. If you're not ready to roast the bird after 18 hours, remove it from the brine, rinse it, pat it dry, and refrigerate for up to two days.

Tip: There is no need to boil all the brine liquid because you can fully dissolve the salt and sugar and extract the flavor out of any seasonings in 1½ cups of liquid. Step 2: Allow boiled brine to cool completely to room temperature.

What to Do After the Meat Is Brined. After waiting the appropriate amount of time, remove the meat from the brine and pat it dry with a paper towel. You won't need to rinse it with fresh water unless you accidentally brined it for too long. From here, cook the meat according to your favorite recipe.

Don't Rinse It Off

Once the dry-brining waiting period is up, there is no need to rinse off the surface of your food. The meat will not be overly salty, and rinsing the surface with water will undo all of the surface-drying achieved by the dry-brine process. That, in turn, will prevent browning.