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Turkey Cooking Techniques:
Barbecued Whole Turkey
Learn how to barbecue or grill a whole
turkey. A whole 15 to 20 pound turkey may be prepared on either a gas grill or a
Weber charcoal grill.
Oven Roasted
Turkey
America's traditional Thanksgiving turkey dinner.
Guideline for roasting a whole turkey.
Guidelines For
Roasting a Whole Turkey
- Learn how to safely and easily prepare
and roast your turkey.
Smoked Turkey
The absolute first step in doing a
turkey on a smoker is to pick out a bird that is not the biggest one
you can find.
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The secret to juicy poultry is simple - brine your poultry (chicken or turkey) before grilling or baking!
This is the secret that chefs never tell you about. It's very easy and economical, and requires no special cookware.
Brining is like a marinade as it keeps food moist and tender. Brining or salting is a way of increasing the moisture holding capacity of meat resulting in a moister product when it is cooked.
Salt changes the structure of the muscle tissue in the meat which allows it to
swell and absorb water and flavorings which results in a tender turkey or
chicken once cooked.
How To Make Brine for Poultry:
Brining poultry is very easy and economical, and
requires no special cookware. Brining is like a marinade as it keeps
food moist and tender. Brining or salting is a way of increasing the
moisture holding capacity of meat resulting in a moister product when it
is cooked.
- What is a brine: One of the great things about brining is that there are so
few rules. Most brines start with water and salt — traditionally, 3/4
pound of salt per gallon of water, but since we’re not concerned with
the brine as a preservative, you can cut back on the salt. The amount of
brining time is likewise not set in stone. Even a little brining is
better than none.
What type of salt to use in brine: Kosher salt and table salt (without
iodine) are the most common salts used in brining. Sea salt can be used, but
it tends to be quite expensive. I usually use kosher salt.
A cup of table
salt and a cup of kosher salt are not equal. Table salt weighs approximately
10 ounces per cup and kosher salt weighs approximately 5 to 8 ounces per cup
depending on the brand. If using kosher salt in a brine, you must use more
than a cup to achieve the same "saltiness" you would get from a cup of table
salt.
To learn about different types
of salt and how to use them, check out the article
Salt - The Spice of Life.
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This chart shows how to substitute
the two most popular brands of kosher salt for 1 cup of ordinary table salt
when brining poultry.
Table
Salt (without iodine) - use 1 cup
or
Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt -
use 2 cups
or
Morton Kosher Salt - use 1 1/2 cups
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- What flavorings to add to brine: You can add flavor in all
sorts of forms such as herbs and spices. Use brown sugar, honey, or
molasses in place of the sugar (some sweetness tends to offset a
saltiness the brine might otherwise impart). You can use apple juice,
cider, orange juice, beer, wine, rice wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar,
stock, tea, or other liquids to replace some or all of the water. You
can also put together decidedly Oriental flavorings with soy sauce or
the Japanese rice wine mirin. In other words, be creative if you wish!
How To Refrigerate Turkey While Brining - Refrigeration is absolutely required during brining:
The main logistical problem with brining
is that you need a container that's large enough to submerge your turkey in
the brine, but will fit in your refrigerator or cooler.
The meat and brine solution must be kept below 40
degrees F. at
all times. Since brining
does not preserve meat, the turkey and brine must be kept refrigerated at
all times.
- Using the refrigerator:
If storing the poultry in the
refrigerator during brining, check to make sure that the container will fit
in your refrigerator! A container large enough to hold a whole turkey might
be too big for your fridge.
- Using a picnic cooler:
First, choose a container that is large enough to keep the turkey completely
submerged during the brining process. It is important to thoroughly clean
and sanitize the cooler before and after use.
You must keep the poultry and brine cold without
diluting the mixture when using a cooler. Put the meat and brine directly in the cooler, then
place Ziploc bags filled with ice or reusable gel packs into the brine
solution.
Another approach is to put the turkey and brine into a turkey oven
roasting bag inside the cooler, and then pack ice or gel packs around the bag.
Monitor the temperature of the cooler to make sure it stays below 40 degrees F. at all
times.
- Using brining bags:
Use a large
brining bag that can be found in some stores and/or online. These brining
bags are very easy to use and take up less room in your refrigerator or
cooler. Bags are sold large enough to hold a 20-pound turkey.
Every now and
then, turn the bag around and upside down to ensure even brining.
For brining
chicken, I use my regular re-sealable plastic bags found at the grocery
store.
How Long To Flavor Brine Poultry:
It is possible to end up with meat that's too salty for your taste. To avoid this, brine on the low end of the time range on your first attempt. You can always brine longer next time, but there's no way to salvage a piece of meat that's been brined too long.
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Whole Chicken (4 pounds) |
4 to
12 hours |
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Chicken Pieces |
1 to
1 1/2 hours |
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Whole Turkey |
1 to
2 days |
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Turkey Breast |
5 to
8 hours |
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Cornish Game Hens |
1 to
2 hours |
Selecting the Turkey for Brining:
- When purchasing a turkey for
brining, choose a natural turkey (not a self-basted bird that's been injected
with a solution of salt and other flavorings). Look for the words "natural" or
"no additives added."
- Choose a 12- to 20-pound turkey. If
the turkey is frozen, thaw according to the package directions before
brining.
- Remove and discard any leg
restraints from the purchased turkey. Remove the giblets from the neck cavity and the neck from the body
cavity (save for
making Perfect
Turkey Gravy). Trim away large areas of fat or excess
skin around the body cavity, and cut off the tail. Rinse thoroughly inside and
out, and pat dry with paper towels.
Choose a container large enough to hold your turkey and brine mixture, plus it
must be able to fit either in your refrigerator or a large cooler.
Your turkey is now ready for brining.
Poultry Brine Recipe:
For each gallon of cold water used in the brine, add the following:
3/4 cup coarse kosher
salt
3/4 cup granulated
sugar
1 cup boiling water
1 gallon cold water
1 tablespoon black pepper
Equipment
Needed:
- Whole Turkey: A heavy-duty
large food-grade plastic, stainless steel, or glass
container (5- to 6-gallon). Large brining bags may also be used.
Weight with a plate, if necessary, to keep the meat fully covered by the
brine. See above How To Refrigerate Poultry During Brining.
- Chicken: Stainless-steel bowl or re-sealable plastic bag can work as a brining container, as long as the poultry is fully submerged. Weight with a plate, if necessary, to keep the meat fully covered by the brine.
Determine How Much Brine Is Needed -
To determine how much brine you'll need, place the poultry
(chicken or turkey) to be brined in your chosen container. Add water to cover. Remove the
poultry and measure the water.
Dissolve salt and sugar in the boiling water. Add it to the cold water; add pepper and stir to combine.
Chill brine completely in the refrigerator before adding poultry. Place your poultry in the water and place in the refrigerator for the time required.
Rinse poultry twice after removing it from the brine solution; discard brine. If you are not ready to cook at the end of the brining time, remove and rinse the meat. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Do not salt brined meat before cooking. Cook poultry according to your favorite recipe.
Do not overcook your brined poultry. Once brined, the poultry cooks faster so be careful and use a
Meat Thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat.
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