Brine is the Glory!

Chef Janice Kirich has a Master of Brine Arts and that makes her our go-to gal this Thanksgiving for our favorite turkey preparation method: brining. Accented with flavorful herbs, brine is renowned for its tasty, tenderizing powers.

Brine Basics

How does it work? Well, a brine is basically a mix of salt and water (though many — like Chef Janice’s favorite brining recipe) include sugar, spices and herbs). It affects the layers of the turkey most prone to drying out — the exterior. The salt has a profound effect on the tightly bound meat muscle, unraveling the proteins so they hold more moisture.

In fact, a brined turkey will lose only 15% of its weight while an unbrined can lose as much as 25%. The sugar in the brine caramelizes the skin, adding a touch of sweetness and crispy texture that also helps retain moisture and keep the meat tender. And of course, the well-chosen herbs naturally infuse succulent flavor.

If you’d like to try a mega easy salt and water brine that you don’t even have to cook, this no-brainer will noticeably up the moisture in your bird but leave the flavor pure turkey.

Super Simple Brine
Prep Time: 10 min.
Brining Time: 12-24 hrs.

• 1 turkey (12-15 lbs.)*
• 1 large cooler
• Ice
• Water
• 1 cup salt for each gallon of water

Remove giblets and neck from turkey and reserve for another use, if desired.

Make sure you use a cooler large enough for your turkey to be submerged. Fill cooler half full with ice. Add enough water to completely cover the bird. Add one cup of salt per each gallon of water used. Stir to dissolve salt. Water should remain between 35°F-40°F during the entire brining time.

You can also use a brining bag in the refrigerator, in which case, you won’t need ice. Simply make sure the turkey is fully submerged in the brine and refrigerate for 24 hours, turning halfway through brining if needed.

In both cases, after removing turkey from brine, rinse inside and out to eliminate excess salt; discard brine. Gently pat turkey dry with clean paper towels before roasting.

*If frozen, thaw turkey in refrigerator 2-3 days before brining. Only brine turkeys that have not been injected with a sodium solution.

Herb Butter — The Finishing Touch
What’s better than brining? Nothing really, but Chef Janice suggests that right before roasting, you rub the bird’s skin underneath and outside with herb butter. Simply whip butter with a blend of rosemary, thyme, shallot, sage, salt and pepper — it's a splendid finishing touch!

Pan Gravy — Fond of Roux
Fond: that’s the word for the slightly burnt, crusty, caramelized bits in the bottom of your roasting pan — essential for making gravy, according to Chef Janice. So, that’s where we start. Well, actually, we start with letting your cooked bird rest in the pan for about 5 minutes post-oven to let all of the juices “ooze out” into the pan and mingle with the fond. Then, remove the bird to your carving board and cover it with foil.

If you have roasted your bird with veggies, leave them in to flavor and place your roasting pan right on the stovetop. Turn heat on low to medium and sprinkle fats and juices with flour. Whisk the flour into the liquid to form a paste or roux, using only enough flour to absorb the fat. This will be the base for your gravy, giving it a rich flavor and deep color.

Cook a bit more to make sure flour is absorbed. Then, slowly whisk in turkey stock with a little dry white wine if you choose (Chablis or Pinot Grigio), just enough to create a gravy consistency. Simmer 15 to 20 minutes allowing flour to cook out and gravy to reduce and thicken. Then, simply pour through a strainer to remove any hunks of vegetables, fill your gravy boat, and serve!