I’m focusing in this post on how to easily brine a turkey. Brining is the easiest, best way to ensure moist, flavorful meat in your perfectly cooked turkey. Once you’ve brined it, you are ready to roast, fry, or smoke your moist turkey to perfection.
As Thanksgiving and the winter holidays approach, many home cooks are faced with the task of preparing the perfect turkey. We all want moist, flavorful and tender meat, but achieving this can be a challenge. One technique that helps ensure a juicy and delicious bird is brining. While brining a turkey is pretty straightforward, finding a vessel large enough to submerge the bird can be tricky. This is where a common trash bag comes in handy!
Brining a turkey in a garbage bag may sound strange, but it’s actually a very popular technique used by experienced cooks. Though unconventional, it offers some major advantages over buckets, pots or unwieldy brining bags. In this article, we’ll cover the benefits of trash bag turkey brining, along with tips for safe and effective use.
Why Brine a Turkey?
Before getting into the specifics of brining in a trash bag, let’s review why brining is beneficial for poultry:
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Infuses flavor – The salt and aromatics in the brine penetrate deep into the meat, seasoning it thoroughly.
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Boosts moisture – Brining helps the turkey retain more juices during roasting, keeping it tender and moist.
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Enhances texture – It breaks down some proteins resulting in a silky lush mouthfeel.
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Promotes browning – Ingredients like sugar contribute to better Maillard reactions for crispy, browned skin.
Simply put, brining makes for more flavorful, fool-proof turkeys with ideal texture.
Why Use a Trash Bag for Brining?
Turning to the trash bag method what makes this unorthodox vessel a smart choice?
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Large capacity – Trash bags come in sizes to fit turkeys up to 24 pounds, no problem.
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Full submersion – Ample room allows the entire bird to be submerged in brine, even the breast.
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Conforms to shape – The bag hugs the contour of the turkey unlike rigid containers.
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Minimal cleanup – Just throw away the used brining bag when finished!
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Saves space – A collapsed bag takes up less room in the fridge than buckets or pans.
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Low cost – Inexpensive compared to specialty brining bags or containers.
For an easy, effective brining vessel with little mess or hassle, a basic trash bag is perfect for the job.
Step-By-Step Guide to Trash Bag Turkey Brining
Brining a turkey in a trash bag is simple. Follow these guidelines:
Supplies Needed
- 1 clean plastic trash bag (new, food-grade)
- Brine ingredients (water, salt, sugar, spices)
- Large bowl or tray
- Twist tie or bag sealer
Brining Process
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Choose a trash bag rated for food use in the appropriate size for your turkey. Do not use scented or recycled bags.
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Place thawed turkey inside the trash bag.
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Pour prepared brine into bag until turkey is fully submerged. Remove excess air.
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Securely seal the bag shut with a twist tie or bag clip. Make sure no brine can leak out.
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Place sealed bag and turkey in a large bowl or tray to catch potential spills.
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Refrigerate for 8-12 hours per pound, flipping bag periodically. Keep temp at 35-40°F.
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Once time is complete, remove turkey from brine and pat dry. Discard used bag.
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Roast turkey as desired. The brining is now complete!
And that’s all there is to it. With just a basic trash bag, you can easily brine a turkey with great results.
Tips for Safe, Effective Trash Bag Brining
To ensure proper food safety and the most flavorful bird, keep these tips in mind:
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Use only new, food-grade bags to prevent chemicals leaching into the brine.
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Tie the bag very securely to prevent leaks, which can be messy and hazardous.
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Place the bag in a bowl or tray as a precaution – accidents can happen!
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Flip the bag over periodically to evenly expose all sides to the brine.
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Thoroughly pat the turkey dry before roasting to help achieve crispy skin.
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Never reuse a brining bag. Toss it after single use for food safety.
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Chill the brine if needed to keep the temperature consistently in the 35-40°F range.
The Surprising Effectiveness of This Unconventional Method
While it may raise some eyebrows at first, brining in a trash bag has proven to be a smart technique among experienced cooks. The many benefits of large capacity, full bird submersion, and easy cleanup make trash bags an ideal vessel over awkward pots or buckets.
As long as food-safe bags are used and proper guidelines followed, trash bag turkey brining is an efficient, sanitary option. Don’t be afraid to try this simple shortcut – your holiday guests will be delighted with the juicy, flavor-packed results!
So go ahead and take advantage of this handy trick to streamline your turkey brining this season. You’ll be freed up to focus on the many other dishes on your holiday table. Here’s to a stress-free and delicious Thanksgiving and holiday meals ahead!
Wet Brine vs. Dry Brine
Both wet brines and dry brines have their advantages and disadvantages. Both will take up refrigerator space, but the wet brine will take the most space since the bird has to be completely submerged. Below, I’ll cover the solution to that problem.
In essence, a wet brine plumps up the bird with moisture. The turkey absorbs up to 40% more water in a wet brine. The salt breaks down the muscle, allowing the water to penetrate into the meat and stay there while cooking.
A wet brine ensures moist meat, to be sure. However, unfortunately, the flavor of the turkey may suffer. With a wet brine, you may be left with an overly moist but bland-tasting bird. One solution is to add more aromatics like bay leaves, garlic, peppercorns, whole spices, rosemary, and thyme.
In a dry brine, the salt draws out the moisture, combines with it, and then penetrates back into the meat. A dry brine breaks down the muscle fiber and protein, allowing the moisture to stay in the bird during cooking. You will still need room in the refrigerator for the bird to brine, but usually not as much as if you were using a wet brine.
Though a dry brine may not be quite as moist, it really packs in the flavor.
How to Make a Turkey Brine
- 1 gallon water
- 1 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 cup salt
- 5 cloves garlic
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 tablespoon pepper
- peel of one lemon
- In a large pot, bring water, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, and salt to a boil. Once it reaches a boil, turn off the heat and stir until the sugar and salt are dissolved. Add the garlic cloves, bay leaves, pepper, and lemon peel. Allow mixture to cool completely. Add 4 cups of ice to the mixture.
- Place a large plastic trash bag inside a cooler. Put the clean, dry turkey inside the cooler and pour the brine over the turkey. Periodically check the temperature of the cooler. It should remain between 35 and 40 degrees F. Leave the turkey in the brine for 24 hours.
If you like this recipe, please give it a star rating to help other cooks find it!
How to Brine a Turkey in a Bag
FAQ
What is the best container to brine a turkey in?
Food-Grade Plastic Bucket: A large, food-grade plastic bucket is ideal for brining. Make sure it is clean and free from any harmful chemicals. Stock Pot: If you have a large stock pot, it can work well for brining a turkey. Just ensure it has enough capacity to hold the bird and the brine.
How do you brine a turkey without a brining bag?
But you can also dry-brine your turkey. For this method, instead of submerging your turkey in a brine solution, you basically rub the outside with salt and let it sit for a day or so.
Can I brine a turkey in a cooking bag?
Both Reynolds (Oven Roasting Bag for Turkeys) and Ziploc (XL Storage Bag) make very large food-safe bags that are great for brining.Mar 25, 2020
Can I brine a turkey in a 5 gallon bucket?
There’s a way to make the brining process a little easier, though, thanks to a product my family has relied on for nearly two decades: Home Depot’s 5-gallon bucket.
Can you use trash bags to brine a Turkey?
Trash bags are not dirty until you throw trash in them, so it might make sense to use them to brine a large turkey. However, a lot more thought goes into it, and it is best to understand the hazards and risks you are taking if you choose to use one of these bags to prepare fresh food. Hazardous chemicals could seep into the brine.
Are Turkey brining bags a good idea?
They are the best when it comes to getting the job done. Not only are turkey brining bags designed to hold the weight of the turkey and brine, but they are easy to use. Using a bag specifically designed to brine food in is the best way to ensure that you are using a food-grade product that won’t put your health and safety at risk.
How to brine a Turkey in a cooler?
With a bag: You will use a turkey brining bag as you normally would and then place it in a cooler. This is the best method if you do not have space in your fridge. Without a bag: After following a few instructions below, you should know how to brine a turkey in a cooler without a bag safely. The method works and is preferred by many people.
How to brine a Turkey?
The most important part of brining a turkey is the perfect size bag according to the size of the turkey you’re going to brine. Don’t take a bag that is smaller in size than your turkey. Always choose a big one. As our main target is to describe the process in detail so we have divided the process into three parts.
What size bag should I use to brine a Turkey?
Ziploc Big Bags XL These bags are foodsafe and, at 2 feet by 1.7 feet, they’re the perfect size for turkey brining. These bags are foodsafe and, at 2 feet by 1.7 feet, they’re the perfect size for turkey brining. What kind of container can I use to brine a turkey?
Can you use a freezer bag for brining a Turkey?
Oven bags or unused heavyweight freezer bags make safe substitutes. Refrigerate during brining, maintaining a consistent 40°F temperature. Use ice to keep turkey fully submerged. Limit brining time to 12 hours or less to inhibit bacteria growth. Clean all prep surfaces and utensils before and after brining raw turkey.