Do You Need to Rub a Turkey After Brining?

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Brining is a popular technique used by many home cooks to help ensure a juicy flavorful turkey. The process of soaking the turkey in a saltwater solution seasons the meat and helps it retain moisture. But once the brined turkey comes out of the solution, should you take any additional steps like applying a rub before roasting? Let’s take a closer look at the pros and cons of using a rub on a brined turkey.

Overview of Brining

Brining involves submerging the turkey in a saltwater brine anywhere from 4 to 24 hours before cooking The brine is typically a mixture of

  • 1 cup salt per gallon of water
  • Aromatics like peppercorns, herbs, spices, citrus

As the turkey soaks, the salt penetrates the meat, altering its structure so the fibers hold on to more moisture during cooking. This helps prevent the dreaded dry turkey syndrome. Any added flavors from spices and herbs also infuse into the meat, providing subtle background notes.

After brining, it’s important to thoroughly rinse the turkey, pat it completely dry, and let it air dry in the fridge for optimal crispy skin.

Benefits of Adding a Rub

Here are some potential advantages to rubbing your brined turkey:

  • Additional flavor – While brining provides some flavor, a rub layers on more seasoning.

  • Bolds spices and herbs – A rub can incorporate bolder spices that would be too strong in a brine.

  • Texture and crust – The rub adds texture and helps form a crispy, flavorful crust.

  • Visual appeal – Herbs and spices make the skin more visually appealing.

So a rub can provide more pronounced flavor and texture compared to the subtler brining effect.

What to Look for in a Turkey Rub

If applying a rub after brining, watch out for:

  • Salt content – Since brining already salts the meat, the rub should be salt-free.

  • Compatible flavors – Choose ingredients in the rub that complement any aromatics used in the brine.

  • Short ingredient list – Opt for a basic rub with just herbs, spices and oil/butter. Avoid rubs with sugars or other ingredients that could burn.

A simple, salt-free blend of aromatic herbs, spices and oil is ideal for enhancing a brined turkey.

How to Apply Rub on Brined Turkey

To rub a brined turkey:

  • Pat turkey completely dry after rinsing off brine. This helps the rub adhere.

  • Gently loosen the skin over the breast and rub the seasoning directly onto the meat.

  • Apply the rub all over the skin as well, front and back.

  • Spread it evenly and gently pat to help it adhere.

  • Let the rubbed turkey air dry in the fridge for 30 minutes up to a few hours before roasting. The skin will dry further and the rub will set.

Other Flavoring Options

Instead of rubs, you can use:

  • Flavored butters or oils – Slip compound butters or herb oils under the skin.

  • Seasoned stuffing – Flavor the bird from the inside out with boldly seasoned stuffing.

  • Herb paste – Make a wet paste of fresh herbs, oil, spices and spread under and on skin.

While brining alone provides moisture, flavor and tenderness, taking the extra step to add a complementary rub can further enhance your turkey’s taste and texture. Just be sure any rub used on a brined turkey is salt-free and contains herbs and spices that build on the brine’s flavors. Apply it evenly under and on the skin before air drying and roasting for the perfect holiday bird. With the combination of brining and rubbing, your turkey will be super moist, seasoned inside and out, and full of festive seasonal flavor.

do you rub a turkey after brining

Using a Turkey Brine

A brine is a solution of salt and water. Putting a turkey in this solution will keep it moist. You can also add herbs and spices to the brine. When the meat is roasted, these will give it a subtle flavor. Using a brine of water and salt is easy. The only thing you need to remember when using a different marinade method is how much salt the turkey has been soaking in. If you add aromatics to the brine, keep in mind that they will change how the turkey tastes overall, so pick a rub or injection with similar ingredients.

While properly brining a turkey wont make it too salty, it does add salt to the meat. If you add a salty rub or injection marinade after that, the turkey might be too salty to eat. Because of this, if you brine your bird, make sure to wash it well after taking it out of the brine.

do you rub a turkey after brining

Using a Turkey Rub

A poultry rub can be made up of both wet and dry things, like oil and herbs, or it can just be a mix of dry powdered spices. Before roasting, these are mixed together and rubbed on top of and under the skin, most of the time when a wet/dry mixture is used. The flavors infuse the meat and create a beautiful golden color on the skin. If using this along with a brine, you need to eliminate the salt from the rub recipe. Since most rub recipes contain salt, it is crucial that you cut out this ingredient.

do you rub a turkey after brining

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FAQ

Do you dry rub a turkey after brining?

I do a wet brine 48 hours before cooking. Then a dry rub 24 hours before cooking. An un-brined bird will lose about 25-30% of it’s moisture, while a brined bird will only lose 10-15%. Wetter is better if you want a moist turkey.

Can you dry rub after brining?

No. Dry brine in advance- ideally 24 hours. Then apply the rub or spice mix just before you cook. See Meathead’s book or his Amazing Ribs website for the science of dry brining, and applying rubs.

Should I rinse my turkey after brining?

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.

Do you rub off dry brine?

I usually just pat it with paper towel and picks up moisture and salt. You could give it a light rub with paper towel, like brush off a bit if you want a little less.

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