Brining is a popular technique for infusing moisture and seasoning into turkey before roasting. But what should you do after the brine to ensure the best possible flavor and texture? There are several key steps to take post-brining that allow you to control saltiness and really make that bird shine.
Why Brining Helps…and Hurts
First, let’s review why brining became such a staple technique Soaking the raw turkey in a saltwater solution prior to cooking
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Keeps the meat incredibly juicy and moist during roasting by hydrating the cells.
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Allows seasonings in the brine to thoroughly penetrate the meat
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Breaks down muscle fibers through the salt making the meat more tender.
However, brining can also lead to over-salting if not handled properly. The high sodium levels get drawn deep into the turkey through osmosis. Later, that concentrated salt mars the drippings used for gravy and stuffing.
That’s where proper post-brining steps come in! When done right, you get all of the magic of brining without the harsh salt-bomb.
Step 1: Rinse the Turkey After Brining
Once the brining time is complete, remove the turkey from the pot or bag. Give it a good rinse under cold water, both outside and in the cavity. Run your fingers over the skin to wash off any excessive brine clinging to the surface.
Soaking for just a few minutes helps purge some of the absorbed salt from the outer layers of meat.
Step 2: Soak the Turkey to Further Desalt
After a quick rinse, submerge the turkey in a sink or pot filled with plain cold water. Allow it to soak for 10-15 minutes. This further draws out salt from the meat, lowering the overall sodium content.
Be sure your soaking container is clean to avoid cross-contamination.
Step 3: Pat the Turkey Dry
Waterlogged poultry won’t brown or crisp properly when roasted. So after rinsing and soaking, pat the turkey dry inside and out with paper towels.
Getting rid of excess moisture allows the skin to get crispy in the oven.
Step 4: Apply Herbs, Spices, and Oil
Here’s where you can layer on lots of flavor! Coat the outside of the turkey with a drizzle of olive oil or melted butter. Then pat on any dried herbs and spices that complement your meal.
Some good options are rosemary, thyme, sage, garlic powder, paprika, or citrus zest. Rub them all over the skin for delicious flavor sans salt.
Step 5: Season the Cavity Generously
Don’t neglect the interior! Saltiness often concentrates heavily in the cavity juices. Counteract by sprinkling the inside with tons of aromatic flavor.
Stuff the cavity with halved lemons, onions, garlic cloves, fresh herbs, pepper, and olive oil.
Step 6: Use Low-Sodium Broth for the Gravy
When making your gravy from the pan drippings, be sure to start with low-sodium or no-salt-added chicken or turkey broth. This dilutes any harsh saltiness.
You can always add salt to taste later on. But you can’t remove it!
Step 7: Cook and Use the Giblets
For extra gravy de-salting power, simmer the giblets in plain water until cooked through. Use this unsalted giblet broth to thin out the gravy as you make it.
The natural gelatin in the giblets gives great thickness and body too.
Step 8: Control Stuffing Sodium
If baking stuffing inside the turkey, take measures to avoid over-salting. Use stale bread or croutons, and low-sodium chicken broth.
Incorporate lots of celery, onions, herbs, and peppers for moisture and flavor.
Step 9: Let the Turkey Rest Before Carving
Be sure to let the cooked turkey rest at least 15-20 minutes before carving. This allows juices to reabsorb back into the meat.
Slice the breast meat thicker (1/2 inch) to keep it extra moist and tender.
Step 10: Garnish with Fresh Herbs
For the prettiest presentation, garnish your carved turkey with fresh rosemary, sage, thyme, or parsley. The eye-catching pop of color and flavor is the perfect finishing touch.
Cooking Tips to Maximize Flavor
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Roast the turkey on a rack to allow air circulation and even browning.
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Rub the skin with butter or oil pre-roasting for golden crispy skin.
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Use aromatics like onions, carrots, and celery in the pan to make an flavorful base for gravy.
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Start breast side down, then flip halfway for even cooking. Watch the temp, not the time.
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Cover the breast with foil if it browns too quickly to prevent drying out.
Ideas for Putting Those Drippings to Use
- Homemade turkey noodle soup with shredded meat
- Pot pie or empanadas filled with chunks of turkey
- Savory turkey hash with vegetables and soft-cooked eggs
- Open-faced turkey sandwiches with gravy for dipping
- Turkey rice or quinoa bowl loaded with fixings
Final Takeaways on Post-Brining Care
With the right techniques, you can have moist, seasoned holiday turkey without going overboard on salt. A few simple post-brining steps go a long way to removing excess sodium for the perfect turkey and gravy. Rinsing, soaking, drying, and seasoning liberally delivers all the rewards of brining without the drawbacks.
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Prepping the bird and the brine
Q: Can I cook the turkey in the brine bag? A: NO! The brining bag is not oven safe and is recommended for brining only.
Q: Can I brine my turkey for longer than the instructions recommend? A: Do not brine your turkey for longer than the instructions recommended. It will not make it more flavorful just too salty. There is no rescue for over brined meat.
Q: How much can our Gourmet Gobbler brine bag hold? A: Up to a 25-pound turkey plus 2 gallons of brine.
Q: Do I have to rinse my turkey after brining? A: We do recommend rinsing the bird and patting dry after turkey brining.
Q: Do I have to add sugar to my Gourmet Gobbler Brine? A: No – Our brining blend is complete. You just need to add water.
Q: May I brine in other liquid besides water? A: Fruit juice (apple, orange, and cranberry), beer & wine can be used, but do not substitute more than 1/3 of the total water content. General rule of thumb: use 1 part substitution liquid to 2 parts water.
Q: Will turkey brining make my turkey taste salty? A: If you have followed the Gourmet Gobbler brining instructions, then the salt content of the turkey will increase less than 1% after brining. Unless you over brine, the turkey should not taste salty at all. The Gourmet Gobbler Peppercorn Turkey Rub has some salt in it for a perfect, crispy skin.
Q: Can I brine a frozen turkey? A: You must start with a fully thawed turkey.
Q: Is there a best way to position my turkey in the brine bag? A: Yes. Place the turkey breast-side down in the brine bag for best results. This ensures that the largest concentration of meat is submerged as much as possible.
Q: Where should I store my turkey while it is brining? A: Your turkey can be placed inside a roasting pan in your refrigerator or stored directly on ice in a cooler. Make sure the cooler/refrigerator is 35-38F.
Q: I forgot to brine my turkey until today! What happens if I dont brine for the required time? A: As long as you are able to brine for at least 15 minutes per pound of turkey, the turkey will be juicier than if you don’t brine at all. Brining for shorter than the recommended time period might not give the brine time to get to the center of the turkey, but youll still notice a difference in flavor!
Q: Can I brine two small turkeys at the same time in the same bag? What if the turkeys are different sizes? A: Yes. Use the whole box of brine mix but only leave each turkey in the brine for 30 mins/ pound. So if you had a 6 pound turkey and an 8 pound turkey, take the 6 pound turkey out after 3 hours and leave the 8 pound turkey in for 4 hours.
Q: Can I brine my turkey for longer than 24 hours? A: No. Brining works much faster than a marinade so brining a turkey for longer than recommended will oversaturate the bird. An over-brined turkey will taste salty.
Q: How far in advance can I brine my turkey? Can I do it 2 days ahead of time and let it sit in the fridge? A: Yes, you can brine your turkey ahead of time. Remove turkey from brine, rinse and pat dry, and place on rimmed baking sheet or inside roasting pan. Store turkey in refrigerator, uncovered, for up to 24 hours before cooking.
Q: Can I stuff a brined turkey? A: We do not recommend stuffing a brined bird because the drippings from the turkey can add too much salt to the stuffing. We prefer to cook our stuffing separately. If you insist on stuffing your bird, do not add any additional salt to the stuffing. Also, make sure to check the temperature of the stuffing when you finish cooking the turkey. The stuffing temperature also needs to reach 165F before its safe to eat.
Essential tools for the best bird ever!
Q: Can I brine a chicken or turkey breast? A: Yes, follow the instructions on the back of the package and allow the turkey (or breast) to brine for 30 minutes per pound.
Q: What size turkey should I buy? A: Rule of thumb is 1.5 pounds of turkey per person. If your family really loves turkey sandwiches or you want to try some of Urban Accents turkey leftover recipes, then buy 2 lbs. per person.
Q: Can I brine a self-basted or injected turkey (such as Butterball)? A: It is best to start with an all-natural turkey for maximum flavor. Self-basted or injected turkeys are injected with a flavorless brine solution.
How to Brine a Turkey
FAQ
What to do after brining the turkey?
2. After brining, rinse the turkey thoroughly under cold water for a few minutes. Take the brined turkey out of the brining bag or pot (or whatever vessel you set it in for brining), then discard the brine and set the turkey in a clean sink.
How long should turkey sit out after brine?
After 12 to 18 hours, remove the turkey, dry carefully with paper towels, and roast. For crisper skin, brine a couple days in advance, and let your turkey air-dry at least overnight and up to two nights, uncovered, in the refrigerator on a rack set in a rimmed baking sheet.
Are you supposed to rinse your turkey after you brine it?
Do you rinse a turkey after dry brining? Yes, this is one of the only times you should ever wash a turkey. You’ll need to rinse it under cool water to remove excess salt. Afterwards, be sure to pat it very dry with paper towels so the skin has a chance to crisp.
Do you have to cook immediately after brining?
No, you don’t have to cook immediately after brining. After brining, you can refrigerate the brined food for a period of time before cooking. This can even enhance the flavor and moisture retention. However, it’s important to cook the food within a safe timeframe to prevent spoilage.
What should I do after removing a Turkey from brine?
To recap, here are the key steps to take after removing your turkey from the brine: Remove turkey from brining bag/container and drain off all liquid. Discard used brine safely down the drain. Never reuse brine. Rinse turkey under cold water for 5-10 minutes or soak in cold water for 10 minutes to remove excess salt.
How do you brine a Turkey before roasting?
Step 2 Place the uncooked turkey in a large brining bag or pot, pour in the brine solution to cover the turkey, and refrigerate for 16 to 24 hours. Step 3 Before roasting, remove the turkey from the brine (discard the brine) and submerge the turkey in a pot or sink filled with fresh, cold water for 15 minutes.
How do you clean a brined Turkey?
Remove turkey from brining bag/container and drain off all liquid. Discard used brine safely down the drain. Never reuse brine. Rinse turkey under cold water for 5-10 minutes or soak in cold water for 10 minutes to remove excess salt. Pat turkey completely dry with paper towels, inside and out.
How do you remove salt from a Turkey After brining?
This is an important step after brining. Too much surface salt can give your turkey an overly salty flavor. You have two options to get rid of excess salt: Rinse under running cold water. Place turkey in a colander in the sink and let cold water run over it for 5-10 minutes. Either method works fine.
What happens if you brine a Turkey?
Brining infuses the turkey with seasoned liquid, but it can also cause the salt to accumulate on the surface. Too much exterior salt leads to overly salty flavor and compromised skin crispiness. You have two options for removing excess salt after brining Rinse under cold running water in the sink. This washes away surface salt quickly.
How long does it take to brine a Turkey?
Once your turkey has brined for the recommended time (8-12 hours for a 12-15 lb bird), it’s ready to come out of the solution Carefully remove it from the brining bag, stockpot, or container. Be sure to fully drain off all excess brine so it doesn’t spill everywhere.