I got a fresh 14lb Butterball for T-day. Brined the turkey 15 hours with two gallons water and 2 cups salt. Rinsed the turkey well and put it on the BBQ it at 350. The breasts were great, nicely cooked and very juicy. The wings, thighs and legs were way to salty and I love salt. Any ideas what I might have did wrong. I have brined four other times and they all didn’t seem to be this bad.
You either brined too long or the bird was a self basting bird.
I use 1 cup of table salt per gallon of water in my turkey brines and brine 8-12 hours at most and do not end up with a salty bird. When you say fresh, are you sure it wasn't a fresh self basting bird? Just because it's not frozen does not mean it's not enhanced.
Larry Wolfe
Posts: 4127 | Location: Virginia | Registered: April 28, 2004
I do not Think it was a "self basting" bird. But I an not 100% sure. As for how much salt, most of what I read is the 1 cup to 1 gal of h2o. The brine should just float a raw egg. I don't remember where I saw this. My brine on this bird the egg would sink very slowly. I think I just might need to do another one to get this right. Bird day is not the day to have this go bad!.
Originally posted by Brad: I do not Think it was a "self basting" bird. But I an not 100% sure. As for how much salt, most of what I read is the 1 cup to 1 gal of h2o. The brine should just float a raw egg. I don't remember where I saw this. My brine on this bird the egg would sink very slowly. I think I just might need to do another one to get this right. Bird day is not the day to have this go bad!.
Again thanks for all the info.
Brad
A lot of brining recipes call for kosher salt. A cup of table salt contains more salt than a cup of kosher salt. 1 cup of kosher salt is equal to about 1/2 cup of table salt.
Like Larry, I use 1/2 cup of table salt per gallon of liquid. If you're using Kosher salt, I would first weigh a 1/2 cup of table salt and then use the same weight of kosher salt. Remember, not all kosher salt weighs the same. A cup of Morton Kosher salt weighs about 7.7 ounces, while a cup of Diamond Crystal weighs 5 ounces.
Erik
Posts: 702 | Location: Modesto, Ca | Registered: September 14, 2006
