OK, so it says minimally processed, no additives and natural on it. it doesnt say self basting on it, but it does say 8% added solution??

Your bird is "enhanced." See this THREAD for some good info on my experience brining/smoking my enhanced bird a couple weeks ago.

Yep,

Read those labels carefully. I picked up a Butterball fresh today. 5% retained water, but no artificial ingredients.

I've never seen a minimally processed bird with added solution to it. It should just be retained water.

My bird "contains 6% absorbed water". What does that mean. This topic has me thinking. And worried...

Mine says "contains up to 6% retained water"
I got it from a place where they raise their own chickens and turkeys, so I thought I would not have issues for brining. Now I am concerned.
Jane, you mentioned "retained water" in your post. Is this OK to brine?
Also, I need to pick up a breast at the market, what terminology should I be on the look out for, so I know I am not buying something "enhanced" that cannot be brined?

quote:

Originally posted by JimK:
My bird "contains 6% absorbed water". What does that mean. This topic has me thinking. And worried...

I'm no expert but I do not think it's enhanced. If it was enhanced I think it would say "solution." Brine away at full strength.

From US Dept. of Ag. Food Safety and Inspection Services website:
Labeling Retained Water Products

Establishments will be required to include a retained water statement on labeling of raw, single-ingredient, whole, ground or cut-up meat or poultry products that retain water that is used in meeting food safety requirements during post-evisceration processing, e.g., chilling. Retained water is not regarded as intentionally added or as a product ingredient. However, the labeling of products with retained water must bear a prominent statement on the principal display panel disclosing the maximum amount of water, and how it got incorporated, e.g., "contains up to X% retained water," or "with X% absorbed water." The retained water statement must be prominently located on the principal display panel of the label and could be contiguous to the name of the product.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: LarryR,

'Minimally processed' are the words you are looking for. This means that nothing has been added to the bird and it hasn't been 'enhanced' or injected with anything. When the label says any percent of a solution has been added, those are enhanced with some sort of a broth or salt solution. Those are what you want to stay clear of. Broth contains salt.

Usually those bargain turkeys that are frozen are all enhanced. I've only found the minimally processed ones fresh. Last year, Jennie-O had them for $.99 a pound, this year, all of those were enhanced with a solution.

My turkeys this year are free-range, although that doesn't make a difference to me. Just look for the words 'minimally processed' on the label, and the only other words that are OK are 'retained water'.

Michele, I know nothing about buying breasts, as I never have. We are dark meat people around here, and I would imagine the same labeling would apply.

If the wording is confusing, which the processors will mangle the wording to make it such......then simply look at the sodium content. A 'Fresh' minimally processed turkey will have less than 100mg of sodium. A 'self basting' (solution added) turkey will have 300+ mg of sodium per serving. This is the foolproof way of getting the correct turkey.

All of these 'self-basting' birds were manufactured for people who don't know how to cook a moist bird. Along with everything else, convenience has been packaged for the consumer so they don't have to do anything but stick the bird in the oven and let it roast unsupervised.

Since this method doesn't apply to anyone on this board, simple basting, frying, smoking or grilling will require some minimal effort and supervision on the part of the chef. If it's too much work, there is always the option of going out for dinner or picking something up from the grocery store which only became popular recently.

I am wondering how long unprocessed birds will be manufactured since everything seems to be going the way of convenience. If this happens, special ordering may apply in the future. I certainly hope not, but most of the masses don't know the difference.

quote:

Originally posted by Jane Cherry:
All of these 'self-basting' birds were manufactured for people who don't know how to cook a moist bird. Along with everything else, convenience has been packaged for the consumer so they don't have to do anything but stick the bird in the oven and let it roast unsupervised.

Since this method doesn't apply to anyone on this board, simple basting, frying, smoking or grilling will require some minimal effort and supervision on the part of the chef. If it's too much work, there is always the option of going out for dinner or picking something up from the grocery store which only became popular recently.

I am wondering how long unprocessed birds will be manufactured since everything seems to be going the way of convenience. If this happens, special ordering may apply in the future. I certainly hope not, but most of the masses don't know the difference.

I agree and worry about the exact things you've stated Jane.....

quote:

All of these 'self-basting' birds were manufactured for people who don't know how to cook a moist bird.

I'm sure that's the corporate line; they're just trying to help the public, however my skeptical nature also leads me to believe that profit drives the decision to process these birds. The consumer pays the same rate (.69 - 1.29/ lb for most grocery sales) for that additional 6% - 8% enhanced solution. That solution is salt water. That's a nice profit for salt water.

Paul

quote:

I'm sure that's the corporate line; they're just trying to help the public, however my skeptical nature also leads me to believe that profit drives the decision to process these birds. The consumer pays the same rate (.69 - 1.29/ lb for most grocery sales) for that additional 6% - 8% enhanced solution. That solution is salt water. That's a nice profit for salt water.

It's a win-win situation, good to sell water for $1/lb, good for consumers who either don't know what they are doing, don't care or don't have the means (readily) to brine their own ... it's win-win ... except for those of us who don't want enhanced.

When I started with TVWB and learned about enhanced I started checking for it. There were almost no enhanced products to be found. Today I'd guess half the birds are enhanced. Some of the smaller grocery stores, even ones with a butcher sell only enhanced ribs in cryo. It certainly seeems to be going the enhanced route here too.

I bought a large black forest style ham a while ago, ran it through the slicer, portioned and vac packed. A few days ago I took a package out of the freezer. After it thawed I was amazed at how much water fell out of the meat ... perhaps 1/4 - 1/3 the volume of the meat itself ... I paid for it so I drank it. ... jk, but the thought did cross my mind. The ham just isn't the same, it's dry now ... not horrible but dry.

quote:

Originally posted by michele p:
Mine says "contains up to 6% retained water"
I got it from a place where they raise their own chickens and turkeys, so I thought I would not have issues for brining. Now I am concerned.
Jane, you mentioned "retained water" in your post. Is this OK to brine?
Also, I need to pick up a breast at the market, what terminology should I be on the look out for, so I know I am not buying something "enhanced" that cannot be brined?

Michele:

My turkey breast is the same brand as my whole bird and has the same "6% absorbed water" labeling. Hope that helps.

quote:

Originally posted by Jane Cherry:
All of these 'self-basting' birds were manufactured for people who don't know how to cook a moist bird. Along with everything else, convenience has been packaged for the consumer so they don't have to do anything but stick the bird in the oven and let it roast unsupervised.

Since this method doesn't apply to anyone on this board, simple basting, frying, smoking or grilling will require some minimal effort and supervision on the part of the chef. If it's too much work, there is always the option of going out for dinner or picking something up from the grocery store which only became popular recently.

I am wondering how long unprocessed birds will be manufactured since everything seems to be going the way of convenience. If this happens, special ordering may apply in the future. I certainly hope not, but most of the masses don't know the difference.

Seems to me there is a lot more talk these days of brining. Maybe it's just because I'm more into cooking, but I feel like a lot of people are doing it. Maybe we'll see more unprocessed birds. One can only hope...

I saw for the first time at TJ's, whole turkeys that were labels "Brined". They were in an 8% solution, and this to me, is correctly marked. Any turkey that is enhanced with a salt or broth solution, IMHO, should be marked as brined, but the manufacturers do not bother with this. They were $.99 a pound, and from sign outside, I was going to buy one, until I saw the label.