What would happen if I tried to brine a self basting turkey? I've been to 3 stores and I cant seem to find a natural turkey. I want to try the honey brine linked on the front page.

Thanks,

Nick

Don't tell anyone, Nick, but you can still brine it. The impact will probably not be as great as if you found a bird without the self basting in it, but it does increase the flavor and juiciness over the self baster.

I Love the Honey Brine recipe used it two years in a row with outstanding results. This year my mother in-law bought one of the birds I cooked for Thanksgiving and evn though I told her "Natural" she got an enhanced one. Figured what the heck, she bought it, so she could eat it. I brined it anyway and it still came out great.

I love my bullet

You can brine a pumped bird no problem, just use a nice flavor brine and go easy on the salt. Remember it's been pumped once full of salt no need to add a whole lot more to the party. Here's one I put together from recipes from Chris A and Keri C. It works very well with a brined bird. You just cut the salt back to a 1/2 cup if using a pre pumped bird. Let it soak up all that goodness for 24 hrs and smoke it up. Apple Honey brine

I have never had much luck finding natural birds around here. Therefor, I can only say that I have only ever used the enhanced version. I use the apple brine and the end result is fabulous. It is a definite improvement over birds that I have not brined and I have never had a complaint about them being too salty. I do not have any luck finding diamond kosher salt either so I use Morton and cut it to 3/4 cup.

Best of luck,
Jim

I have to agree with everyone above. An enhanced bird is improved in texture and flavor by brining.

Great thread. Natural birds aren't readily available and it sounds as if the self-basting improves with the flavored brined.

quote:

Originally posted by Jim N:
I do not have any luck finding diamond kosher salt either so I use Morton and cut it to 3/4 cup.

Best of luck,
Jim

Just curious why you have to use less Morton kosher salt? Morton is the only Kosher salt carried at my local store.

Here is a formula for the different salts -

The formula is: 1 tablespoon of regular table salt is equivalent to 1 ½ tablespoons flaked kosher salt, or 2 tablespoons, diamond crystal kosher salt.

From this webpage - melindalee

All About Salt: Equivalent Measures

quote:

Originally posted by Jeff Calhoun:

quote:

Originally posted by Jim N:
I do not have any luck finding diamond kosher salt either so I use Morton and cut it to 3/4 cup.

Best of luck,
Jim

Just curious why you have to use less Morton kosher salt? Morton is the only Kosher salt carried at my local store.

Jeff, When using a already pumped bird that has had a salt solution added to it, one cuts back on the amount of salt when brining so the finished bird doesn't get too salty.

Bryan, if you added flavorings such as apple juice ,honey,ample syrup, etc.would that counter act the additional salt. I was thinking if you get too low on salt you end up with a marinade versus a brine.

quote:

Originally posted by paul h:
Bryan, if you added flavorings such as apple juice ,honey,ample syrup, etc.would that counter act the additional salt. I was thinking if you get too low on salt you end up with a marinade versus a brine.

Paul, I cut the salt back 1/4 cup. Not that big of a difference but the finished bird is about as salty as I would like it, so that works for my tastes. First time I did one I left the salt at 3/4 cup and it was a little too salty for me. I think of it more as a flavor brine on a pre pumped bird.