Brining is one of the best ways to ensure your wild turkey ends up moist, flavorful and delicious It may seem intimidating at first, but it’s actually a simple process that takes some planning ahead but is well worth the effort As an avid hunter and wild game cook, I’ve brined many turkeys over the years and learned a lot about the proper techniques. Here are my tips for how to brine a wild turkey successfully.
Why Brine a Turkey?
Brining serves two important purposes:
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It helps the turkey retain moisture, preventing it from drying out as it cooks. Wild turkey tends to be leaner than domestic turkey, making it especially prone to dryness.
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It infuses the meat with extra flavor. The salt, sugars and aromatics permeate deep into the meat to season it throughout.
This results in a juicy, well-flavored bird that makes for a superior holiday meal or wild game dinner.
Choosing a Wet or Dry Brine
There are two main methods for brining poultry:
Wet brine: The turkey is submerged in a saline solution of water, salt, sugar and spices. This allows the greatest flexibility in adding different flavorings. A good starting ratio is 1 cup salt to 1 gallon water. Too much salt can make the meat overly salty.
Dry brine: The turkey is rubbed all over with a salt-based blend and left to cure in the fridge uncovered. A ratio of 1-1.5% salt by weight of the turkey is ideal. It evenly seasons the meat without over-salting.
Both techniques work well. I tend to use wet brines since I like being able to add aromatics like citrus, herbs and peppercorns. But dry brining is simpler and less messy.
Wet Brining Process
Here are the steps I follow for wet brining a wild turkey:
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Make the brine. Good basic ingredients are water, salt, sugar, bay leaves, peppercorns, citrus and herbs like thyme or parsley. Bring to a boil to dissolve the salt and sugar, then let cool completely before adding the turkey.
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Place the thawed, rinsed turkey in a container big enough to hold it fully submerged in the brine. Weigh it down with a plate or brining bag.
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Refrigerate 12-24 hours. Longer can make it too salty. Turkey breasts need less time than a whole bird.
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Remove the turkey and pat dry. Let it air dry in the fridge uncovered for 8-24 hours. This helps the skin crisp up.
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Cook as desired – roast, smoke, grill, etc. The brined meat will be noticeably moister and more flavorful.
Dry Brining Tips
For dry brining, follow this simple process:
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Calculate 1-1.5% of the turkey’s weight in salt. Weigh precisely for best results.
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Mix the salt with any other seasonings – sugar, herbs, pepper, citrus zest, etc.
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Pat the turkey dry and evenly coat all surfaces with the dry brine mix.
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Seal or cover and refrigerate 12-24 hours. The precise salt ratio prevents over-brining.
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Rinse off the brine, pat dry, and roast.
Brining Considerations
Keep these tips in mind:
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Brining preserves moisture, but doesn’t substitute proper cooking. Still use a meat thermometer and don’t overcook.
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Let brined meat rest before carving to allow juices to redistribute.
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Avoid highly acidic brines, as acids can negatively impact texture.
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Chill brine before adding turkey. Warm brine partially cooks the surface meat.
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Brining too long even in a balanced brine can make the meat too salty.
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Dry brined turkeys cook faster – reduce oven temp 25°F and check early.
How to Brine a Turkey: Two Methods
Brining ensures moisture will be retained in the meat during the cooking process. There are two types of brine; a wet brine and a dry brine. Salt is the key component to both.
A wet brine is simply a mixture of salt, water, and spices used to season and retain moisture in meats. Along with the salt, the water gets absorbed at the cellular level into the bird. This ensures a moist turkey on the table.
I enjoy a lightly flavored brine that enhances the turkey’s flavor, especially if cooking a wild turkey. In addition to salt, I find that acid assists in poultry prep by aiding in the breaking down of muscle fiber and connective tissue to further enhance tenderness and flavor. I also add sugar to balance the saltiness and sourness. To me, it’s a perfect balance.
Prepare the brine to your favorite flavor profile; just be sure to have at least an 8% salt to water by weight to ensure the retention of water during cooking.
Problem: Wet brining a whole turkey can prove troublesome because the bird has to stay completely submerged in the brining solution. You may not have enough room in your refrigerator to keep the turkey and brine cold for the entire brining process. Brining Turkey is simple using a cooler and a trash bag!
Solution: Place the brine in a trash bag inside a cooler. By periodically pouring ice into the bag, you can ensure that your turkey will remain at a safe temperature (between 35 and 40 degrees F).
Tip: To keep the brine from getting too diluted, you can wrap the bag around the turkey and pour ice over the bag.
Timing: I brine my turkey for 24 to 48 hours.
When you are ready to cook the turkey, remove it from the brine and then rinse and dry it very well.
Watch me demonstrate how to wet brine a turkey for the Outdoor Channel:
Wild vs. Domesticated Turkey
If you are cooking a wild turkey, you will want to make sure it has aged properly. I prefer dry aging my meat before it is frozen. During dry aging, the meat needs to be surrounded by a constant air temperature of 34-37 degrees. This denatures (breaks down) the meat.
A domesticated turkey from the grocery store, on the other hand, is ready to cook. You can thaw the meat as per the instructions and then begin with a brine.
If you decide to spatchcock your bird (which I highly recommend), you can brine it either before or after you spatchcock.
- If I want to wet brine the turkey, I will spatchcock after brining.
- On the other hand, if I plan to dry brine, I will spatchcock the turkey before putting the dry rub on the bird.
Brining Meat is simple and results in a brilliant flavor!
Brining! (How to prepare a Turkey -Even WILD TURKEY!)
FAQ
How long should you brine a wild turkey?
What do you soak wild turkey in?
What is the best way to brine a turkey?
Should a turkey be fully submerged in brine?
How long do you brine a Turkey?
Adding the turkey while the brine is warm will partially cook the surface of the meat, which prevents proper absorption of salt and liquid. If you want the brine ready to use immediately, only pour in a portion of the water to dissolve the salt and sugar, then top off with ice until you have a gallon of liquid. Brine for 12 to 24 hours.
How does brining a turkey work?
The key to the technique is understanding how brines work and a few things to avoid. Brining is simply infusing a protein with salt, which seasons the meat internally, helps it to retain moisture, and firms up the texture. Since turkey is so lean, this process makes up for the lack of fat and helps to keep the meat moist.
Does brining a turkey make it taste better?
But here is my solution, and I think it makes turkeys or any other lean meat taste exponentially better: A great turkey starts with a great brine. Brining your turkey helps produce a moist, flavorful bird with minimal effort. The brine works to infuse the meat with flavor, and helps the bird retain moisture.
Does brining a turkey make it tender?
A brine is a basic solution of water and salt, and it works all sorts of magic on your bird: During brining, the turkey absorbs extra moisture, which in turn helps it stay juicy. Since the turkey absorbs salt too, it also gets nicely seasoned. Even better, the salt breaks down some of the turkey’s proteins, making it more tender.