Brining a turkey can help to ensure tender, juicy meat that is full of flavor. But have you ever wondered what is better – unbrined, dry brined, or salt water brined turkey? We did a side-by-side comparison. Read on for the results.
For years, I used a salt water brine to prepare my turkey for roasting. But lately it’s becoming increasingly popular for chefs and recipe developers to recommend a dry brine in which you rub the meat with salt and let it rest, allowing the salt to infuse the meat. A lot of the bigger food-centric websites (like Serious Eats and New York Times Cooking Section) recommend dry brining.
I set out to test three methods of roasting a turkey in my home kitchen. I ordered three 14-lb organic turkeys and roasted them 1) without a brine (using my Simple Roasted Turkey method), 2) with a dry brine, and 3) with a salt water brine. My recipes for dry brine and salt water brine can be found at the bottom of the post.
I rounded up some taste testers and did side-by-side comparison of the three turkeys. Results below!
Pre basting a turkey refers to injecting it with a solution of broth, fats, sugars, and seasoning before cooking. This helps keep the turkey moist and adds flavor. But does pre basting mean you can’t brine the turkey too? Let’s take a closer look.
What Is a Pre Basted Turkey?
A pre basted turkey has been injected with a solution, usually containing
- Broth – provides moisture
- Fats – keeps turkey juicy
- Sugars – enhances browning
- Seasonings – adds flavor
The packaging should tell you the percentage of solution that was injected. A typical amount is 8-15%.
Pre basting helps ensure a moist, flavorful turkey The seasoning permeates the meat thoroughly since it’s injected deep inside. However, some cooks feel injecting doesn’t distribute flavors as evenly as soaking in a brine
How Is Brining Different Than Pre Basting?
With brining, the entire turkey is submerged in a saltwater solution. The salt allows the turkey to absorb more moisture while also seasoning the meat.
Brining provides these advantages:
- More even moisture distribution
- Ability to permeate entire turkey with flavors
- Salting/curing effect from brine
The salt in the brine denatures proteins, allowing the turkey to retain more moisture during cooking. This is why brined turkey is renowned for its juiciness.
Can You Brine a Pre Basted Turkey?
You can brine a pre basted turkey, but it’s not necessary. Here are some things to consider:
-
Avoid over-salting – Since pre basted turkeys already contain seasoning, brining could make the meat too salty. Reduce brining time or use a lower salt brine.
-
Enhance flavor – While pre basting adds moisture and basic seasoning, brining allows you to infuse more complex flavors.
-
Improve moisture – Brining may distribute moisture more evenly than injecting alone.
-
Watch out for gravy – With both pre basting and brining, gravy can get overly salty due to all the seasonings.
Tips for Brining a Pre Basted Turkey
If you do want to brine a pre basted turkey, here are some tips:
-
Use less salt – Cut the salt in your brine recipe by half since the turkey is already seasoned.
-
Shorten brining time – Brine for 6-12 hours rather than a full 24 hours to prevent over-salting.
-
Rinse well – Rinse the turkey under cold water after brining to remove excess surface salt.
-
Enhance flavor – Consider a salt-free brine with sugars, spices, and acidic components like vinegar or fruit juice.
-
Watch gravy – Go easy on extra salt when making gravy.
Should You Brine a Self-Basting Turkey?
Self-basting turkeys are another category of pre-treated birds. They have been pre-injected with a higher percentage of solution, up to 15%.
Most experts recommend not brining a self-basting turkey. With such a high percentage of solution added already, brining will almost certainly make it too salty. The seasonings in the injection should suffice to keep a self-basting turkey moist and flavorful.
If you accidentally buy a self-basting turkey and still want to brine, use a no-salt brine and minimize brining time to avoid over-salting.
Brining Times for Whole Turkeys
If you are brining a fresh turkey that hasn’t been pre-treated, here are general brining times to follow:
- 8-12 lbs – brine for 8-10 hours
- 12-16 lbs – brine for 12-16 hours
- 16-20 lbs – brine for 18-24 hours
Larger birds need more time for the brine to penetrate deep into the meat. Overnight brining is ideal for larger turkeys.
Should You Baste a Brined Turkey?
Basting refers to spooning pan juices over the turkey as it roasts. This helps promote browning and crispy skin.
Even with a brined turkey, basting can help. The brine improves moisture and flavor inside the meat. Basting then enhances the exterior.
So basting and brining serve different purposes. Doing both helps ensure a turkey with juicy meat and beautifully browned, crispy skin.
Pre basted and self-basting turkeys contain injected solutions to keep them moist and flavorful. For these birds, brining is not necessary and risks over-salting the meat.
However, brining does offer advantages like more even moisture distribution and ability to infuse complex flavors. With a pre basted turkey, you can brine using less salt and less time. This allows you to gain brining’s benefits without the downsides.
For fresh turkeys, brining is highly recommended. Follow brining times based on the turkey’s size. Basting can further enhance a brined turkey’s skin. With the right technique, you can enjoy a holiday turkey with incredible juiciness, flavor, and appearance.
Salt Water Brine Ratio for 4, 12, and 24 hours
The ratio of salt to water in a brine doesn’t need to be changed based on the size of the turkey, but it should be changed based on the time you plan to brine the bird. Here is a good guide:
What is a brine?
A brine is the process of treating meat with a salt solution. There are two types of brines – a dry brine and a wet (salt water) brine. Dry brining is done by rubbing the meat with salt while a wet brine is done by soaking the meat in salt water.
Both methods use more salt than you would use if you were to salt the turkey right before roasting because the salt has time to soak into and infuse the meat. You can add additional flavor to any brine using sugar, herbs, spices, or citrus.
Can you brine a butter infused turkey?
FAQ
Can you brine a basted frozen turkey?
How long can you dry brine a pre-basted turkey?
Can you brine a butter basted turkey?
Can you brine a turkey already injected with solution?