Anyone here brine their Thanksgiving turkeys?

[Crabby-Chicken]

We always do it this way now and love it!!! Nice and tender and juicy. The gravy seems a little salty from the brine,,, so. I always save raw chicken bones about a month ahead from cooking dinners. I throw them in the freezer and thaw them to roast with backs and necks. Then I brown them in the over and then boil them to make broth for gravy. Anyone else do this too?

I am getting excited for Thanksgiving!!!!

 

[Pepipony]

Yes'm!! Isnt it amazing the flavor and moistness it adds? I have never found it to be too salty ( meat or gravy) are you brining it long enough for the salt to equalize? ( at least 24 hrs) I have done the sage/bay , which is my fav way, and then orange/cranberries YUMMM!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[nootka]

Yep! We do! Since we taught ya and all. (hey, Kim, didja hear Crab season starts on the 1st this year!!! No strike so far)

I use the package gravy mix to add to my gravy anyway, so I haven't noticed too much salt, either. I like PepiPony's formual for the brine, it's very similar to what we use that we got off of an Emeril Lagasse show. Who would think adding salt would make it so moist?

Yum...bring on the gobbler.

Liz

 

[jbrat]

OMG,,,, I can't believe I came across this, here! That is all my hubby has talked about for weeks brining the turkey!

Do you guys have any tips to pass along???

We went to the store tonight and he had to buy :

kosher salt

white wine

Zatararain's crab boil

I'm sure there's many more spices going into it but not sure what - I told him that was his Bird. He's looked at so many recipies I'm not sure which he's planning to use - I said I didn't care as long as it wasn't one with molasses in it, Molasses and turkey just don't sound good togethere.

Well, enjoy your thanksgiving - You've made me more anxious to try the brined turkey now.

After brining it how'd you cook it? Deep fry - smoked- or good ol'fashion oven?

A smoked turkey I think is my favorite - but probably won't need the extra smoke flavor since using a brine.. Hummmm, you all have me thinkin' now.

I'm sure glad to hear you all like it!

Happy turkey day!!

 

[nootka]

I would say just to make sure and have a big enough container to completely immerse the turkey.

We usually oven roast ours, and haven't done a brined turkey any other way.

Ours ends up having oranges and lemons in it, too (the brine).

Liz

 

[Crabby-Chicken]

Yes it is exciting! Couple more days to go....

Liz I saw Washington's opened on Dec 1st. I am glad Martin got to be home and ward for Thanksgiving! Too bad for the oil spill in California though.

There are different recipes on cooks.com for brining. I cut back a little bit on the salt since I have a person coming with health problems in that area. But it is fun to look for recipes. We brine ours with apple juice, fruit and spices. If you do the apple juice brine or sweeter brines, be careful,, the skin will burn quickly, use foil when needed.

 

[tnovak]

I'm drooling terribly just THINKING about all the great food! I might try to brine a turkey after the holidays to make sure it turns out okay before company. Tonight I'm doing pumpkin rolls....LOTS of pumkin rolls!

 

[nootka]

Ok, WHAT are pumpkin rolls?

Our menu's usually:

White grape juice, sparkling apple or eggnog to drink.

roasted turkey (brined)

stuffing

mashed potatoes w/gravy

asparagus w/hollandaise sauce

cranberry sauce/jelly

Pumpkin pie with whipped cream.

That usually about stuffs us to the max. We will have 6 for dinner this year.

Liz

 

[Pepipony]

C R A B S !!!! Did someone mention crabs!!!!!!!!! OMG I havent had any in 2 months!! Course, I had about 70 lbs this year ( yes, that is the literal amount LOL) Great, now I am in definite crab withdrawels OH!

 

[nootka]

Yep, we did, Pepipony...big, fat, heavy Dungeness...they are goooood this year and our season's right on track to open though we've been out in the river catching them already (they sit in the mouth of the river right in from the ocean, dining on whatever the river washes out to them), and they are almost as good as the full-fledged ocean crabs.

The good thing is they are hard (fully molted), full and plentiful. We caught at least 12 limits (12 crab per person w/ a shellfish permit).

Get thee down here and you shall have crab...'tis the season: sandy claws is coming to town.

Liz

 

[Crabby-Chicken]

Oh Lord,,,,

Mark is still in heaven over his crab bounty that you guys shared with us.... he is a goober. Crab or Bruno's pizza and he is a happy man. He calls Bruno's pizza,,,, make-a-papa-cry-pizza!