Brining a Butterball?
F.G. Whitfurrows
the wife bought and the butcher said he did it and it was great. Any
experience with this?
Thanks.
--
Fosco Gamgee Whitfurrows
and his 6" boner
Currydeletethis@cfl.rr.com Jack Curry
news:OqGdnc_TOdZ...@comcast.com...
I've brined processed birds several times with good results. I haven't done
a "self-basting," but I suspect it'll be fine. I use TFM's brine or Cuch's,
since they're complex and add plenty of flavor (not just salt).
--
Jack Curry
-email no longer functional due to spam,
please ping to communicate-
Louis Cohen
Safeway was selling turkeys under several different labels, at least one of
which had no additives. They said it was "fresh" bit it seemed awfully
hard - even after 2 days in the 'fridge there was still some ice on it.
Anyway, it's sitting in 3 gallons of Hound's citrus brine (more or less) on
a remarkably sturdy refrigerator shelf.
--
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Louis Cohen
Living la vida loca at N37° 43' 7.9" W122° 8' 42.8"
"Jack Curry" <Jack Curryde...@cfl.rr.com> wrote in message
news:30h105F...@uni-berlin.de...
Guy Smilie
> Heard ya werent supposed to brine the self basting turkeys but thats what
> the wife bought and the butcher said he did it and it was great. Any
> experience with this?
>
> Thanks.
>
F.G. Whitfurrows
"Guy Smilie" <SPAMgu...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:fLIod.660703$8_6.163364@attbi_s04...
Brilliant. You have now replaced Kevvie Bear as my hero. Thank you.
F.G. Whitfurrows
"Jack Curry" wrote> >
> Since it's getting harder and harder to find fresh, unprocessed turkeys,
> I've brined processed birds several times with good results. I haven't
done
> a "self-basting," but I suspect it'll be fine. I use TFM's brine or
Cuch's,
> since they're complex and add plenty of flavor (not just salt).
>
Ok, Jack, thanks. Now for the stupid questions. You think 3 gallons of brine
will be enough for a 20 lb bird? The recipe I have for Hound's brine starts
with 1 gallon of water. Would I just triple that *and* all the other
ingredients, also? I can't really afford at this point to buy a bunch of
crap I don't need, but then again, I don't really wanna make 2 trips to the
store. I've become increasingly fat and lazy since becoming involved with
these damned groups of yours.:>)
Hannan
"F.G. Whitfurrows" <EatMe...@DeadCritter.com> wrote in message
Fosco: If you keep practicing on those turkey's you may become a
Masterbaster.
Ken
F.G. Whitfurrows
"Hannan" <isp2...@verizon.net> wrote >
> Fosco: If you keep practicing on those turkey's you may become a
> Masterbaster.
>
Now see, Smilie? *That's* funny! :>)
Currydeletethis@cfl.rr.com Jack Curry
"F.G. Whitfurrows" <EatMe...@DeadCritter.com> wrote in message
>
> "Jack Curry" wrote> >
>
> > Since it's getting harder and harder to find fresh, unprocessed turkeys,
> > I've brined processed birds several times with good results. I haven't
> done
> > a "self-basting," but I suspect it'll be fine. I use TFM's brine or
> Cuch's,
> > since they're complex and add plenty of flavor (not just salt).
> >
>
> Ok, Jack, thanks. Now for the stupid questions. You think 3 gallons of
brine
> will be enough for a 20 lb bird?
Measure, Fos. Put the bird in a bucket or whatever you intend to use for a
brining container. Add enough cold water to cover, remove the bird then
measure the amount of water it took.
>The recipe I have for Hound's brine starts
> with 1 gallon of water. Would I just triple that *and* all the other
> ingredients, also?
Yes. If you don't, you'll have a weak brine and it won't be worth the
effort. Here's Hound's recipe starting with 2 gallons of water, and in my
expereince, if there's a big price difference between lemons and limes, just
use the cheaper. It doesn't matter.
------------------------------------------------
2 gallons water
2 cups Kosher salt
3/4 cup brown sugar, lightly packed
Juice of 3 oranges
" " " limes
" " " lemons
rinds from same
1 sliced white onion
! head of garlic, crushed
most of a bunch of cilantro, chopped
Serranos to taste, minimum 4
Rough ground cumin and coriander 2 T ea.
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup chili powder or any ground chile you prefer
[1/4 cup onion powder] optional
[1/4 cup garlic powder] optional
Either way, soak bird for at least a day as much as 3. I use a Gott 5 gal
bev cooler. Use an 8 lb bag of ice in place of 1 gal water.
Place only aromatics in cavity...bay leaves, garlic heads, apples, citrus,
rosemary stems. I like to place orange slices between skin and meat.
>I can't really afford at this point to buy a bunch of
> crap I don't need, but then again, I don't really wanna make 2 trips to
the
> store. I've become increasingly fat and lazy since becoming involved with
> these damned groups of yours.:>)
>
You liar. You *were* fat and lazy. This group has restored your health and
given you proper motivation. The pictures on abf prove it.
F.G. Whitfurrows
Jack Curry wrote:
> Place only aromatics in cavity...bay leaves, garlic heads, apples,
> citrus, rosemary stems. I like to place orange slices between skin
> and meat.
>
If I stuff the bird will the brine ruin the stuffing, or is this just
because the newer health concerns warn against stuffing your turkeys because
the stuffing doesnt get cooked enough? I always stuff my turkey, and Im not
sure I wanna brine it if it means I cant stuff it.
Matthew L. Martin
I've brined and stuffed and am alive to tell about it. I think that
there might be some flavor issues with a citrus brine and a stuffing,
but that's just me.
Matthew
Currydeletethis@cfl.rr.com Jack Curry
"F.G. Whitfurrows" <EatMe...@DeadCritter.com> wrote in message
>
>
> Jack Curry wrote:
> > Place only aromatics in cavity...bay leaves, garlic heads, apples,
> > citrus, rosemary stems. I like to place orange slices between skin
> > and meat.
These are Hound's remarks - he did turkeys at low temps in his smoker (220
degrees or so) and tossed the skin. When slow smoking a turkey stuffing the
bird with edible stuffing is dangerous and that's why Hound used aromatics
only, but if you're going to cook the bird in an oven or at 350 degree temps
so the cooking time is relatively short and the stuffing is fully cooked,
there's no problem. Matthew's following remark about citrus brining arguing
with stuffing may have validity, but I don't know.
> If I stuff the bird will the brine ruin the stuffing, or is this just
> because the newer health concerns warn against stuffing your turkeys
because
> the stuffing doesnt get cooked enough? I always stuff my turkey, and Im
not
> sure I wanna brine it if it means I cant stuff it.
>
Consider using TFM's brine which imparts a very nice flavor to the bird meat
and I don't think it would fight with the stuffing, or just stick with
tradition as my wife insists we do. She stuffs a processed bird and cooks
it in the oven every T-Day. Everybody's happy and if not, it's not my
fault.
bk
>quantities you list for all the other ingrediants. Would you also double
>the oniion, limes, garlic,....??
Harry Demidavicius
Fos, if you rinse off and dry the bird, the stuffing will be just
fine. I've done turkeys [stuffed at 350F] on the K for years.
Samantha allways makes extra, as the FamDamily likes more stuffing [&
gravy], than fits into 'da boid'. We've done the 'extra' in the oven
and on the K and it all disappears.
Harry
Guy Smilie
> "Hannan" <isp2...@verizon.net> wrote >
>
>>Fosco: If you keep practicing on those turkey's you may become a
>>Masterbaster.
>>
>
>
> Now see, Smilie? *That's* funny! :>)
>
Matthew L. Martin
>
> Since it's getting harder and harder to find fresh, unprocessed turkeys,
> I've brined processed birds several times with good results. I haven't done
> a "self-basting," but I suspect it'll be fine. I use TFM's brine or Cuch's,
> since they're complex and add plenty of flavor (not just salt).
>
Here in central MA virtually all of the stores offer fresh, minimally
processed (water only) turkeys. We are having one (24.5#@#.89/#) today.
Even BJ's has Purdue turkeys, which are not brined or injected.
Matthew
--
Thermodynamics and/or Golf for dummies: There is a game
You can't win
You can't break even
You can't get out of the game
Matthew L. Martin
>
> Yes. If you don't, you'll have a weak brine and it won't be worth the
> effort. Here's Hound's recipe starting with 2 gallons of water, and in my
> expereince, if there's a big price difference between lemons and limes, just
> use the cheaper. It doesn't matter.
>
> ------------------------------------------------
> 2 gallons water
> 2 cups Kosher salt
>
I don't know how weak is too weak. Alton Brown's brine has 1 cup of
Kosher salt for two gallons of liquid.
F.G. Whitfurrows
F.G. Whitfurrows wrote:
> Heard ya werent supposed to brine the self basting turkeys but thats
> what the wife bought and the butcher said he did it and it was great.
> Any experience with this?
>
> Thanks.
Thanks for all the help, guys. Ended up gettin' lazy and blowin it off after
all, but will keep the pointers in mind for another turkey sometime soon.<g>
I'm a bit frustrated today. Candied yams came out crappy twice and had to
grudgingly turn the task over to my beautiful wife. I'm guessin' I'll have
to go pour myself a Mirror Pond and start dustin' and vacuumin'. Its like a
polar shift here in the Whitfurrows' household.
Maybe I'll just go lay in the yard "until the first snow comes and covers me
up".
Kent
"F.G. Whitfurrows" <EatMe...@DeadCritter.com> wrote in message
I have brined a lot of turkeys. I would not stuff; brining would salt the
stuffing far more than you want. It would also moisturize far more than you
want. Julia Child advised not to stuff 40+ years ago, but rather to use
turkey stock and make your stuffing on the side, no matter how you cook the
bird. This avoids having a water laden gloppy mess, and it allows you to
cook the turkey to whatever temp. you want and at whatever cooking temp. you
want, without worrying about the stuffing being done.
Good Luck,
Kent
>
>
Currydeletethis@cfl.rr.com Jack Curry
"Kent" <kh6...@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:0O2qd.472084$D%.442472@attbi_s51...
>
A week or so ago I had to reformat my hard drive, so I lost my killfile.
Consequently, I am now (briefly) enjoying a post from Kent, the village
idiot.
> I have brined a lot of turkeys. I would not stuff; brining would salt the
> stuffing far more than you want.
Here is Kent at his best. "Brining would salt the stuffing..." Kent, you
numbnuts, brining adds minimal salt to the turkey and *none* to the
stuffing.
>It would also moisturize far more than you
> want.
Oops, *here's* Kent at his best. Helping one and all solve the common
Thanksgiving complaint, "My turkey came out too moist." Kent, you are
priceless. Maybe I shouldn't killfile you again.
>Julia Child advised not to stuff 40+ years ago, but rather to use
> turkey stock and make your stuffing on the side, no matter how you cook
the
> bird. This avoids having a water laden gloppy mess, and it allows you to
> cook the turkey to whatever temp. you want and at whatever cooking temp.
you
> want, without worrying about the stuffing being done.
That's probably good advice for a dumbass like you, Kent. Here's some more:
Buy a cooked turkey at your supermarket and stop giving bad advice on a
subject about which you obviously know nothing.
I hope I haven't been too harsh with you Kent, but to insure it doesn't
happen again,
-plonk-
Jack Curry
-thanks for the laugh-
n_cr...@spampacbell.net
Aw, come on, Jack. Don't hold back. Tell us how ya really feel! ;~)
--
Nick, Cogito, ergo armatum sum
Thank a Veteran and Support Our Troops! You are not forgotten. Thanks.
Brick
I'm not sure I'm happy about laughing at your post Jack. I'm still recovering
from heart surgery and laughing hurts like hell. When I read the post about
the stuffing getting too wet from the brine, it went right over my head. It never
occurred to me that some numbnuts would stuff a bird before brining it. Now
it's true that I've only brined a half dozen or so birds, but too much moisture
has never been a problem. I started my TG bird (chicken roaster) at 425° in
the oven, gave it a 20 min head start and then finished at 350°. The result was
falling off the bone tender and the skin was nicely crisped. ( I don't mean that
the bird fell apart by itself. Rather you could pull the breast meat off with your
fingers or suck the meat right off the legs and wings.) It don't need to be any
better then the one I did.
--
Brick(definitely a southerner when it comes to chicken)
Anyway but boiled. I use that for stock.
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Currydeletethis@cfl.rr.com Jack Curry
news:41a8eee1$1...@127.0.0.1...
>
snipped for brevity -
> I'm not sure I'm happy about laughing at your post Jack. I'm still
recovering
> from heart surgery and laughing hurts like hell.
Hope you're recovering well, Brick.
Laughter is sometimes good medicine, so we should all thank Kent. Just take
a minute to picture a stuffed turkey soaking in brine in Kent's garage, bits
of bread, celery and onion floating out of its buoyant ass. And Kent,
pulling the victim out of the brine/stuffing soup, thinking, "Well, this
stuffing is going to be too salty and it's going to be a watery, goopy mess.
I better warn the group about this right away." Of course, this didn't
really *happen,* except in Kent's retardomind, or if it did, Kent needs 24/7
supervision.
But he was good enough to warn all the rest of us about his imaginary
disaster.
<giggle>
Jack Curry
-Maybe I'll unplonk Kent after all...
Matthew L. Martin
> "Kent" <kh6...@comcast.net> wrote in message
> news:0O2qd.472084$D%.442472@attbi_s51...
>
>
> A week or so ago I had to reformat my hard drive, so I lost my killfile.
> Consequently, I am now (briefly) enjoying a post from Kent, the village
> idiot.
>
>
>>I have brined a lot of turkeys. I would not stuff; brining would salt the
>>stuffing far more than you want.
>
>
> Here is Kent at his best. "Brining would salt the stuffing..." Kent, you
> numbnuts, brining adds minimal salt to the turkey and *none* to the
> stuffing.
Anyone who wants to know can pick up the November-December "Cooks
Illustrated". It has a table of sodium content by weight of several
combinations of turkey types and brine concentrations.
>>It would also moisturize far more than you
>>want.
>
>
> Oops, *here's* Kent at his best. Helping one and all solve the common
> Thanksgiving complaint, "My turkey came out too moist." Kent, you are
> priceless. Maybe I shouldn't killfile you again.
I find that he is hilarious, as long as no one is allowed to take him
seriously.
>>Julia Child advised not to stuff 40+ years ago, but rather to use
>>turkey stock and make your stuffing on the side, no matter how you cook
>
> the
>
>>bird. This avoids having a water laden gloppy mess, and it allows you to
>>cook the turkey to whatever temp. you want and at whatever cooking temp.
>
> you
>
>>want, without worrying about the stuffing being done.
>
>
> That's probably good advice for a dumbass like you, Kent. Here's some more:
> Buy a cooked turkey at your supermarket and stop giving bad advice on a
> subject about which you obviously know nothing.
I will go along with Julia (who wouldn't) about not stuffing being a
good idea. Unstuffed turkeys will cook faster and thus be less likely to
be dry. OTOH, she didn't recommend brining, either.
> I hope I haven't been too harsh with you Kent, but to insure it doesn't
> happen again,
>
> -plonk-
Awe, Jack, please reconsider. The village idiot isn't allowed access to
the computer that often. His entertainment value is far greater than his
annoyance factor for me, at least. YMMV.
Matthew (Keeping Kent from killing people is only a part time job)
BOB
> "Brick" wrote...
>>
> snipped for brevity -
>
>> I'm not sure I'm happy about laughing at your post Jack. I'm still recovering
>> from heart surgery and laughing hurts like hell.
>
> Hope you're recovering well, Brick.
Me too, Brick.
>
> Laughter is sometimes good medicine, so we should all thank Kent.
Snipped
> But he was good enough to warn all the rest of us about his imaginary
> disaster.
>
> <giggle>
>
> Jack Curry
> -Maybe I'll unplonk Kent after all...
Do it, Jack. He's the comic relief of the newsgroup. There's pleanty of others
to fill the bozo bin.
BOB
Brick
On 27-Nov-2004, "Jack Curry" <Jack Curryde...@cfl.rr.com> wrote:
> "Brick" <hrbr...@NOSPAM.ij.net> wrote in message
> news:41a8eee1$1...@127.0.0.1...
> >
> snipped for brevity -
>
> > I'm not sure I'm happy about laughing at your post Jack. I'm still
> recovering
> > from heart surgery and laughing hurts like hell.
>
> Hope you're recovering well, Brick.
>
> Laughter is sometimes good medicine, so we should all thank Kent. Just take
> a minute to picture a stuffed turkey soaking in brine in Kent's garage, bits
> of bread, celery and onion floating out of its buoyant ass. And Kent,
> pulling the victim out of the brine/stuffing soup, thinking, "Well, this
> stuffing is going to be too salty and it's going to be a watery, goopy mess.
> I better warn the group about this right away."
That's exactly what happened Jack and I hurt for half an hour It reminded me
of a time when I was in a post op ward recovering from hernia surgery. An
elderly fella there walked himself down to the toilet and on the way back he
managed to step on his catheter. He stood in the center of the post op ward
among five other guys recovery from stomach wounds and described in exact
detail exactly what it felt like. Well they say misery loves company and he
damn sure had some.
> Of course, this didn't
> really *happen,* except in Kent's retardomind, or if it did, Kent needs 24/7
> supervision.
>
> But he was good enough to warn all the rest of us about his imaginary
> disaster.
>
> <giggle>
>
> Jack Curry
> -Maybe I'll unplonk Kent after all...
Now I'm laughing some more. Maybe it'll help me heal up faster. Cheers to
the group and thanks for the entertainment Kent. You're one in a million.
--
Brick(DL5BF, WA7ERO, HS4ADI)