Turkey breast is savored more than any other meat largely due to its multiple health benefits. Roasted or smoked turkey breast makes an important dish on many occasions. You can treat your friends and family with tastiest recipes of this meat. Turkey breast is very smelly and requires brining to reduce the smell. Brining is essential both for the wild turkey and the poultry product. The turkey breast is marinated in a salt solution mixed with other spices and refrigerated for a certain period of time. Brined turkey retains the moisture and tastes better after cooking. Brining a turkey breast is not a tough job and you can easily do it at your home. Here’s a guide that will help you in the task.
Complexity Level: Moderate
Time Required: 25 minutes
Resources Required:
- A large bowl or brining bag
- 1 Turkey breast weighing 5-7 pounds.
- A whisk
- Hot water for brining
- Ice cubes
- One and a half cup Kosher salt
- Half cup light brown sugar
- 3 cinnamon sticks
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 tablespoon of crushed allspice berries
- 2 tablespoons of cloves
- 1 tablespoon whole pepper
- 1 crushed mace
- Few cardamom pods
- Few garlic pods
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Instructions:
1. Collect the brining ingredients: Collect all the brining ingredients according to the list and keep it arranged in a place. Make sure that you donât miss any ingredient. Keep a large bowl beside the ingredients and you are ready to brine the turkey breast.
2. Mix the brine ingredients in the bowl: Take all the dry ingredients and mix them uniformly in the bowl. Crush the garlic pods while mixing the ingredients. This will add flavor to the brine. You can also get a bottle of âpickling spiceâ from the store in case you find it tough to manage all the ingredients.
3. Add hot water to the brining ingredients: Slowly add hot water to the ingredients and stir the mixture vigorously with a whisk. No need of using boiled water. Hot water from the tap is sufficient to release the flavor and essential oils of the added spices.
4. Use ice cubes to cool the brine mixture: Add right amount of ice cubes to the hot brine to prevent excess water in the brine. Too many ice cubes will alter the salt concentration and may not serve the purpose. Stir the mixture till the ice stops melting. Place the turkey breast pieces in the mixture. Cover the bowl and place it in the refrigerator. Bone less and skinless turkey breast needs 8-10 hours of refrigeration while14-16 hours of refrigeration is enough for turkey breasts with bones.
Frequently Asked Questions:
1. Can I brine my turkey for more than 24 hours?
You should avoid over brining of your turkey meat. The turkey breast will taste too salty. Overbrining of the meat leads to breakdown of the proteins which results in sogginess.
2. What is the best way to position my turkey in the brine bag?
The turkey should be placed in breast side down position in the brine bag so that the maximum surface area remains submerged in the brine solution.
3. How much turkey should I buy?
The recommended amount is 1 pound meat per head. If your family enjoys turkey breast dishes, you can permit maximum 1.5 pound meat per head.
Quick Tips:
- Make sure that you use the right amount of salt. Excess amount may make the turkey too salty and spoil the taste of the cooked dishes.
- You can add molasses, honey or apple cider vinegar in the brine instead of brown sugar.
- If you use fine table salt, reduce the amount to half for the same amount of brine.
- Add vegetable stock if you need more brine. The concentration of the brine will be maintained.
Things To Watch Out For:
- Avoid using plastic bowls or containers for brining. It may cause permanent stains in the plastic containers. Brining bag or metal containers are better options.
- Discard the brine solution after refrigeration. Do not keep it for future use.
- Kosherâs salt is cheap and iodine free. This is the best salt that can be used for brining.
