{"id":9888,"date":"2023-01-13T10:22:47","date_gmt":"2023-01-13T10:22:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pitmastercentral.com\/?p=9888"},"modified":"2023-05-18T06:49:10","modified_gmt":"2023-05-18T06:49:10","slug":"can-you-brine-a-butterball-turkey","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pitmastercentral.com\/can-you-brine-a-butterball-turkey\/","title":{"rendered":"Can You Brine a Butterball Turkey? Mystery Solved"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

You can brine a turkey from Butterball<\/strong>, but it’s recommended that you do so with a lower concentration of brine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While there are no restrictions to doing so, you will want to watch how you apply the brine. As a professional chef, I have brined turkeys in various ways. I will explain what you need to know about brining, and how best to brine this type of turkey<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n

\"can<\/figure>\n\n\n

Can I Wet Brine a Butterball Turkey?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The short answer is YES<\/strong>. You can brine a turkey of this type, but<\/strong> you don’t need to.<\/strong> If you have to, there is a caveat<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Butterball turkey products are pre-salted turkeys<\/strong>, and you don’t need to brine them<\/strong> before cooking. The brine is added to turkey from Butterball to improve its shelf life and quality. If you feel you need more than this, proceed to add more brine to your piece.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I usually use less concentration of salt to prepare my brine. This way, I am adding the brine as an additive rather than the main ingredient. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I will talk more about brining in the following sections.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is Brining, and How Does it Help Meat?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Brining is the process of soaking meat in a salt solution<\/strong> to improve its flavor and moisture content.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

When you soak a slice of meat in a saltwater solution for an extended period, (usually 1 hour per pound<\/a>), you are brining or salting it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The most preferred salt for brining is kosher salt since it dissolves quickly in water. It is less concentrated to avoid  overloading your turkey with salt. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The effect of this solution on meat is that it transforms the protein strands<\/u><\/a>. Once these strands dissolve, they coagulate together. The thickened proteins help to trap some moist so that you can have juicier, tastier turkey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Because kosher salt or table salt adds natural flavor to foods, it gives your turkey a more flavorful taste. This taste permeates the fowl so you can enjoy every strand of it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In addition to the flavor salt provides, you can add your own flavor to the brine. I usually add some sweetener to my brine to give the turkey a sweeter taste. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can also add some garlic cloves<\/strong>. An alternate way to add flavor to your turkey is a dry rub<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The trapped moisture also adds some juicy taste and weight to your salted meat. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to this test<\/a> done by America\u2019s Test Kitchen, meats that have undergone salting for a minimum of 12 hours usually have a weight gain of about \u00be pounds. Meanwhile, you could retain 6-8 ounces more weight, after roasting the fowl.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In essence, salting adds<\/strong> more flavor, weight, and juice to your turkey.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A Step-by-step Guide to Brining Butterball Turkey<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

To brine this type of turkey, all you need to do is get the ingredients, prepare the brine solution, remove the turkey neck and giblets, then pour your turkey into the brining bag and brine. Next, remove from the bag and pat dry with paper towels<\/strong> after rinsing, then prepare it to your taste.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you want more out of your turkey by complementing it with your brine, here is a step-by-step guide to walk you through the process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Note<\/strong>: I will be using a lower concentration of salt to water since I am brining a pre-brined turkey. Generally, you use a cup of table salt<\/a> for 2 gallons of water.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What You Need:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n