To Brine or Not to Brine?
Brining was an old fashioned method of soaking the turkey in brine or salt water. The salt water makes the muscle fibers absorb moisture and swell which tenderises the meat. Only consider brining your turkey if you do not want to stuff it because the salt content will be too high with the stuffing. Brining a turkey has always been a traditional American thing, it has never been done in Europe where the methods of adding flavoring to a turkey are entirely different.Brines can be spicy and hot flavored with peppers and cayenne, savory redolent with an infusion herbs and garlic, or sweet and plump with molasses, honey and brown sugar. To safely brine a turkey you need a refrigerator big enough to take the stainless steel stockpot or a closed receptacle with a turkey bag inside holding the turkey. Or do it externally in a chiller or cooler add ice periodically to keep the brine at 40°F or just below. It is perfectly safe to brine a turkey in a large clean trash can or bucket that has never
