What is brining? In this post, we will talk about what meats you normally brine, how brining works, and why you would want to brine your Thanksgiving turkey. (Spoiler alert, it’s because it makes it turn out fabulously every time!)
Brine Definition
As Thanksgiving approaches, it’s important to understand what brining is and why you would want to brine your Thanksgiving turkey! So, what is brine solution? The basic definition of brine is soaking the meat you are cooking in salty water.
I will also share a 2-ingredient basic brine recipe and tips on making it even more flavorful and wonderful so that your bird can taste incredible while turning out incredibly tender.
What is Brining?
Similar to a marinade, it will help to add flavor and tenderness to the meat that it’s cooking so that the end results are juicy and wonderful. There are two methods of brining that are quite popular: dry brine and the more popular liquid salt brining.
This article has lots of information about what a dry brine is and when you’d use it.
We will be talking about a liquid salt brine today. What is salt brine? It’s a high salt to water ratio solution used to soak and coat meat for an extended period of time. A lot of people choose to buy special bags or large pots to hold all of the heavy liquid and turkeys in the fridge before cooking on Thanksgiving.
It’s important to note that sometimes Holiday turkeys are sold pre-brined and thus should not be brined at home. Turkeys labeled “enhanced” or “self-basting” are usually pre-brined by the companies.
You can double-check the ingredient list on your turkey before purchasing to make sure that it wasn’t brined beforehand. It should say “turkey” and not list a bunch of added flavorings of sodium solutions.
Does brining tenderize meat?
Brining doesn’t technically tenderize meat. However, when meat is brined, it ends up being more tender and juicy. This is because of the science of salt, osmosis, and cells. The brine solution is salty. Because of this, it encourages the cells of the meat to take up more water. This increase in water keeps the meat more hydrated during the cooking process. See? Science.
Is brining the same as marinating?
Brining is similar to marinating. While both processes involve soaking meat in a solution, brining is different because of the solution makeup. Marinades have strong flavors and the goal of a marinade is to infuse some of that flavor into the meat. The key to brining is the salt and the goal of brining isn’t flavor. The goal of brining meat is to have a higher moisture content in the final cooked product.
What meat should I brine?
Any meat that is going to be cooked for a long time has a tendency to dry out. This usually includes pork and poultry. You could brine certain larger cuts of beef, like a brisket, but it isn’t necessary. Beef contains connective tissue and fat throughout the meat so as beef cooks, this fat breaks down and helps keep it from drying out.
Lean cuts of any meat are preferred to use as they will dry out during a long cooking process. Poultry does not have much fat throughout the meat which is why it can become very dry very easily.
This is also the reason the dark meat in poultry is usually more succulent than white meat, the dark meat has a higher fat content.
What is The Purpose of Brining Poultry?
If you’re wondering “what does brining do to chicken or turkey?”, remember from our basic definition that brining is soaking meat in salty water. When you soak the meat in the salty water, a couple of things happen.
- First, you are actually flavoring the meat pretty thoroughly. Thorough flavoring is always a plus! With the time spent in the brine, the flavors can soak in past the skin and into the meat. Just remember to always rinse your meat after salt brining – too much salt is not a good thing.
- Second, the brining solution will be taken up by the meat, which will help protect the meat from the heat during the cooking process (hello osmosis!). This allows you to cook the poultry for a longer period of time without drying it out.
When Should I Start Brining?
I have two criteria that I use to decide if I should brine meat.
- Is it a cut of meat that is normally dry after cooking? (Like thick chicken breasts)
- Is it a very large cut of meat or a whole bird I am going to have to cook for a long time?
If the answer to either of these questions is yes, I brine the meat I’m going to be cooking. So, should you brine your Thanksgiving turkey? YES!
A turkey is very large and you have to cook it for a few hours. Because it’s poultry and has a tendency to dry out PLUS you are going to be cooking it for a while, I always recommend starting the brine the night before you cook your Thanksgiving turkey.
How Long Should Brining Take?
I brine meat for 12-24 hours. A large turkey will take longer than a smaller chicken breast, simply due to size, but getting at least 12 hours of soaking time is recommended. You can brine for up to three days though so if you want to change up your last-minute plans or soak for longer, you can.
What happens if you brine too long?
If you brine your turkey or meat for too long, the end results aren’t pleasant. The meat will be incredibly salty to taste and will be spongy in texture. This is because the salt breaks down the proteins in the meat to make it tender but if it breaks down too much, it practically ruins the meat by turning it into mush.
If after soaking for a day, you decide you want to stop brining and wait another day or two before actually cooking your turkey, remove it from the brine, rinse the brine off and pat it dry with a paper towel before placing the turkey back into the fridge.
Best Container for Brining Turkey
If you are wondering what kind of container to use, that’s a good question. In the past, we have used a Rubbermaid tote that fits in the fridge.
You can use practically any food-grade safe bucket or bin that is big enough to hold the liquid solution and your turkey.
Most people opt for a 5-gallon sized bucket as it is big enough for a standard turkey to fit in. However, brining bags are cool because they can hold in a lot of the liquid so you don’t have to worry about it sloshing around in the fridge or things falling into it.
The biggest goals are to make sure that the container is food-safe and that there is enough liquid to completely submerge the turkey in. You don’t want any piece of the meat floating above the water.
Basic Brine Recipe
This is my basic brine recipe. It’s great to use as a base for the brine because adding in additional flavorings is optional and completely customizable to what you want with your turkey.
Brine Ingredients
- Salt
- Water
For the exact measurements please see the recipe card below.
What can I add to a brine?
Here are some great suggestions for adding to your brine. Pick one or multiple and customize your brining solution to your own taste buds. Note that fresh herbs are often far tastier than their dry counterparts.
- Orange peel
- Sage
- Thyme
- Brown sugar
- Maple syrup
- Apple cider
- Molasses
- Bay leaves
- Garlic
- Rosemary
- Dried juniper berries
- Anise
Salt to Water Ratio for Brine
How do you calculate salt brine?
For a true brine, you want 1 cup of salt for every gallon of water. Because you usually need more than 1 gallon of water to cover a turkey, you make a concentrate solution in a smaller volume. The recipe below details how to do that.
How much salt do I put in a 2 gallon brine?
For a 2 gallon brine, you need 2 cups of salt. See the recipe card below for the easiest way to make this solution.
Can you put too much salt in a brine?
Yes, you can put too much salt in a brine. If you do, it’s an easy fix. You can dilute the brine with more water until it’s the right concentration. If you’ve already brining your turkey in a brine wtih too much salt, rinse it thoroughly and soak it in plain, cool water for about 30 minutes.
How to Make Brine
- Dissolve your salt into a large pot filled with 2 quarts of water.
- Combine the brine solution with the remaining water (1 gallon and 2 quarts).
- This is also when you can add in your add-ins for additional flavor.
How to Brine a Turkey
- Submerge your turkey in the solution.
- Let soak for about 12 hours or overnight.
- Rinse the turkey thoroughly before seasoning and cooking.
Looking for more great Thanksgiving recipes?
Brine Recipe
Instructions
- In a large pot, dissolve salt in 2 quarts of the water.
- In your brining container, combine the brine concentrate with the remaining water (1 gallon and 2 quarts).
- Submerge turkey in bring solution.
- Let soak for about 12 hours. Overnight is fine.
- Rinse the turkey thoroughly before seasoning and cooking.
Alexandria Drzazgowski says
Thank you SO much for this article and explanation. It was so helpful and make my Turkey breast delicious!
Alli says
Thank you friend!!
Alli says
Simple and easy brine!