Thanksgiving Turkey: Brining Vs. Injecting

You can start a war discussing the best way to cook a turkey. Some swear by the deep frying method, while others prefer roasting. However, the preparation of your turkey may be more important that how you cook it. Two methods you may consider this Thanksgiving are brining and injecting. Is one method any better than the other? Let's take a closer look at how these methods work and what you can expect.

Brining

Brining is a popular method that involves placing the turkey in a liquid that has a high salt content. As the turkey sits in the solution it will absorb the liquid and add more flavor to the bird. While this method sounds simple enough, there are several things you need to consider. First of all, you will want to start with a fresh bird to save time. You will also need to consider how you want to flavor your brine. You could add ground sage, fresh cracked black pepper and a number of other spices. You can also add additional flavor by using a liquid other than water, such as broth. A basic brine is 1 gallon of water mixed with 1 cup of iodine-free salt. When using liquids that already contain salt, the amount of salt added should be reduced. To ensure you have enough salt in your brine, try floating a raw egg in it. If the egg floats, you're good to go. The next thing you need to consider is time. Not only can a large turkey take 24 hours to brine, but it then needs to be refrigerated for an additional 6-12 hours before cooking. This resting period will ensure that the skin of the bird becomes nice and crispy as it cooks. While there is a lot of work involved, brining a turkey will give you tremendous flavor.

Injecting

The first thing you will notice about injecting is that it's simple. All you need to do is create a marinade, or purchase one from the store, and inject the mixture into the turkey. The second thing you will notice is how quick the process is. All you have to do is thaw your turkey, inject the marinade into several areas of the bird and it's ready to cook. Does this mean injection is a better method? Not necessarily. While injection is a much quicker and easier method, the bird won't be as flavorful because a brine will marinate every inch of the turkey.

There you have it; two of the most popular ways to flavor your Thanksgiving turkey. Which method is best? It really boils down to how much time you want to spend. While a brined bird will more than likely taste better, it will take several days to prepare. On the other hand, a turkey that has been injected takes only a few minutes preparation, but may not be as flavorful. Try one method this year and the other method next year and see which one you like best.

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