[Sca-cooks] OOP - Turkey, again!

[Olwen the Odd]

> > >Does anyone know how to cook it _not too much_? *What* am I doing
>wrong?
> > >I'm following the temp/hour/pound scale
> > >suggested by the
> >
> > Use a meat thermometer in the breast. Use the weight/time tables
> > only as a general reference. The breast meat should be around 139 F.
> > Don't stuff. Make the dressing with the dripping in a seperate pan.
>
>You might also try brining it. A cup of salt, a half cup of sugar (brown
>preferred), some peppercorns, allspice berries, and candied ginger, all in
>a
>gallon of liquid (I use straight water, but Alton Brown recommends veggie
>broth). Bring to a boil for a few minutes, then cool. Add a gallon of
>heavily
>iced water. Submerge the bird breast-side down for 6-8 hours at cold temps,
>turning over once. Rinse well, pat dry and roast. The brine will help keep
>the
>meat moist and juicy.
>
>****************************************
>Avraham haRofeh

Ah.  You go for the sweet brine.  I use the savory for turkey.  I leave out
the sugar and the spices I use are peppercorns, bay leaves, sprigs of
rosemary, sage, thyme.  I toss in juniper berries and whatever else strikes
my fancy too.  This is one time I do NOT add fresh garlic as it will do very
poorly.  I have been known to add chunks of apple though.  I also do not
cook the brine water.  I do use some very hot water in which I add the salt
to 'melt' but I basically just rinse out a heavy duty lawn and leaf bag and
set that into the tub or container, stick the turkey in to know how much
water I need, pull the bird out and set aside, mix the salt solution and
toss the spices and solution into the water and shake heck out of the bag
then toss in the turkey, knot the bag and periodically shake, turn and
basically abuse the thing overnight.
Olwen

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