[Sca-cooks] Brined Turkey Warning

[Phil Troy / G. Tacitus Adamantius]

On Dec 26, 2008, at 4:24 AM, David Friedman wrote:

> If you brine your turkey, and if you use the drippings for gravy,  
> remember that the drippings will be saltier than usual.

I guess that, in theory, the drippings will be combined with other  
ingredients, such as an unsalted stock, wine, milk, and/or thickeners,  
and that that combination won't be a lot more salty than gravy you  
made and seasoned with salt yourself, on purpose. Since that's  
basically the theory behind things like ham gravy (although ham gravy  
is rather a loaded term meaning all sots of different things to  
different people), this would make sense. Again, in theory.

Practice, on the other hand, may turn out to be different, and yes,  
sometimes a brined turkey can turn out some pretty salty drippings.

I did a rib roast last evening which produced a lovely clear fat  
"dripping", but almost no liquid residue until I deglazed the pan with  
additional stock and wine; go figure.

Adamantius






"Most men worry about their own bellies, and other people's souls,  
when we all ought to worry about our own souls, and other people's  
bellies."
			-- Rabbi Israel Salanter