For anyone who had "brined" here turkey, quick question.

[techs]

I am going to brine my turke for the first time this year.
I also will stuff it with bread stuffing.
Is there anything special I need to do with the stuffing because the bird was brined?
Maybe less liquid in the stuffing, etc?

 

[jkersenbr]

I haven't brined and stuffed a turkey, but I have brined several... I don't think you'd want to adjust the liquid in the stuffing as you're after as much moisture as possible while cooking. But a good brine is salty, so you will want to put very little, if any salt in the stuffing.

 

[cjchaps]

They sell pre-brined birds in some stores. Just look at the ingredients and it will say something like "Salt, spices...". I bought a Jenno-o "fresh basted" turkey which is brined already.

 

[FoBoT]

no, just be sure to use a thermometer to make sure the stuffing is fully cooked or you'll end up with food poisoning

 

[iamwiz82]

It's generally recommended not to stuff the bird anymore, because of the threat of illness.

 

[ahurtt]

Originally posted by: iamwiz82
It's generally recommended not to stuff the bird anymore, because of the threat of illness.

😕

This is news to me. . .

30+ years of eating stuffed turkeys (and the stuffing) for Thanksgiving and I'm still here. But hey, I suppose if we didn't breathe we wouldn't have to worry about catching a cold either. . .

Long as you do what Fobot said and make sure it's fully and adequately cooked, you'll be fine. All that's required for that is to not be an R-Tard.

 

[techs]

Originally posted by: iamwiz82
It's generally recommended not to stuff the bird anymore, because of the threat of illness.

I believe a good thermometer takes the risk out of it.
Its the idiots who think they can just cook it x minutes per pound that can wind up sick due to oven temp. variation.

 

[iamwiz82]

Originally posted by: techs

Originally posted by: iamwiz82
It's generally recommended not to stuff the bird anymore, because of the threat of illness.

I believe a good thermometer takes the risk out of it.
Its the idiots who think they can just cook it x minutes per pound that can wind up sick due to oven temp. variation.

That's partially true, but the real problem is that to get the stuffing to the required temperature (165F) then the meat is going to be exposed to heat longer, since it is insulating that stuffing. Therefore, your bird will probably come out to at upwards of 180F, meaning it's going to be a dried out bird.

That's my opinion, I like my turkey moist.

 

[HomeBrewerDude]

Originally posted by: techs

Originally posted by: iamwiz82
It's generally recommended not to stuff the bird anymore, because of the threat of illness.

I believe a good thermometer takes the risk out of it.
Its the idiots who think they can just cook it x minutes per pound that can wind up sick due to oven temp. variation.

The real reason not to stuff the bird is that it increases cooking time and risks drying the bird out. You can get just as good stuffing by cooking it separately.

Brining is a really nice way of improving what IMO is not very tasty bird.

What did you put in your brine?

 

[techs]

Originally posted by: HomeBrewerDude

Originally posted by: techs

Originally posted by: iamwiz82
It's generally recommended not to stuff the bird anymore, because of the threat of illness.

I believe a good thermometer takes the risk out of it.
Its the idiots who think they can just cook it x minutes per pound that can wind up sick due to oven temp. variation.

The real reason not to stuff the bird is that it increases cooking time and risks drying the bird out. You can get just as good stuffing by cooking it separately.

Brining is a really nice way of improving what IMO is not very tasty bird.

What did you put in your brine?

I am using the Alton Brown brine from here:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/foo...FOOD_9936_8389,00.html

the reason I am brining is to compensate for the fact that when you stuff a bird it does get too dry when you cook it long enough for the stuffing to be safe.

 

[MustISO]

We did a brine last year and it worked out well. This year we're considering doing turkey parts and slow cooking it in a slow cooker. Saw something like this on FoodTV and thought we'd give it a try.

 

[StevenYoo]

according to Alton Brown, a stuffed turkey requires longer cooking time, which has a higher risk of drying out the bird.

Whenever I use Alton's brined, non-stuffed turkey recipe, my bird cooks in 3 hours, MAX.

 

[CPA]

Originally posted by: StevenYoo
according to Alton Brown, a stuffed turkey requires longer cooking time, which has a higher risk of drying out the bird.

Whenever I use Alton's brined, non-stuffed turkey recipe, my bird cooks in 3 hours, MAX.

Alton's brined turkey recipe makes the best turkey ever

 

[rstove02]

Last year I convinced my wife to do Alton Brown's brine for the turkey and it was the first year that I did not have to eat the turkey with other high moisture items in order to choke down her usually super dry turkey. (example of high moisture items - mashed potatoes, gravy, etc)

P.S. Stuffing is evil.

 

[iamwiz82]

Originally posted by: CPA

Originally posted by: StevenYoo
according to Alton Brown, a stuffed turkey requires longer cooking time, which has a higher risk of drying out the bird.

Whenever I use Alton's brined, non-stuffed turkey recipe, my bird cooks in 3 hours, MAX.

Alton's brined turkey recipe makes the best turkey ever

Yep, we use a slightly modified version of it.

 

[Fritzo]

Originally posted by: ahurtt

Originally posted by: iamwiz82
It's generally recommended not to stuff the bird anymore, because of the threat of illness.

😕

This is news to me. . .

30+ years of eating stuffed turkeys (and the stuffing) for Thanksgiving and I'm still here. But hey, I suppose if we didn't breathe we wouldn't have to worry about catching a cold either. . .

Long as you do what Fobot said and make sure it's fully and adequately cooked, you'll be fine. All that's required for that is to not be an R-Tard.

Well, he's actually have right. You don't want to stuff the bird to capacity is actually this issue. When you do that, the stuffing is too dense to cook all the way though, and the blood from the turnkey can cause illness.

Just don't overstuff and you're fine.

 

[Anubis]

Originally posted by: iamwiz82
It's generally recommended not to stuff the bird anymore, because of the threat of illness.

or you can do it anyway and not be a total panzy

 

[Yreka]

Are you guys brining the "moisture enhanced" or "self basting" Turkeys, or does it matter ? AFAIK, "Natural" Turkeys are all but impossible to find around here anymore.

I was thinking of trying the AB brine this year too, but was conflicted due to this.

 

[Cstefan]

Originally posted by: iamwiz82
It's generally recommended not to stuff the bird anymore, because of the threat of illness.

or you can do it anyway and not be a total panzy[/quote]


NOD. Prefer a chance of 3 days of illness or death with my turkey and damnit I am not kidding.

Brine? I brine then FRY Alton brown style.

 

[techs]

Originally posted by: Yreka
Are you guys brining the "moisture enhanced" or "self basting" Turkeys, or does it matter ? AFAIK, "Natural" Turkeys are all but impossible to find around here anymore.

I was thinking of trying the AB brine this year too, but was conflicted due to this.

Hmm. I don't know if the one I am going to get is already "moisture enhanced" or "self basting" but I will check.
Too soon to buy it. I will get it late Tuesday.
Fresh turkey, ftw.

 

[Squisher]

Originally posted by: iamwiz82
That's partially true, but the real problem is that to get the stuffing to the required temperature (165F) then the meat is going to be exposed to heat longer, since it is insulating that stuffing. Therefore, your bird will probably come out to at upwards of 180F, meaning it's going to be a dried out bird.

That's my opinion, I like my turkey moist.

You know you could probably get the best of both worlds if you shoved some Spud Spikes up that birds patootie. Too bad they don't make bigger ones.

 

[Born2bwire]

Originally posted by: iamwiz82

Originally posted by: CPA

Originally posted by: StevenYoo
according to Alton Brown, a stuffed turkey requires longer cooking time, which has a higher risk of drying out the bird.

Whenever I use Alton's brined, non-stuffed turkey recipe, my bird cooks in 3 hours, MAX.

Alton's brined turkey recipe makes the best turkey ever

Yep, we use a slightly modified version of it.

Is there anything that man can't do?

 

[Born2bwire]

Originally posted by: iamwiz82

Originally posted by: CPA

Originally posted by: StevenYoo
according to Alton Brown, a stuffed turkey requires longer cooking time, which has a higher risk of drying out the bird.

Whenever I use Alton's brined, non-stuffed turkey recipe, my bird cooks in 3 hours, MAX.

Alton's brined turkey recipe makes the best turkey ever

Yep, we use a slightly modified version of it.

Is there anything that man can't do?

 

[Taejin]

Originally posted by: Born2bwire

Originally posted by: iamwiz82

Originally posted by: CPA

Originally posted by: StevenYoo
according to Alton Brown, a stuffed turkey requires longer cooking time, which has a higher risk of drying out the bird.

Whenever I use Alton's brined, non-stuffed turkey recipe, my bird cooks in 3 hours, MAX.

Alton's brined turkey recipe makes the best turkey ever

Yep, we use a slightly modified version of it.

Is there anything that man can't do?

Have my babies. 😱

 

[techs]

Originally posted by: Squisher

Originally posted by: iamwiz82
That's partially true, but the real problem is that to get the stuffing to the required temperature (165F) then the meat is going to be exposed to heat longer, since it is insulating that stuffing. Therefore, your bird will probably come out to at upwards of 180F, meaning it's going to be a dried out bird.

That's my opinion, I like my turkey moist.

You know you could probably get the best of both worlds if you shoved some Spud Spikes up that birds patootie. Too bad they don't make bigger ones.

Wow. Four nails for $8.95. That's only $8.87 more than I would pay at the hardware store.