We’re probably all familiar with the scene in the classic holiday movie where the beautiful, oven-roasted turkey is set on the table in front of the expectant eyes of extended family, only to give way to a dry shell of a disaster once the first carve is made. The anticipation of a tender, juicy, flavorful turkey shattered, right before the eyes of an entire family. What can you do to avoid having your own personal re-enactment of this hilarious, yet unfortunate scene? According to Chef Barry, the secret is in the brine.
“Some people like to season with just salt and pepper, and that’s fine,” Chef Barry says, “but brining kind of gives you a safety net to make sure your turkey comes out delicious. Brines add both moisture and flavor elements.” Chef Barry continues to explain, “Turkey is very unforgiving because it’s so lean. You have a narrow margin for getting it right. Brining definitely swings the odds in your favor.”
So, what’s the secret to a successfully brined turkey? We asked Chef Barry to share his No.1 piece of advice. “Follow the recipe. Don’t just wing it,” says Chef Barry, chuckling at his pun. “Pay attention to the recipe and your measurements. If you think your handful is equal to a quarter of a cup, just do a double check and make sure. Don’t risk it. And follow the timeline too. If it says to brine 18 to 24 hours, they mean it. Anything more than that will give you bad results, and you don’t want that.”
Chef Barry’s wet brine is comprised of some familiar flavors. “Char siu is a traditional Cantonese flavor and it’s everywhere right now. It’s a familiar flavor, but still a little different for turkey,” he says.
Not quite ready to make the jump to a barbeque turkey flavor? No problem. Chef has some tips for the turkey traditionalists. “When trying new flavors and cooking for my family, I often have two whole turkeys, or a whole turkey and an additional turkey breast. One traditional and one with a new, unique flavor. My suggestion, if you’re having a crowd, would be to try two different flavors. Why not branch out and offer something a little different than the traditional? How often do we really get to make turkeys? Take advantage of it!”
Chef Barry’s second brine brings a hint of the Mediterranean. With fried rosemary, garlic and subtle hints of citrus, this brine puts a spin on a traditional turkey flavor profile.
With the rosemary, garlic and citrus brine, you don’t really count on the citrus to carry sweetness,” Chef Barry says.“It carries a fruitiness and subtle floral notes- not a sweet sugariness on your palate. When you roast garlic or fry rosemary, they’re really powerful and strong flavors, but they can also be flat. The citrus element in this brine really brightens it up.” Chef Barry continues, “This is just a really nice, more traditional brine that also has kind of a Mediterranean feel with the citrus, garlic and black pepper. They work really well together for a nice Mediterranean profile.”
Ingredients
| 2 | tablespoons five-spice powder |
| 1 | tablespoon coarse ground black pepper |
| ¼ | cup toasted sesame oil |
| ¼ | cup Michiu (rice cooking wine) |
| ¼ | cup hoisin sauce |
| ¼ | cup dark brown sugar |
| ¼ | cup honey |
| 2 | tablespoons soy sauce |
| 2 | tablespoons minced garlic |
| 2 | tablespoons beet powder |
| 1 | Jennie-O® Tender & Juicy Young Turkey bone-in whole turkey breast (4½ to 5 pounds), thawed if frozen |
Directions
In bowl, whisk together brine ingredients. Reserve 1 cup of brine to baste turkey breast.
Wearing gloves, rub turkey breast with remaining brine. Place breast in large zip top bag and expel any air before sealing. Allow to brine refrigerated 8 to 24 hours.
Heat oven to 325°F. Place turkey breast on a rack in shallow pan. Roast 2 ¼ to 2 ¾ hours, basting frequently with reserved brine mixture, or until meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast registers 165°F.
Char Siu Inspired Brined Whole Turkey
EntertainingIngredients
| 4 | tablespoons five-spice powder |
| 4 | tablespoons coarse ground black pepper |
| ¼ | cup toasted sesame oil |
| ¼ | cup Mischiu (Chinese rice wine) |
| ¼ | cup hoisin sauce |
| ¼ | cup dark brown sugar |
| ¼ | cup honey |
| 2 | tablespoons soy sauce |
| 2 | tablespoons minced garlic |
| 2 | tablespoons beet powder |
| 1 | (12 to 14-pound) JENNIE-O® Fresh All Natural* Young Turkey *Minimally processed. No artificial ingredients, thawed if frozen |
Directions
In bowl, combine five-spice powder and black pepper.
In another bowl, whisk together remaining brine ingredients.
Season cavity of turkey with half of the five-spice powder mixture.
Stir remaining five-spice powder mixture into brine mixture. Reserve 1 cup of brine to baste turkey. Cover. Refrigerate.
Wearing gloves, rub turkey with remaining brine.
Place turkey in large zip top bag and expel any air before sealing. Allow to brine refrigerated 8 to 24 hours.
Roast turkey at 325°F, basting frequently with reserved brine (thinned out with a bit of water if necessary) 4¼ to 4¾ hours or until turkey is fully cooked, 180°F as measured by a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh. ALWAYS confirm doneness with a meat thermometer. Juices should run clear. Let turkey stand 20 minutes before carving.
Chef’s Tip for Smoking Turkey Legs, Thighs and Split Breasts:
This recipe can also be made using turkey legs, turkey thighs and a split turkey breast. Using parts instead of the whole turkey cuts the marinating time down; 12 to 18 hours producing a flavorful turkey. Just reduce the amount of five-spice powder and black pepper to 2 tablespoons each and stir into the remaining brine ingredients. Roast turkey parts on two rimmed baking pans at 375°, basting frequently with reserved marinade and rotating pans on rack, 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes, or until meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast registers 165°F.
Ingredients
| 2 | garlic bulbs |
| ½ | cup oil, divided |
| 3 | sprigs rosemary |
| 2 | lemons, zested and juiced |
| 2 | oranges, zested and juiced |
| 2 | tablespoons kosher salt |
| 2 | tablespoons sugar |
| 1 | tablespoon coarsely ground black pepper |
| 1 | (12 to 14-pound) Jennie-O® Fresh All Natural* Young Turkey *Minimally processed. No artificial ingredients. |
| 1½ | cups chicken broth |
Directions
Heat oven to 350°F. Cut ½ -inch from top of each garlic bulb to expose cloves. Place cut side up on 12-inch square of aluminum foil.
Drizzle each bulb with 2 teaspoons oil. Wrap securely in foil. Place in shallow baking pan.
Bake 45 to 50 minutes or until garlic is tender when pierced with toothpick or fork. Cool slightly. To use, gently squeeze soft garlic out of bulbs.
In small saucepan over medium heat, warm remaining oil. Add rosemary sprigs to hot oil. Cook 45 to 60 seconds, or until rosemary stops sizzling and leaves turn light brown on the tips. Let cool. Remove rosemary from oil. Remove leaves from sprigs. Chop.
In bowl, combine roasted garlic, rosemary, zest and juice of lemons and oranges, salt, sugar and pepper.
Wearing gloves, season cavity of turkey with some of the brine mixture. Rub the outside of the turkey with the remaining brine mixture.
Place turkey in extra-large zip-top bag, and expel any air before sealing. Allow to brine refrigerated 8 to 24 hours.
Roast bird at 325°F, basting frequently with chicken broth 4¼ to 4¾ hours or until turkey is fully- cooked, 180°F as measured by a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh. ALWAYS confirm doneness with a meat thermometer. Juices should run clear. Let turkey stand 20 minutes before carving.