Do you Brine Turkey twice?

[cknw/fire]

I have a question for everyone? The turkeys I can get at the grocery stores say they are already brined or contain up to 8% of water, salt ect. Should I brine it again or is it good to go and just add rub? What do you guys suggest? If there is already a thread on this, sorry I couldn't find it. I also read through the site and didn't find any thing directly answering it?

[3DJ]

Hi there,

I have always heard to get an all natural turkey without additives, injections etc. in order to brine it. I think it is safe to say you shouldnt brine it if it has been processed in anyway.
Jim

[Dr ROK]

Previous recommendations were not to brine an injected bird, but I seem to remember Huskee recently mentioning that it may actually be a good idea to go ahead and brine?????

[Ernest]

Don't brine it again.
If you are not sure how seasoned it is, cut a small piece from inside the breast, cook it and taste it.
A touch of sea salt just before cooking for the crust wouldn't hurt though.

[Jerod Broussard]

I have never TECHNICALLY brined a turkey from the store that has been swimming in a salty solution, however I have injected plenty turkeys with a salt containing injection AND sprinkled a little Tony Chachere's on the skin for good measure. Never had one too salty for anyone.

[Huskee]

Here's the thing- is that 8% "solution" made up of 50% salt (4% total bird weight)? 90% salt (7.2% of bird weight)? 4% salt (.32% bird weight)? Unfortunately the exact salt concentration of that 8% solution won't be listed, therefore we don't know the answer to that question. We do know beyond a reasonable doubt that "8% solution" doesn't mean it's 8% straight salt added. Meathead had suggested to me that perhaps these processing plants know we'll salt & season our birds so they keep the actual salt concentration low. This is a 'perhaps', not a fact.

Check the Nutrition Facts label, if there is one, and read the sodium level. Then take notes. Then brine it. Then make more notes.

Mine was labeled 9%. I wet brined it 2 or 3 hours. It needed way more. BUT..... does the turkey at YOUR store have a higher salt concentration in that 8% solution? Hmmm. The world may never know.

My suggestion is go ahead and brine it. Based on my experience if I were to tell someone "don't brine it" then you'll be eating tasteless turkey and cursing my name. Every turkey I've ever eaten has been salted by the cook and I've never had one too salty, usually just the opposite.

[jrobertson50]

I never do. But i will inject the breasts with some unsalted butter.

[fzxdoc]

I look at the salt content of the per serving. If it's 70mg (3% daily value) or so per serving, I go ahead and brine it.

If it's 180mg or more, I start to have second thoughts about brining, maybe I brine with a lighter hand, or I don't brine at all.

You can always add salt but you can't take it away.

Like jrobertson50 , I always inject the breasts with 4 oz melted unsalted butter. Remember the breast area is cold, so the butter has to be pretty warm not to congeal and plug up the injector.

HTH,
Kathryn

[_John_]

Never found a reason to, the ones I do actually come out juicier than I like though I think that is just from growing up eating dry bird.

[Ernest]

You start doing too much math might as well take a break from cooking.
Cut a piece from somewhere on the turkey, cook it and taste it, decide from there.