Brining Turkey - Anyone done it?

[D-Ranged]

I got a proper free range big lad this Christmas, as my misses has started to eat meat again *raises eyebrows*. I also have my brother coming over, so I'd like to have plenty of spare for Sandwiches, usually I'd just get a small crown for myself which doesn't leave a huge amount left.

I don't tend to follow the cooking guides, and always pull my meat out(*), when it gets to the correct internal temperature, so it's never 'dry', but turkey is a drier meat...

I was thinking about brining it this year, but have never done it. Anyone done it and liked it? I know the Americans like to do it. There is the dry brine or wet brine option. If I'm going to do it, it will have to be in the next hour or so anyway.

I've seen pros and cons to it! Thoughts?

 

[Mr Badger]

Not tried it, but if I was cooking a turkey in the usual fashion I would probably go for the dry brining approach.

Personally I'm not a fan of Turkey meat anyway. Had one last year and pressure cooked it in an Instant Pot - came out nice and moist.

 

[D-Ranged]

Not tried it, but if I was cooking a turkey in the usual fashion I would probably go for the dry brining approach.

Personally I'm not a fan of Turkey meat anyway. Had one last year and pressure cooked it in an Instant Pot - came out nice and moist.

I think I'm going to dry brine it this time. I was thinking of pressure cooking it, but this is a big unit so won't fit.

 

[Mr Badger]

I think I'm going to dry brine it this time. I was thinking of pressure cooking it, but this is a big unit so won't fit.

I cut off the legs and other bits to fit mine in. Cooked them separately in the air fryer for another meal which went down well, except with me due to my overall lack of enthusiasm for Turkey meat.

 

[D-Ranged]

Ended up dry brining it for about 20 hours and cooked it for about 2 hours, using a temp probe to check internal temps. I could have probably done it for a bit less than that. The package said 4hrs7 mins!! It came out extremely moist and was lovely.

 

[Moobert]

Dry brined my chicken and it came out lovely, skin could have been crispier but the oven was so filled with other stuff it's to be expected

 

[Throrik]

I always dry brine Turkey - I don't have a container big enough to do a wet brine, although I am seriously considering getting the butcher to butcher the turkey next time and cook individual components separately and that'd enable me to try a butter poached breast recipe I saw online.