Dry Brine Questions
 

Questions

1. is the bird supposed to look like its covered in flour by the brine?
2. Do you flip the bird over and brine the underside?
3. it will have about 15-16 hours to sit


from the first page of this thread

How to Dry Brine

Combine half a cup of Diamond Crystal kosher salt (or 6 tablespoons Morton's kosher salt) with two tablespoons of baking powder in a bowl. Carefully pat your turkey dry with paper towels. Generously sprinkle it on all surfaces with the salt mixture by picking up the mixture between your thumb and fingers, holding it six to ten inches above the bird and letting the mixture shower down over the surface of the turkey for even coverage. The turkey should be well-coated with salt, though not completely encrusted.

Warning: You will most likely not need all of the salt, in some cases less than half will be ok depending on the size of your bird and your salt preference.

Transfer the turkey to a rack set in a rimmed baking sheet and refrigerate uncovered for 12 to 24 hours. Without rinsing, roast using one of our recipes, omitting any additional salting steps called for in those recipes.

Dry-brining for more than 24 hours will produce even more juicy and well-seasoned meat. To brine longer than 24 hours, loosely cover turkey with plastic wrap or cheesecloth before refrigerating to prevent excess moisture loss through evaporation. Let rest for up to 3 days.

I'm pretty much with TMOliver on his stuffing (less the oysters as I'm very traditional when it comes to Thanksgiving dinner) and gravy. I've diced my bread a bit earlier this evening to allow it to dry out by tomorrow, early afternoon.

I've got my chicken stock simmering as I type. It is difficult to think of a more fine smell in the house than a chicken stock simmering away. This will be the base for my gravy and moistening of the stuffing. Even better is that I've got some chicken soup in my near future too.

the above ^ post makes me remember, why did I buy chicken broth again? :confused:

& how many sticks of butter do I need?

I don't use baking powder and can't imagine what the purpose is so no...mine doesn't look like that. We obviously have different recipes. Just be sure to take your hands and just massage it all over. Rinse the bird off before cooking.
About a stick of butter. ..maybe a little more mixed with your seasoning should be enough for under the skin tomorrow. Let it soften at room temperature. I sometimes use disposable plastic gloves as both of these things are messy jobs.

It is kind of the base for your gravy. It is added to the drippings from your turkey and reduced and thickened with a roux (butter and flour).

Really, you are getting hit from all sides here which makes it more confusing for you. Just youtube 'how to make gravy' and go from there.

well lets just say, I didn't anticipate mine to look like that either LOL

you do bring up a question though, do I wash this stuff off before cooking?

Rinse might be a better word---to me washing implies soap. :D
Yes, rinse it all off--the turkey will have absorbed what it is going to by then. Pat the turkey dry really well if you want the skin to brown. Then carefully work your fingers between the skin and the meat to loosen it--get your hands as far in as you can...down the sides and near the thighs and drumstick. Then smear your butter mixture (if you don't want fresh sage you can buy Poultry Seasoning in the spice section) all over between the skin and the meat. You can smear a little on top of the skin too if you have some left over. The butter melts and flavors the breast meat as the turkey roasts.
Don't forget to keep some water or wine or broth in the bottom of the pan while roasting otherwise you will have burnt drippings stuck to the bottom. If you are making gravy throw some onion and carrot and celery around too. You will not be eating these--just used to flavor the drippings for gravy.

West Wing, President Bartlett calls the Butterball Hotline lol.

http://youtu.be/zQsvcs9IB8A

with some of those things you have me doing to that poor bird, I think we may have to call Ian in for instruction :p

Good grief. Some of you are making this way more complicated than it needs to be, from what I can tell of eating turkey for many years and folk not doing half the stuff that's suggested on this thread. TH,if by chance you have anymore questions call the butterball line. Seriously. They have extra staff this time of year (obviously).

On a dif note I have a great recipe for Turkey afterwards, and no I'm not talking sandwiches. Although I'd love to have one.

Cheers

Here are some simple instructions.
Remove neck and giblets packet, set aside
Rinse
Pat down
Rub outside of turkey with a stick of butter
Insert remaining stick of butter inside of turkey cavity
Sprinkle your favorite seasonings on turkey
Place turkey in oven pre-heated to 325 degrees
When the turkey is about ⅔ done, loosely cover breast and top of drumsticks with a piece of foil to prevent over-browning of the skin. (if necessary)

Roasting time chart can be found here --> http://www.butterball.com/how-tos/roast-a-turkey

Additional tips
The upside down then flipping over after half way through cooking does work but it is somewhat of a pain to flip a hot bird.
A can of chicken stock or other liquid in bottom of pan mixes with the drippings that will later a great base for gravy.
I like to baste throughout cooking with the drippings.
The oven-safe meat thermometer is your friend.

Don't worry about a bunch of fancy techniques, you will be fine! The two worst things you can do to a turkey are overcook or undercook it. If your kids like turkey they are probably going to be happy that you cooked it.

Turkey tips from one of Seattle's local restauranteurs

http://blog.alaskaair.com/2014/11/26...giving-tweaks/

By using OMNI, I think that information overload has occurred to assist TH, especially with sides.

TH, you've added too many plays to your game plan/ too many shifts for your LL team.

While many have tips for you, stick to one person's suggestions at this point.

THIS.

Besides, if you ever roasted a chicken then you can roast a turkey, all that you need is extra fat and liquid because turkey doesn't have much fat.

Really Thanksgivings meal is the easiest food that I cook. It really is a no brainer.

I used to cook for around 30 people, but the last couple of years we went out.
This year am going to friends multiple houses on consecutive nights.

actually I've never roasted a chicken, I can buy the hot roasted chickens at any store for $5-$7 and that for me is the best value

I do agree, stick with one persons idea; well since I've done the dry brine thing, I'm going with that but from there I think the simplest instruction that will still turn out edible is what MissJoeyDFW stated this morning.

oh vey, we are going to someone else's house next year, I don't care if I have to fly transcon on peak days in a snowstorm to do it or just going to a restaurant LOL