Important Thanksgiving Poll

BookitBoo · November 2014

Thanksgiving is a week away for everyone in the US. (whaaaa!) and I have an important question. Maybe the most important question you will answer all day! Or not.

So, everyone. Do you Brine your Turkey?

LooneyLife · November 2014

I cook but I've never cooked a turkey.

LaBellaVida · November 2014

I've done a brine once. I honestly didn't find it to be any different then a non brined Turkey.

This year, I won't be doing a brine.

peggels24 · November 2014

Wow, I'm amazed that there are so few briners!

snowbaby1214 · November 2014

Never made a turkey! DH's aunt gets the honors.

FitmomJess · November 2014

I brined it once then went back to the easy route.

Lanatir · November 2014

CrazyMonkeyBear said:

I don't cook turkey; I don't eat turkey. I guess I'm a SS?

My love for you grows every day. lol. Too creepy? :x

I don't like turkey.

HStrawberry · November 2014

We always brine it with an orange and clove concoction. Historically we either deep fry or BBQ rotisserie the turkey but this year I wrapped it in bacon and used the oven (past tense... I'm Canadian). Delish!

Milagros315 · November 2014

I voted for clicking things because I've never cooked a full turkey before. Since we're not traveling this year, I'll be cooking. I hear that brining is the shit so I'm probably going to do it.

thompnia · November 2014

I don't cook, but I'm pretty sure we don't brine ours.

HStrawberry · November 2014

laziestdaisy said:
The last few years we've smoked our turkey so we definitely need to brine it. DH is in charge of it and he uses an apple-apple cider-bourbon brine. It's delicious.

Ooooo that sounds awesome! Maybe I should try a different brine next time

iheartichi · November 2014

I picked no brining because we have not changed our Thanksgiving meal since, ever. Well, we've changed one thing, DH convinced us to put cheese in the greenbean casserole. Duh! And my mom does the turkey. But I bet it would be delicious!

Last year we rented a Netflix movie. "Thankskilling". Please, if anyone is bored (and there are no kids around) try it out. What was the text for sarcasm? It's got some excellent actors, high budget, thrilling story line.

BookitBoo · November 2014

We've never brined our Turkey before, but I'm not opposed.

@laziestdaisy‌ that sounds delicious! Could you share the recipe?

motherboy · November 2014

Team No Turkey. My sister and I convinced my mom to do a surf and turf thanksgiving and I and sooo excited!!!

bigbobdole · November 2014

Every year I say I'm going to brine the turkey. Then Thanksgiving rolls around, I remember that I'm lazy, and I just make the turkey the way I do every Thanksgiving(oil, salt, pepper, rosemary, sage, and sometimes I'll stuff onions, carrots, celery, and apples in it if I have them)

peggels24 · November 2014

I love turkey but I love all of the sides more. I get to do two Thanksgivings in three days this year - so excited!

Lanatir · November 2014

I have to say, though, while I'm team "I don't eat turkey," can none of you do what my aunt did? One year, when she hosted Thanksgiving, she had vegetarian lasagna. No turkey, no ham, no meat of any kind... Also, no potatoes or sweet potatoes or corn or beans or pies... Just a salad, vegetarian lasagna, and garlic bread. Uhhh.... One of the men went out and found a place open and bought a crap ton of meat and instant potatoes. haha.

BookitBoo · November 2014

@Lanatir‌

That is a brave woman! I think if we boycotted meat and potatoes there would be a riot.

Disneygeek77 · November 2014

I do a dry brine.

robsbabygirl08 · November 2014

I clicked non-brine but I deep fry mine and there wasn't an option for that.

honeybeee3 · November 2014

I don't ever make the turkey, I just eat it. But I know that my mom brines our turkey ever year in a big 5 gallon bucket- it's always delicious!

This is making me so excited for Thanksgiving food. I can't wait to pig out!

ShuShubee · November 2014

CrazyMonkeyBear said:

saiven said:

Add me to Team Anti-Turkey. I actually dislike most traditional Thanksgiving foods. At the dinner I eat mashed potatoes and that's about it.

I also don't like ham.

But I love all the desserts!

I don't eat mashed potatoes

Something about them just tastes gross. Leave mine cooked and let me add salt, pepper, and butter to the chopped up pieces.

--quote fail---

Nooooooo. I love mashed potatoes and gravy. It's my fav.

We slather the turkey in butter and add some spices.

4littlebears · November 2014

Totally brine, it's so juicy

southernyankeegirl · November 2014

I have done both, but I prefer not brining. I smother it in melted coconut oil and spices, stuff it with a sliced orange (studded with cloves), apple, and onion, cover it with parchment paper and bake. Then I rub it down with butter every half hour for the first hour, then basting it every half hour until it's done.

dash419 · November 2014

I cook, just not thanksgiving. My SO & his restaurant does a thanksgiving dinner every year with 100% of the proceeds going to local charities.
I just asked him & he said he brines the turkeys.

MusicFanatic · November 2014

I'm just jealous, that's all. Already had Thanksgiving up here.

But never did a turkey brine.

mshepherd20 · November 2014

I've never heard of brining a turkey! We've always stuffed ours and cooked it in the bag. This must be the boring way?

Edvent · November 2014

No idea what a brine is... Shows you how much I cook. I've heard you can cook a turkey breast in the crock pot so I think I'm going to try to figure that out this year. I'm literally just cooking for myself, DH, and MIL so we won't need a whole turkey.

misslizzy82 · November 2014

Dry brining this year...

Smelh324 · November 2014

We've only made a whole turkey once, but we brined and it was incredibly juicy. So brine on!

Edited for spelling.

mmooki · November 2014

I don't actually cook a turkey. My parents live a few hours away and my ils live here. But there is always a big dinner there and no one else is allowed to cook it. So... Whatever. I'll show up and eat!

BookitBoo · November 2014

@misslizzy82‌

What is dry brining?

Milagros315 · November 2014

Okay, I changed my mind. I don't think my Gram ever brines the turkey so I don't want to do it either. I want everything to be as close to "normal" as possible. Plus, I don't need any extra work.

longcat07 · November 2014

team brine here. i've done it exactly once and it came out so much tastier and more moist than any other turkeys i've done, so we'll be doing it from here on out.

(i wonder how many people on this forum hate the word "moist"...)

januarymommy2015 · November 2014

I eat whatever turkey is served. I don't cook, but I am all about the sides and desserts!!!!

longcat07 · November 2014

for those who don't know what brining is, it's not actually a cooking method but a prep method (sort of like marinading). you soak the turkey in cold salt water in the fridge or a cooler with other spices and stuff for 12-24 hours before cooking how you normally would besides (we do the usually roasting in the oven).

NatureLovers · November 2014

Brining makes all the difference! My turkey last year was amazeballs. It was so tender the legs fell off.

GirlWithAnchors · November 2014

Team sits at the table by 10am waiting to eat.

misslizzy82 · November 2014

@bookitboo I got it from a Rachael Ray mag. She gave 3 different butter mixtures (sweet & savory, french country and classic) which go with their own combination of things to stuff into the turkey.

I'm going with the classic - 1 Tbsp rosemary and 2 tsp lemon zest mixed with 1 stick of unsalted butter. For the cavity it says 3 sprigs of rosemary, 1 lemon quartered and 1 large shallot halved.

You rub the butter mixture between the skin and meat and then spread 2-2.5 Tbsps Morton Kosher Salt (if you use crystal salt use 1/4-1/3 cup) all over the skin and let it sit in the refridgerator, uncovered for 24 hours to let it dry out. Let it come to room temp for an hour and then pat it dry with paper towels. Rub with olive oil roast at 425 for 30 min and then at 350 for about 2 more hours - depending on the size of the turkey (internal temp should be 155 when you take it out as it will continue to cook while it's resting) tent with foil and let rest for 30 min.

Disneygeek77 · November 2014

I do something similar to @misslizzy82 except I use America's Test Kitchens recipe. I dry brine the turkey for a bit and before I put it in the oven I separate the skin from the flesh and rub a butter/ salt / pepper mixture on the flesh of the turkey and on the skin. Separating the skin from the flesh will help the skin to be crisp and brining helps the meat to be juicy.

Another tip is to let the turkey rest for 20-40 minutes after you take it out of the oven. This will help the bird to reabsorb a lot of its juices. IF you cut it too soon after taking it out of the oven, then many of the juices will end up on the cutting board.

misslizzy82 · November 2014

@disneygeek77, i think i might do the butter rub AFTER the 24 hours of brining. It just makes more sense to me that way... i was on the fence but if ATK says so i'll do it

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