Things to be thankful for

Well, for one thing, I am thankful for the outcome of the recent election…so glad that it’s Michelle Obama who is busy in our nation’s capital. looking for a good school for her girls to attend, a good Washington DC dentist, and everything else that people worry about when they move to a new city. It definitely is a very exciting time for the Obama family, and for America, as well.

Another thing to be thankful for is that it is easier than ever to prepare a good roast turkey for your holiday dinner.  The secret to the universe?  Brining the bird before roasting it.  Brining is simply soaking the bird in a salt water solution…the salt helps the bird absorb and retain water, thus resulting in a juicier bird.  No more over-dried white meat!

A brine can be as simple as a salt water solution.  Cook’s Illustrated magazine recommends a very simple solution of 2 gallons water, and 2 cups table salt (or 4 cups Kosher salt).  Dissolve the salt into the water, in a container large enough to hold the turkey and the water…place the turkey therein, and let soak for about 6 hours.

Brines also come in more complex forms, such as the one used for Alton Brown’s Good Eats Roast Turkey recipe.  This brine adds some additional flavor to the bird, as well as the needed moisture.  But this is not necessary for a successful roast turkey, all you REALLY need is the salt water brine.  Good to know if you need to keep your holiday costs down.

If you buy a Butterball brand turkey, it already comes brined.  Ditto if you buy a Kosher turkey.  But keep in mind that these tend to cost a lot more per pound than whatever brand of frozen turkey is on sale at your supermarket.  This year, I have seen Jennie-O brand frozen turkeys advertised at Shaw’s for just 48 cents a pound (with an additional $25 purchase, easy enough if you are shopping for your complete holiday dinner on that day).  Butterball or Kosher turkeys can easily cost twice that much.  Unless you must buy a Kosher turkey because of your personal religious beliefs, save a few bucks, buy what’s on sale, and improve it with a simple salt-water brine soaking.

I know what’s coming next…what if I don’t have enough room in my fridge for a container large enough for brining?  I feel your pain, because I, too, am refrigerator-spacially-challenged.  But here’s something I picked up from the Good Eats Thanksgiving show…use a picnic cooler!  Just wash it out really well, and put your turkey and brine into it.  It’s very important to keep the temp at 40 degrees F or lower, so you can just add ice to the brine to keep it cold enough.  It’s best to use either those blue plastic ice pack thingies, or put ice cubes into a plastic bag, seal, and put that into the brine.  This way, melting ice will not dilute your brine.

An additional excellent tool to have is a probe thermometer…this is the one I have.  Not only does it come in handy for cooking the bird to the proper temp, but it can serve as an alert for your brining liquid in the cooler.  This I also learned from Alton Brown…set the thermometer to beep when the temp gets above 40 degrees F.  Stick the probe end into the brine inside the cooler, and set the timer part on top of the cooler after you close it.  You will always be able to see what temp it is inside the cooler, and it will beep should it get above 40 degrees.  If it does so, just add more ice.  It’s very, very important to keep the bird at a safe temp at all times.

Speaking of which, if you do buy a frozen bird, NEVER, EVER leave it out on the counter to thaw.  Let it thaw either in the fridge, or in a cooler of water as described above.  During the day when you are awake and paying attention, you can use your kitchen sink, just keep changing the water so that it is cold at all times.  I use the cooler from the time I bring the turkey home, usually on the weekend before Thanksgiving, I just use plain water and leave the bird in its wrapper, until the night before the holiday, when I am ready to brine.  I usually brine it overnight, that works better for me.

My mother used to thaw the turkey by leaving it on the counter.  What happens is that the outside thaws first, while the inside stays frozen.  The outside will go above 40 degrees F, which is The Danger Zone.  Anything between 40-140 degrees F is The Danger Zone, where little germies love to come out and play.  Anyhoo, my mother did it the wrong way, and we all got sick.  The bird never thawed completely, and was underdone on the inside.

If you follow the proper instructions for turkey thawing and brining, you will stay safe and not get sick…and have a yummie turkey, too!  Enjoy!

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