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What to do? Moisture insurance!
That’s right, simply purchase some extremely secure “Moisture Insurance”! Brining and bagging are your two options, and neither is better for keeping your turkey moist than the other.
The basic necessities of brining are salt and water. That is all you really need, but most people add a little brown sugar (in the South, adding Dr. Pepper or Coca-Cola is very common). Due to the brine’s enchanted properties, they added pepper, herbs, and spices. You may be familiar with the term “osmosis” if you remember basic chemistry from school. Thats what happens when you brine a turkey. The turkey absorbs the salty water from the brine, along with the spices and herbs, due to an imbalance in salt content. It will improve the flavor of the turkey, NOT make it salty!
You can make your own brine but its much easier using the Turkey Brine and Rub Kit from Urban Accents, which we have in the Spice Department. It comes with a brining bag so all you need is a large container. Most people use a cooler with ice. Place the bagged, brining turkey in a cooler, add as much ice as will fit and leave it in the garage overnight.
Yes, you can “over-brine”. The ideal duration is just overnight, or a maximum of 12 to 18 hours. Remove the turkey from the brine, RINSE WELL and dry. Discard brine. If necessary, refrigerate; if not, allow the turkey to come VERY close to room temperature before roasting.
You can now roast your turkey the way you normally would.
Utilize an Oven Bag (along with a recyclable Aluminum Roasting Pan or your own roasting pan) for an absolutely foolproof Thanksgiving turkey. We also carry these in the store in a few different places, but you can always find them on Aisle 7 with the foil and plastic wrap. Your turkey will be extremely moist if you use an oven bag, and it will even brown in the bag! You may want to remove the turkey from the bag toward the end to crisp the skin. This works especially well if you have a convection oven.
The basic process is simplicity defined. To prepare your raw turkey, cut off the neck bone and giblets. Season your turkey with salt and pepper on the outside as well as inside. Then, put it in the bag with your preferred herbs—such as sage, thyme, or any other herb you like. Additionally, you can add chopped fresh carrots, onions, celery, and garlic to the bag. They will cook down and add tremendous flavor. Vegetables can be served in the bag or thrown out as desired. Place the entire bagged turkey in your pan after tying the bag shut with the included ties.
Important: Oven bags are a unique type of high-temperature food-grade plastic; DO NOT use your brining bag for baking! Additionally, you have to choose between using the oven bag and brining your turkey—you can’t do both!
The easiest way to roast your turkey:
- Make sure your turkey is completely thawed and let it come as close to room temperature as possible by setting it out on the counter. You will get more even cooking this way.
- Preheat your oven to 325º F.
- Once the oven reaches its maximum temperature, transfer the turkey—which needs to be in both the aluminum pan or your personal roasting pan and the sealed bag—into the oven.
Just a wild guess, but this is probably not the turkey you would want to be serving to a gaggle of hungry friends and family
Nothing makes you want to sip Chardonnay in the middle of the afternoon more than worrying about overcooking or undercooking your turkey breast on Thanksgiving!
How to Brine a Turkey in a Bag
FAQ
Can I use oven bag to brine turkey?
Is it better to cook a turkey in a turkey bag or not?
How long do you cook a turkey in the oven in a bag?
Can you put liquid in oven bags?