This is the first year that we will brine our turkey. I have the ingredients. My question is what do you put the turkey in to soak up the brine solution and how long? I've heard to use a plastic bucket, but I don't have one and really don't want to purchase one. I've also heard it's a bad idea to use anything metal.
The turkey came out great. We put in in a oven bag, and then put it in a cooler with a few ice blocks. I like the idea of the crisper drawer, but we had a 21lb and it wouldn't fit.
We emptied out the bottom crisper drawer. We will put our 13 lb. turkey in a two gallon ziplock bag. In the past, with larger birds, we put it in an oven roasting bag and tied it shut. This way it isn't sucking up all the refrigerator space. It's tucked away in the crisper. We line the crisper with paper towels for any leaks. And if it does leak it's usually contained.
Brine it overnight. Also, I had a plastic dishpan on hand- think it was about $2 when I bought it. It's perfect for brining a turkey. I have also used those turkey oven bags. Put the turkey in the bag, pour the brine in, remove the excess air, and sit it in a large pot in the fridge. This works very well also.
Hope this helps!
Do you have a large cooler?
I use a large bucket but that's because we have a lot of them. I will put mine in the brine this evening...Alton Brown (Food Network) recommends brining for 8-16 hours.
If you don't want to buy a large bucket, go to your local bakery and ask them if they have any that they can give you, because they just throw them out.
Happy Thanksgiving!
I never heard about not using metal, I've been using my stock pot for years. Now I have to look into it as I'm getting ready to brine my turkey.
You know, I thought brining was the only way to go. But this year I massaged some kosher salt into my bird 2 times a day for 2 days to let it soak into the meat. It was perfectly seasoned and So tender!! The best turkey ever. I also followed the Butterball cooking directions.
