BEHIND THE SCENES

THE MECHANICS OF BRINING

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Anyone who watches our show knows that we love to brine. Brining not only helps prevent delicate meat like chicken, turkey, and pork from drying out, it also seasons the meat for better flavor. What equipment do you need for brining? A clean container that’s large enough to accommodate the meat and brine. For large containers (such as a washtub or cooler) that won’t fit in a refrigerator, you need ice packs to keep the temperature at 40 degrees F. For a whole chicken, the test kitchen likes to use a Cambro storage container, which is a large, clear bucket marked with level graduations—Cambros make handy containers for rising bread dough, too. (Look for these containers at restaurant supply stores or online.)

As for brining tips, we’ve got a few after 15 years. After pulling your turkey out of the brine, make sure to thoroughly pat it dry to prevent soggy skin. You can also place the turkey on a wire rack set on a baking sheet and allow it to dry overnight in the refrigerator—this will further encourage crispy skin during roasting. And as for the salt, the test kitchen prefers table salt. Kosher salt works fine, but the size of the grains varies between the two major brands, which can make recipe testing (and writing) difficult. The ratio of salt to water varies a bit from recipe to recipe, but generally the test kitchen uses 1 cup table salt to 2 gallons of water (this is enough brine for a 12- to 14-pound turkey).