HOW BRINING SAVED THANKSGIVING

Once upon a time, the only thing the Thanksgiving turkey had going for it was tradition—and even that was tenuous, as many of us sometimes dreamed of cheating with a big buttery beef tenderloin. The problem was a familiar one. Sometimes the bird turned out juicy and flavorful, but most often, it was a dry disappointment. Passing the gravy didn’t help much either. Then, 15 years ago, the test kitchen came upon an obscure technique called brining. Brining turkey involves soaking the turkey in a saltwater solution (which sometimes includes sugar) before cooking—this protects it from the ravages of heat and guarantees tender, flavorful meat from the surface all the way to the bone. (Brining does the same for other delicate white meat like chicken and pork.) How does brining work?

Simply put, the brining solution flows into the meat, distributing moisture and seasoning. In our testing, we found that while a turkey roasted straight out of its package will retain about 82 percent of its total weight after cooking, a brined turkey will retain about 93 percent of its total weight after cooking—and thus be moister and more flavorful. Once a little-known technique, brining has now become mainstream—and Thanksgiving dinners everywhere are all the better for it.