with Alton Brown on BriningDwyer: What is brining and how do I do it? Should I try this with my turkey?
Alton: Brine is essentially salt water. Yes, you should do it with your turkey, as you should with chicken, shrimp or fresh ham. It changes the cellular structure of the meat, allowing it to hold on to more moisture as it cooks. It also pulls seasoning deep into the meat. My general rule of thumb is to use one cup to one and a half cups of kosher salt per gallon of water. I also add about 3/4 cup of sugar. Dissolve the salt and sugar in a small amount of hot water. Then add to the rest of the water, which should be cold. You can add various seasonings, such as crushed peppercorns, cloves, juniper berries, garlic or green herbs. For a whole turkey, I like to let it soak in a cool place for eight to ten hours. A breast should soak for at least four. Once the brining period is over, pat the meat dry and cook immediately.
- From a Food Network online chat event
