Cookaholics Bulletin Board

http://www.seriouseats.com/2012/11/the- ... dium=email

Quite honestly, I'd like a second opinion, but the experiment seems reasonably sound, as does the theory. Fascinating article, very worth of a read.

I've been coming to this conclusion myself the last few years.

The part I question is the difference between brining in salty water vrs. dry brine. If they both end up at the same weight, then what it the difference? Assuming fat, etc. retention was the same, then they must have the same amount of liquid retained, meaning a dry brine is 'watery' as well. It could be a more chicken-y water, I guess, but I think this is inadequately addressed. I think a blind tasting would be in order.

Also, I suspect a lot of people underseason so a brined bird tastes better; of course, this is a reason to season, not brine, but you tell em to season liberally and they seem to have hard time to do it but they will brine.

Yes. In a dry brine, the chicken holds on to more of its own juices rather than being plumped up with lots of extra saltwater.

In addition, the texture of the meat is very different. It is moist but not spongy.

I agree with him about the dry rub being better. I put a comment on there, so I won't repeat it here, except to say that I started the dry rub in my early days of Chinese cooking, when smoking chicken, duck, and turkey. And I was amazed at how moist that breast meat always turned out, yet not in a diluted kind of way, as in a brined bird.

I do not think I have brined a turkey since CI's Roast Salted Turkey recipe from 2006.

I still occasionally brine smaller cuts of chicken and pork because I think brining works a bit faster than salting.

I have dry-brined underskin with herbs/seasonings for the last 4 years with excellent results. The concept is really from The Zuni Cafe.

As Kenji says, " Texture-wise, it's significantly different from both plain and brined turkey, with the smooth, dense-but-tender texture of lightly cured meat." and "While the brined breast was slightly juicier, flavorwise and texturewise, I'd take the salted chicken over the brined any day."

I like the way that Kenji couples the under-skin seasoning with salt/baking powder skin rub.

Tim

I always use some baking powder. You get great skin that way.

Amy

I'm a turkey schlep. I did CI's brined, flipped, high heat turkey once, only to have zero response from the peanut gallery (it was not felt any better or worse than any other year), so now I don't bother doing anything but buying a Butterball (or PC young butter-basted turkey) and cooking it until it is just done. I'll rest it well too. I used to do it in an oval roaster and cover it until the end, which makes it really moist, and sometimes I will use an electric turkey roaster (also turns out really moist), but last time I just used the perfect turkey button on my Electrolux, which turned out really well (except for it taking way less time than expected due to the convection roast setting). Sadly, as much as I will fuss with pretty much anything else, my family has weighed in that a turkey is a turkey is a turkey, and that I shouldn't fuss with it...so now I am a lazy turkey schlep. I spend my energy fussing over the sides (because stuffing, potatoes, and gravy are where it is really at).

Carey, I couldn't agree more. I cook the turkey so I can make the gravy.
fitzie