Why Did My Brined Turkey Fall Apart? | Ask Nigella.com (2024)

FAQs

Why Did My Brined Turkey Fall Apart? | Ask Nigella.com? ›

Our answer

How long are you cooking it ? And at what temperature ? Overcooking a turkey will cause it dry up unless your stuffing was too wet or you added liquid to the roasting pan . too much liquid will make a turkey fall apart .

Q: Can I stuff a brined turkey? A: We do not recommend stuffing a brined bird because the drippings from the turkey can add too much salt to the stuffing. We prefer to cook our stuffing separately.

Brining for too long can result in meat that tastes overly-salty and has a spongy texture.

A bird that has been overcooked will be dry and will crumble under the knife. An undercooked turkey will be a wrestling match as you try to flex its joints. Also, be sure to allow at least a half hour of “resting” after removing the turkey from the oven, to allow the meat to reabsorb the juices.

To achieve the end goal of tender, juicy breast meat and silky, succulent dark meat, the internal temperature in the thighs needs to be at least 175°F (79°C) by the time the breast meat reaches 157°F (69°C).

If you stuff your brined bird, you'll be in good company. I have done it; recipe editor Bonnie S. Benwick has done it; Martha Stewart has done it.

But a brined turkey that is not rinsed would be too salty to eat. Brining slows down the growth of bacteria but does not kill it, said Linda Harris, a microbiologist at the University of California, Davis. She and other food scientists have been trying to get Americans to stop rinsing poultry since the late 1990's.

Second, he says the added juiciness comes at the expense of flavor: "It's juicy, but the juice is watery" because you forced the bird to absorb water. In summary, Lopez-Alt says, "I don't brine my birds because I like my birds to taste like birds, not like watered-down birds."

What happens if turkey isn't fully submerged in brine? ›

Brine the Turkey for 12 to 24 hours

Position the turkey in the brine, breast-side down. If the turkey isn't completely submerged in wet brine, add more water so it is covered.

The amount of time will depend on the type of brine you use; however, do not brine any longer than two days and always keep the turkey and brine refrigerated (at 40°F or less). Remove turkey from brine after the recommended time.

You could theoretically rub on spices and seasonings at this point, too, but again, your best bet is waiting until after you've brined the turkey. Once the turkey is seasoned, place it on the rack set inside the rimmed baking sheet and put it in the refrigerator.

Brining helps to season the turkey, as well as keeping it moist. If you brine the turkey for too long then it can start to have a negative effect and the proteins in the meat will start to break down, causing the meat to fall apart.

The most common cause of lameness in turkeys is Mycoplasma infection, which can be transmitted in several ways; through the air, through the egg and through mating. In most cases, Mycoplasma causes swollen leg joints. Mycoplasma can also cause Respiratory Disease. Lameness.

If a turkey is cooked too long, the muscle proteins coagulate within the meat and cause dryness.

Just like in a traditional meatloaf, you need something to hold the meat together. Try adding some dry breadcrumbs to the turkey mixture before you shape the patties. The crumbs will absorb the moisture and, together with the egg, will act like glue and help your burgers maintain their shape on the grill.

If you've thawed your turkey in the fridge, you don't want to put it straight from the fridge into the oven. Roasting a cold turkey can result in a dry, unevenly cooked turkey. So yes, after all your patience thawing that bird, there are still more temperature adjustments to be made.

If a turkey is cooked too long, the muscle proteins coagulate within the meat and cause dryness.