Dry Brining - just say No

Cloudsmoker

Cloudsmoker

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Smoked 3 turkeys for the office on Tuesday - wet brined with a recipe similar to Patio Daddy's, and they rocked. Kept reading all the negative science so dry brined one for the home yesterday. Dry and salty.

Curious if others had similar results, or maybe it's just me.
 
All I know is, I feel validated when my mouth experience then gets backed up by food science.
I dig "dry brining".
 
Been dry brining for years with consistently fantastic results.

I think we use 1TB kosher for every 6# of turkey and we start 3 or 4 days before the cook, turning it on it's breast on day 3 and letting the turkey sit in the fridge uncovered the night before the cook. Cook at 425 for 30 minutes, dial heat down to 325 and cook till done - don't ask me how long per # 'cause ours got done (165 or 170 in deep part of thing) a couple hours early. :oops: We stuck it in a cooler to hold it and it worked out great.
 
It's something you did. Dry brining does not result in an excessively salty bird anymore than wet brining does.
 
I did my first dry-brined bird yesterday. It was excellent.

Please give details of your process. Perhaps we can find what caused your problem
 
Dry brine is for Appolonia anyway

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0AcdGteG3kc"]Sex Shooter - Apollonia 6 - YouTube[/ame]
 
I cooked a 12# spatchcock turkey that I dry brined with 2 tablespoons of kosher salt for six hours in the refrigerator on a cookie rack for circulation. Then I used some Butchers BBQ Honey Rub and cooked at 375. It was cooking too fast so I lowered the temp to 300. Held it in a cooler and wow! Crispy skin, moist turkey and positive comments all around. Easy and tasty.
 
20#, dry brined with rosmary, lemon zest and kosher salt. One of the best birds to date! Consensus says it was something you did. Let us know what the process was and perhaps we can find the problem.
 
Sounds like I used way too much salt - perhaps 1/2 cup Kosher for a 14 lb bird.
 
I used 2 Tbsps and a bit more (maybe a tsp) for a 12.5 lb bird. It was dripping moist, very flavorful (lemon and rosemary), but not a bit salty. I worried because it was actually overcooked, but the juice just poured out of it. My son said it was the best turkey he's ever had. Couldn't be upset with that kind of accolade. Dial back on your salt, and I'm sure you'll love the results. :wink:
 
I like the development and trouble shooting through this thread, really shows why the site is invaluable!!...

is there an Ideal ratio salt:meat ... (Its seems 1T:6# is being used so .5tsp:1#???)

I always brine the birds we shoot, thinking of trying dry in the future so I do not have to mix up a whole batch for one to two pheasant...
 
Parson recommends one Tbsp salt per every 5 lbs of meat, but 1/2 tsp per lb will work.
 
The recipe I used, from Saveur, uses 2 Tbsp. Kosher salt and one Tbsp. of coarse ground pepper for a 13-14 lb. bird. Loved the results.
 
I do rinse my poultry after the process. That may be why it seemed salter. I lightly season before cooking. But I've had many complements on the dry brine birds I've prepared. For me it's so much easier and the results are consistently great.
 
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