Turkey brine for a store bought turkey

[tjack]

Been gone for over a year but I'm back and it's good to see this forum again.

Look, most turkeys you get in the store have an injection of a solution that ranges from as low as 4-5% up to almost 20%

If a turkey has any solution injection in it already, does brining really have any effect as the goal of brining is osmosis to get liquid (flavored) into the turkey?

If brining can work, what is the threshold of % injection before brining doesn't work?

Thanks.

 

[PatAttack]

Start with one with no solution.

I say you can still brine it with no issues.

What harm will it do? Less flavor? I say go for it!

 

[food4thot]

The only store bought turkeys I get anymore are ones the company use to hand out around Thanksgiving. Still have one in the freezer I got two years ago. I don't bother brining them.

Brining is for fresh, un-dinked with turkey. Happily, there's a little place not far away that sells Amish turkeys. Have to order them a few days in advance.

 

[tjack]

Start with one with no solution.

I say you can still brine it with no issues.

What harm will it do? Less flavor? I say go for it!

No solution turkeys are almost impossible to find. Unless you go somewhere like a Whole Foods and pay a months rent for a organic (or whatever they are called) turkey.

 

[Hoss]

I do not bother brining turkeys that have already been injected with solution.Sometimes I will inject them with a flavored solution just before smoking for a certain flavor profile.Cajun flavor,etc.

 

[104timberwolf]

I injected two pre injected turkey breasts with a mixture of melted sweet butter, apple cider and honey. They were delicious.

 

[tjack]

I injected two pre injected turkey breasts with a mixture of melted sweet butter, apple cider and honey. They were delicious.

What were your ratios?

 

[DarkStar11]

No solution turkeys are almost impossible to find. Unless you go somewhere like a Whole Foods and pay a months rent for a organic (or whatever they are called) turkey.

I picked up a frozen Whole Foods 365 turkey today for a pre-turkey-day cook. It isn't injected with anything. It's not organic, but it has lots of words on the wrapper to make you feel like the turkey was raised in a loving environment . It was $1.16/lb. with the Amazon Prime discount.

Sorry for no input on the original question, but I will be injecting this bird once it thaws.

 

[1MoreFord]

I wouldn't bother brining a turkey with solution added but I would inject with cajun butter or similar.

 

[Shadowdog500]

We get butterball turkeys. No need to brine a butterball.

 

[SirPorkaLot]

We get butterball turkeys. No need to brine a butterball.

Even butterball turkeys can be improved by a dry brine