Brining a turkey breast(bone-in vs. boneless)
I am making for Thanksgiving just a turkey breast, as it is a small group and everyone likes the white meat. Is it a good idea to brine it? Also, what would be better, a bone-in turkey breast or boneless? Thanks. I'm so glad I found this board. I've used Chowhound for years for restaurants all over the country. Didn't realize there was a Home Cooking board until a couple of weeks ago. So far you all have been very helpful! Thanks!
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mcf
Nov 22, 2009 10:30 AM
Meat always tastes best and moister when roasted on the bone. You could dry brine it for a day with kosher salt, perhaps mixed with herbs, or soak it in wet brine. Brining really adds moisture and even an overcooked brined breast doesn't dry out, from all reports. If you get a hotel style breast, you could potentially cook the stuffing under it for extra flavor, too.
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toodie jane
Nov 22, 2009 07:15 AM
Since you are using a only a breast and don't have to worry about it becoming dry, why not stuff and roll it? That way you get a more visually interesting main dish, and some flavor nuance as well. Use a traditional stuffing or something more 'exotic' like sausage and fruit; prociutto, basil, garlic and goat cheese; or vegetables, etc. Butterfly the boned breast, pound it a bit, then season and add stuffing of choice, roll and tie like a pork loin. You can baste the outside with a glaze or fruit juice while it's cooking. Use a probe thermometer to make sure the finished temp is correct (remove from oven and loosely tent with foil for about 15 minutes before carving. Roast should continue to increase in temp as it sits, so remove about 10 degrees short of target).
If you don't want to roll it, you can do a simple dry or moist rub rather than a submersion brining. Jerk paste or a Southwest (chile/cumin/paprika/) flavored dry rub is always good with turkey. Breast is good done this way done over indirect heat on the BBQ.
