Post brine drying question


 
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Brandon Cackowski-Schnell

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Howdy.

If the cook start time doesn't mesh well with having your turkey breasts out of the brine for 8 - 12 hours, is it better to have them drying in the fridge for more or less time?

I'm planning on putting them on around 3PM on Thursday which would mean either getting up at 3AM for a 12 hour drying session or 7AM for an 8 hour drying session. 7AM isn't too bad, but seeing how my in-laws are in town and are willing to get up with the boy, I'd hate to waste the valuable sleeping in opportunity.
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Also, I'm planning on a 12 hour brine session for 3, 5 - 6 lb turkey breasts, using Keri's recipe in this month's featured recipe. I hear that some people go as long as 24 hours. Any thoughts on the 12 hour mark? For the record, I'm going to smoke one, grill one and roast one.

Thanks very much in advance.

-Brandon
 
Brandon, I've gone as short as 6 hours of drying time in the fridge without any problems. Remember,the main reason of the dry period is to have crispy not rubbery skin when cooked. I go through a roll paper towels, drying the bird, before the cook just to insure crispy skin!

Dave S.
 
Hi Brandon
I'm not going to suggest that you do this, but this works for me with no time spent drying the bird in the fridge.

I pour boiling water over the bird immediately before cooking, the skin bubbles up and is very crispy. It seems to help the skin separate from the breast meat. You have to cook in the 300*F+ range.

This year I'll take some pics.

morgan
 
Thanks for the replies. The boiling water sounds intriguing. Maybe I'll put the turkeys on little ladders and pretend they're trying to storm the walls of the WSM as I defend it with cauldrons of boiling water.
 
I put the turkey in the sink, sand in the pan, and the only liquid that comes close to R2D2 is beer, and that's for drinking.

I'm not exactly trying to encourage you, but you do have 3 turkey breasts.
 
Brandon,

8-12 hours on the brine will be sufficient, and 8 hours of drying time in the refrigerator is enough.

Regards,
Chris
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Brandon C-S:
From the pics, it looks like they're just sitting on a cookie sheet. That's what I'm going to use. Thanks to everyone for the answers. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
They are sitting on cookie cooling racks which are sitting on a cookie sheet. Click on the pic too enlarge it and you can see the wire rack.
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Bryan
 
I'm with Bryan - set the bird on a rack of SOME kind, because you don't want it sitting in the liquid that's already drained off of the bird, or you're defeating your own purpose. Mine either lay in a roasting rack, or on a stiff baker's cooling rack on a cookie sheet.
 
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