To rinse or not to rinse a salted turkey??

[Chad M]

Hi forum,

This is my first post to the board, I have been a long time lurker and have learned lot of stuff from you guys. Last year I did the apple brined turkey and it turned out great, but I would like to switch it up and am going to try the butterflied salted turkey this year. I understand everything, and assume that you need to rinse the bird to remove excess salt before cooking....is this the case? Or do you just salt it let it sit for 2-3 days then dry and put on the smoker?

Thanks for your time and knowledge.
Chad

 

[Chris Allingham]

For 2013, I've updated the Salted Butterflied Turkey article to adjust the salt levels so rinsing is not necessary. Make sure your copy of the recipe shows "Last Updated" as of 11/13/2013. In the original article from 2011, the recipe called for a higher amount of salt, and then rinsing before cooking. Rinsing is such a hassle, and it's no longer recommended from a food safety standpoint, so it's good to be able to eliminate this step by reducing the amount of salt used in the first place.

If you generally find recipes like this too salty for your taste, I would reduce each measurement a bit. For example, instead of a full Tablespoon in the cavity, try 3/4 Tablespoon. If using a rub (I didn't use a rub in this article), I would suggest a no-salt rub.

After salting, refrigerate for 24 to 48 hours, then cook.

Good luck! Let us know how it turns out!

 

[Chad M]

Thanks for the update. I guess I was a bit confused because I thought I remembered reading that you needed to rinse the bird last year, but then I didn't see it this year. I will keep you posted on my thoughts, but I already like the simplicity of it.

Chad