Turkey Brining Bag

Brining is catching on like wildfire because America has finally found a way to make sure the Thanksgiving bird is not dried out by the time it finishes roasting and resting before the ceremonial carving. For generations, American cooks have experienced Turkey Trauma and brining can alleviate the trauma of a dried-out turkey. But then, the question is often, “what do I put the turkey in?” And, “how will it fit in my refrigerator while it brines overnight?”

The Turkey Brining Bag makes the process so much easier. The bag is manufactured from medical-grade laminated plastic and (used properly) is guaranteed not to leak. The 24-inch square shape makes it large enough for a 20-pound turkey. And, the disposable one-time use means that clean-up is a snap! With a 20-pound turkey, you might have to buy another refrigerator to store it in, but it will fit in the Brining Bag.

Around Thanksgiving, it is hard enough to find room in the fridge for a stick of butter, much less a huge turkey!. But the Grill Friends Turkey Brining Bag makes it easier to fit into a small space or an irregularly shaped one. What I like about this bag is that it is flexible—unlike a giant stock pot—and you won’t have any space going to waste. I generally cook a 14-pound turkey and that fits perfectly on a tray on the lower shelf of my refrigerator or in my vegetable crisper. But I wasn’t kidding about the extra refrigerator. I know so many people who have one in the basement and use it to brine in all the time. Now, people who don’t have the luxury of an extra fridge can brine with ease.

In its most basic form, a brine is a strong salt-and-sugar water solution. A “flavor brine” adds spices, fruits, juices and other ingredients to the basic brine formula. Both styles of brine season the turkey and increase the moisture content resulting in a juicier and more flavorful bird. It is especially helpful with turkey because it insures that the bird stays juicy during the long roasting process. Besides turkey, brining enhances the flavor of other lean meats including chicken, pork and fish. And, the bag is also great for brining these other meats including large pieces of pork, a couple of chickens, six (or more) Cornish Game Hens; a “barbecuer’s dozen” of bone-in chicken pieces, pork chops and a school of catfish.

Think of brine as a simple marinade. Brining is simply submerging the meat into the salt-and-sugar-water solution and letting it “soak” for up to 24 hours for a turkey and as short as 1 hour for small cuts of poultry, pork or fish. The saltier the brine, the less time it will take.