November is finally here, and we all know what that means… That’s right, let the prep for Thanksgiving begin! In fact, it doesn’t even end there; we have the whole holiday season upon us and lots of prepping to do.  Needless to say, the next couple of months involves a whole lot of cooking, eating and gatherings!

So, let’s start with the turkey.  We all have our ways and traditions on how we like to prep our bird, and it all starts with the seasoning – or, in the case of turkey, the brine.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with the term, brining is all about the salt.  Though you are free to use other spices and flavour enhancers, the salt is key.  In a brine (wet or dry), the meat is infused with the salt, causing the muscle protein strands to break down, which allows moisture to be absorbed into the muscles. As a result, this helps the turkey retain moisture while cooking, leaving you with a very juicy bird.  In short, brining is a very aggressive method of seasoning, and for such a big bird (that tends to dry out easily), it is essential.

Now, what’s the difference between a dry and wet brine?

A dry brine is merely the act of patting the turkey dry, then heavily salting every inch of it and leaving it uncovered in the fridge for 12-24 hours (sometimes even more). In a wet brine however, the turkey is fully submerged in a bath of heavily salted water or stock. Either way, the process allows the turkey muscles to retain its moisture during cooking.

This now begs the question; which method is better? The answer is that they are both perfectly and equally effective.  The decision from one person to the next, simply comes down to a few factors:

• Space: If you have limited space in the fridge, then a dry brine is best, as all you have to do is refrigerate the turkey on a sheet tray, as opposed to making space for a large bucket or vessel, which you would need if you were opting for a wet brine.
• Flavour vs. Moisture: What are you going for? If you prefer more flavour, then dry brine is best due to the direct contact between the turkey and the salt. If you prefer a juicier meat, then a wet brine is the way to go, but you may be compromising on flavour.
• How bothered are you? There’s no denying that a dry brine is definitely less hassle and easier to handle, and requires a lot less muscle power.

Either way however, you will be guaranteed a juicy turkey. My preferred method is dry brining. Though my turkey may not be as juicy, it will still be juicy enough and the enhanced flavours from the dry rub, along with the gravy and all the trimmings will more than make up for it!

So, what’s your preference when it comes to prepping your Thanksgiving turkey? Please share!