Turkey conspiracy

Look out good people. Be weary of your Thanksgiving turkey.

Brining your turkey is all the rage right now. Everyone has the best way to brine a turkey and probably many a mash tun is being contaminated this Thanksgiving.

There is a belief that most turkeys in the supermarket are in need of a salty soak. LOOK OUT!!! Most turkeys in the supermarket are enhanced and pre-brined. If your turkey talks (well, not the turkey herself) about being injected or enhanced with a flavor or salt solution then it should not be brined. You will end up with a salty dog!

When you go through the supermarket these days there is a lot of poultry and pork that has been enhanced by the supplier. This is the BS that makes me angry. They add this unknown salty crap to do a number of things. It preserves the meat longer so they have more time to sell it. It tenderizes and flavors the meat ahead of time assuming that the cook is an idiot who doesn't know how to cook pork or poultry. You also have to settle for a flavor that some factory decided to put in your food. Walmart is notorious for selling meat has been pre-processed.

So I did the best I could today. I found a 85 cent/pound turkey with only a 3% solution. Many (especially the 45 cent/pound birds that were flying off the shelves) came with an 8% solution. It seems like if you want an untampered bird you've got to pay some cash for a fresh or organic bird.

Walmart is trying to make us all fat and stupid. And why? Soylent Green my friends, Soylent Green.:rockin:

I always thought Soylent Green was people not turkey, live and learn

Simple Truth brand turkey.

I get Hutterite turkeys; no hormones, no antibiotics, no nitrates, all natural.
http://www.bozemandailychronicle.com/news/article_0b252546-87a3-575c-9d68-1fef5d048009.html
Regards, GF.

Most people today actually WANT a juicy, flavorful turkey and don't know or care that the store/manufacturer adds these things. Back in the old days you had to do the work yourself. Honestly, anyone can roast a turkey in a turkey bag with minimal steps and end up with a great turkey. Because of the added moisture and flavors. It's actually hard to cook a turkey dry unless you are lazy or forgetful.

I'd be more concerned with the biotics and meds the turkeys are given, and their diets, than I am about a little brine being injected into them.

The biggest problem is that it is hard to find the un-enhanced birds for those who want to do it themselves. The other annoying bit is that you are paying for a fair amount of brine solution at $.45-$2.00/lb. Chickens can contain from 15-30% of their weight as this solution so you actually do pay a premium for brine. I think I would rather pay a little more for a non-enhanced bird.

Homercidal said:

Most people today actually WANT a juicy, flavorful turkey and don't know or care that the store/manufacturer adds these things. Back in the old days you had to do the work yourself. Honestly, anyone can roast a turkey in a turkey bag with minimal steps and end up with a great turkey. Because of the added moisture and flavors. It's actually hard to cook a turkey dry unless you are lazy or forgetful.

I'd be more concerned with the biotics and meds the turkeys are given, and their diets, than I am about a little brine being injected into them.

Click to expand...

I agree, the saline injection is a good thing. I have no problem with it except that I could have done it myself and saved a few $$.

My wife (who is NOT an educated consumer) brought home two large turkeys that explicitly stated that no biotics were used in the turkey. So I'm guessing that is not prevalent - or my wife just got lucky.

How do I know if the turkey I bought is brine enhanced? I thought only the turkeys that came in turkey cooking bags had that? I bought two, 16 lb birds after Thanksgiving when they went on sale for $.59/lb!

if the packaging says "self basting", "enhanced" or similar or you see in the ingredients list "up to a _% salt water solution"

They will have to list if they added any water.

buying a brined turkey in the store...bad.

Buying a unbrined turkey and brining it yourself...good.

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broadbill said:

buying a brined turkey in the store...bad.

Buying a unbrined turkey and brining it yourself...good.

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Click to expand...

True.

That pre brined turkey is brined with spent uranium and cat urine. And then they charge you for the slurry like it was meat.