I chose to brine my turkey in buttermilk instead of a salt solution this Thanksgiving

I had to pick between a traditional wet brine and a buttermilk soak for the holiday service. I went with the buttermilk for 48 hours, which was a new method for our kitchen in Seattle. The result was incredibly tender meat with a subtle tang, and the skin crisped up perfectly. Has anyone else tried a buttermilk brine on a large bird, and did you adjust your roasting time?

3 comments

3 Comments

stella_lane942mo ago

Tried it once on a 20 pounder and it was a total game changer. The tang cuts through the richness in a way salt brine just doesn't. I found the roasting time was pretty much the same, maybe a few minutes less because the bird seemed to cook a bit faster. The real win is how it keeps the breast meat from drying out. Never going back to plain salt water after that.

the_ben2mo ago

My cousin swears by pickle juice for brining chicken, but I tried it once and everything just tasted like a sad deli sandwich. Still can't get the smell out of my fridge.

knight.diana23d ago

I read somewhere that if you cut the pickle juice with water or apple cider vinegar it tones down the overpowering dill taste. Might be worth a shot next time if your cousin keeps pushing it on you.