Pantry: Better not to brine your turkey

As Thanksgiving, 1999 approached, I received a call from the publicist assigned to work on my latest book, “Salt & Pepper” (Broadway Books).

It looked like I should prepare to fly east to be on Martha Stewart’s show, she said, adding that Stewart’s assistant was very impressed by my suggestion to brine a turkey before cooking it. They had come up with 38 different ways to prepare a turkey, said the assistant, but missed this one. Martha loved it; they wanted to feature it.

This sort of exposure is like gold for a new book; such appearances translate into sales quickly. Plans began, but then no date was set.

Finally, the publicist called the assistant. Martha had decided she would rather do this segment with a man, so she’d gotten a local chef, was the response. And, no, I didn’t get credit for the idea.

Now as Thanksgiving is approaching again, I’m revising “Salt & Pepper” and have decided that it will not include a recipe for brining your turkey or anything else, for that matter. I no longer recommend the technique for several specific reasons, and there is growing consensus in the food world that it may not be a good idea.

It may be best understood by comparing brining to blanching tomatoes to peel them. Plunging tomatoes into boiling water dilutes their flavor. That’s what brining does to meat. Put your turkey into a salty brine overnight or, as is recommended for large birds, two days, and you’ll end up with less flavor.

This is especially important if you are going to spring for a pricey heritage bird. It would be a tragedy, albeit a small one, to brine such a bird. You’d dilute its flavor, alter its lovely texture and simply lose much of what you’ve paid for.

I began reconsidering brining when I began reading that if you brine your bird, you can’t stuff the cavity, you can’t use the pan drippings for gravy and you shouldn’t use the carcass for stock. That’s just crazy, I thought, as stuffing, gravy and stock are pretty much the best dances a turkey does.

It’s better, I think, to develop the proper roasting technique so that you don’t incinerate your bird.

The one time I might recommend it is if you’re held captive by someone who insists on overcooking the turkey; then brining will help mitigate the dry meat, but not by a lot. In this case, though, don’t make the brine too salty, as I don’t recommend ever giving up stuffing or gravy from pan drippings and it is a shame to lose a turkey carcass.

So, how do you make a succulent juicy turkey, especially if you are cooking a heritage bird for the first time? It’s a tad tricky but I’ll do my best to explain.

One option - and I do not believe it is a cop-out, as some do - is to spatchcock the turkey, which is to say remove the backbone and splay it out on the rack of a roasting pan. This results in the best skin, breast meat and thigh-leg meat ready at the same time. It is probably what I will do this year.

Another good option is to roast the bird breast-side down so that the legs are exposed. The legs should not be trussed, either, as you want them exposed to as much heat as possible.

Heritage birds, just like grass-fed meats, cook more quickly than corn-fed, lot-raised animals and it is typically best to cook them at higher temperatures, too. Hot and fast is the way to do it.

You are giving up stuffing when you cook a turkey this way and that’s a shame, but it may be worth it if you’re nervous about cooking a heritage bird perfectly. This is probably the closest thing to a foolproof technique there is. In next week’s Seasonal Pantry, I’ll talk about stuffing and stuffing alternatives.

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It is very helpful to have kitchen shears to remove the backbone of your turkey. They are not expensive and good ones last for decades. Maybe it is time to treat yourself. If you suspect your oven runs a tad hot, reduce the heat to 425 degrees.

Roasted Spatchcocked Turkey

Serves 8 to 10

8 to 11 pound heritage breed turkey, with innards and, preferably, feet, neck and head

- Kosher salt

- Black pepper in a mill

1 yellow onion, chopped

1 shallot, chopped

1 carrot, chopped

2 celery stalks, chopped

3 or 4 garlic cloves

2 or 3 thyme sprigs

2 or 3 Italian parsley sprigs

2 bay leaves

About 2 ½ hours before serving the turkey, begin your preparations.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

Have a deep roasting pan with a rack ready.

Set the turkey, breast side down, on a clean work surface. Use kitchen shears to cut out the backbone, cutting fairly close to the bone at the thinnest part, which you’ll be able to use your fingers to identify. Cut on both sides of the bone and then twist it away from the rest of the carcass.

Turn the turkey over, spreading it open as you do. Use the heel of your hand to press down firmly on the breast bone until you hear it crack; press down to flatten the bird. Season it all over with salt and pepper.

Spread the vegetables and herbs over the bottom of the roasting pan, season lightly with salt and pepper and add a cup of water. Set the rack on top and set the turkey, skin side up, on the rack.

Put the backbone, innards, neck and whatever other pieces you have on a sheet pan, season with salt and pepper.

Arrange the oven racks to accommodate both pans and set them in the oven. Roasted the innards for 30 minutes, transfer to a medium saucepan, add any pan drippings and cover with water. Set over high heat, bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer gently.

After the turkey has been cooking for 50 minutes, use a meat thermometer to check the temperature of both the breast and the thigh meat. Continue cooking until the breast is between 140 and 145 degrees and the thigh is between 155 and 165 degrees. It will take between 60 and 90 minutes total.

Transfer the turkey to a platter and cover it with a double sheet of aluminum foil.

Strain the stock from the innards into a clean container.

Transfer the roasting pan to a medium burner, add about a cup of water and gently deglaze the pan, picking up any and all pan drippings. Add the rest of the stock and cook until it is reduced by about half or a little less. Taste and correct for salt and pepper.

Strain into a gravy boat or small pitcher and keep warm.

Carve the turkey, arrange on a platter and serve right away, with the gravy and accompaniments alongside.

Michele Anna Jordan has written 17 books to date, including “Vinaigrettes and Other Dressings.” You’ll find her blog, “Eat This Now,” at pantry.blogs.pressdemocrat.com. Email Jordan at michele@saladdresser.com