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So true. And another thing people don't think about is most of the store bought birds come into the stores frozen. They thaw in the retail meat display cases...and are taken home, often refrozen, etc, etc.
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The only circumstances I brine for, are if it's an older bird, (older than 20-25 weeks) the salt in the meat tissues helps keep it from drying out when cooked, or if for some reason I didn't get a good bleed-out, like when a bird got killed in a mishap or something. Then I soak it in salt water to get the blood out. Young birds, such as broiler hybrid usually are, don't need it brining. They just need to age a little, and they'll be moist and tender as is.
I know people advise changing the water everyday, but I've forgotten to, and let it soak in the same water a couple of days, (or more) and it was fine. I doubt that it really matters, as long as your fridge is cold enough.
Otherwise, I don't soak meat while aging it. I just either put it in a plastic bag, or in a container with a lid, so it doesn't dry out. I usually use something like my water-bath canner, it's big enough to hold 3 or 4 good-sized chickens, and has a lid. I try to place the birds more or less upright, so that fluids drain out of the body cavity.
Ditto. We only brine dual purpose roos grown out to 16 weeks or more, or other culled birds over 4 mo old. We age all birds refrigerated, regardless of their age at processing time.
So true. And another thing people don't think about is most of the store bought birds come into the stores frozen. They thaw in the retail meat display cases...and are taken home, often refrozen, etc, etc.
Quote:
The only circumstances I brine for, are if it's an older bird, (older than 20-25 weeks) the salt in the meat tissues helps keep it from drying out when cooked, or if for some reason I didn't get a good bleed-out, like when a bird got killed in a mishap or something. Then I soak it in salt water to get the blood out. Young birds, such as broiler hybrid usually are, don't need it brining. They just need to age a little, and they'll be moist and tender as is.
I know people advise changing the water everyday, but I've forgotten to, and let it soak in the same water a couple of days, (or more) and it was fine. I doubt that it really matters, as long as your fridge is cold enough.
Otherwise, I don't soak meat while aging it. I just either put it in a plastic bag, or in a container with a lid, so it doesn't dry out. I usually use something like my water-bath canner, it's big enough to hold 3 or 4 good-sized chickens, and has a lid. I try to place the birds more or less upright, so that fluids drain out of the body cavity.
Ditto. We only brine dual purpose roos grown out to 16 weeks or more, or other culled birds over 4 mo old. We age all birds refrigerated, regardless of their age at processing time.
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