In the UK, turkeys are never brined! I heard about it by accident from an American friend and was gobsmacked! I guess that's why I'd always thought of turkey as dry and tough! I buy turkey thighs all the time now as I brine them and the meat is soooooo much more tender - turkey is actually our favourite meat as a family now.
That said, this is the first year that I've raised my own bird. Every previous year, I've had a store bought broiler prepared by family. I remember one year having an organic farmed free range bird and was blown away by how tender and tasty it was. I always figured it was the cooking technique but having researched the organic, free range turkey market in the UK, I've discovered that the reason they retail so much higher than a broiler bird, has a lot to do with how they are treated post slaughter. Basically, the birds are dispatched via dislocation, creating a large neck cavity for blood pooling but with the skin still in tact. They are then plucked and hung, in tact, for up to a fortnight. Then they are dressed out and sold. This considerably improves the flavour and texture of the meat.
I have four toms. I have two orders from friends and am planning on eating two ourselves. Being that I'm already a brining convert, I'm going to dispatch one of my two early to trial the hanging method so I know which I prefer in time for Christmas.
