Brineing A Self-basting turkey?

[JECIII]

I am planning on brineing a turkey this year per alton browns recipe. HERE

Someone bought the turkey for me and it is of the self-basting variety.

Should I continue with the recipe directions for brining?
Should I decrease the amount of salt in the brine?
Should I decreace the amount of soak time?

Has anyone brined a pre-basted or self-basting turkey before?

Please lay down your experiences.

Thanks in advance.

 

[ginantonix]

I'm pretty sure that's a bad idea. Self-basting turkeys have already been loaded with salt and artificial butter-type stuff. Reducing the salt in a brining recipe would defeat the purpose of brining.

I would either stick it in the freezer for another day and purchase a real turkey for the brining experiment, or perhaps give the self-basting to a worthy charity? (I'm not sure if there is a food bank or charity kitchen in your town that could use an extra turkey for Christmas?)

 

[JECIII]

It initially seems like a bad idea in theory, but has anyone ever tried it?
Wouldnt the whole osmosis equlibrium thing prevent over saltiness?
Perhaps using a bit less salt in the brine would counteract the salt included in the self-basting solution?

The fact is I dont want to buy another turkey and I would like the one given to me to taste the best possible.

If I have to I will just use the roasting instructions of the recipe and forget the brineing.

 

[stobes21]

It initially seems like a bad idea in theory, but has anyone ever tried it?
Wouldnt the whole osmosis equlibrium thing prevent over saltiness?
Perhaps using a bit less salt in the brine would counteract the salt included in the self-basting solution?

The fact is I dont want to buy another turkey and I would like the one given to me to taste the best possible.

If I have to I will just use the roasting instructions of the recipe and forget the brineing.

I brined a turkey with AB's recipe this thanksgiving that claimed to be pre-brined (by the time I realized it the turkey was already in the brine). It came out delicious.

 

[Hreafn]

I dont like brineing the birds, it is the latest fad in cooking, i'll lay strips of bacon over the breast and either cook the bird in one of those bags things or baste it. Basting has worked for hundreds of years no reason to change it now.

 

[JECIII]

I dont like brineing the birds, it is the latest fad in cooking, i'll lay strips of bacon over the breast and either cook the bird in one of those bags things or baste it. Basting has worked for hundreds of years no reason to change it now.

If all else fails, ADD BACON!!!!! Woo HOO!

 

[JECIII]

I finished the thawing process in the sink with cool water (reverse brining?) then brined per AB instructions over night. All went well and it was delicious.

 

[raisindot]

Oh, definitely brine away. Shouldn't make a difference whether the bird is self-basting or not. The brining brings out the flavor of the meat inside the skin. The self-basting'll just be the proverbial icing on the cake.

Jeff in Boston

 

[mike88]

I used a brine with what ended up being a self-basting turkey that I didn't know about till later following AB's recipe and method. No basting was done. The only problem I had was because it was self-basting the crunchy skin i had at the begging after 30 min/ at 500 ended up soggy at the end because of the holes in the skin.