How can I save a salty turkey?

Hello!

I am using a turkey recipe that calls for 1/2 a cup Diamond Crystal salt or 1/4 cup Morton salt... dry brined. It's been brining for 24 of 48 hours and I realize that I did indeed use 1/2 a cup Morton salt. How can I save it?? Should I rinse the brine immediately? Or wait and do it before I bake it?

madccook
  • Posted by: madccook
  • November 22, 2023
  • 720 views
  • 1 Comment

1 Comment

Nancy November 23, 2023
Dear MadCook -

Oh how awful! Though I have done other blunders, not this one so far. Here are a few suggestions,.

1) Here's an thread on the topic that suggests water bath, discard salty water, rinse & repeat. Including up to several days. So do what you can in the time before roasting, and get as much salt out as possible.
https://cooking.stackexchange.com/questions/103812/how-to-remedy-an-over-brined-turkey#:~:text=If%20the%20turkey%20weren't,can%20speed%20up%20the%20process.

2) Balance out the salty turkey with some sugar (in its regular form or in a sweetened glaze).
https://www.google.com/search?q=can+sugar+balance+out+too+much+salt+in+meat&oq=can+sugar+balance+out+too+much+salt+in+meat&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUyCQgAEEUYORigATIHCAEQIRigAdIBCDk2NDRqMGo3qAIAsAIA&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

3) Wildly under-salt (that is, add no salt to) everything else you make for the main meal - stuffing, gravy, potatoes, etc. Then, when it's served and eaten the combination of the salty turkey and the no-salt sides will hopefully balance out to a wonderful balance of flavors.

Hope one or more of these works!
 
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