Turkey breast -- the pre-injected 15% "solution"

[Smokeville]

I just picked up two 5lb frozen turkey breasts...... they have been injected with that 15% solution of water, salt, turkey broth etc.....

Do they need to be brined or will the solution act as a brine?

Thanks, Rich

[KevinG]

I'm thinking you still want to brine. The injection will eventually work its way through the meat, but it may take a while to do it. Kind of like only brining and not injecting, but in your case you're working in the opposite direction, but I've never done this before, maybe someone else would care to chime in.

[msed]

i have done 3 of those boneless turkey breasts, 1 without brine. It was good without brine, but better with. With the brine you can add more flavor, some sweetness, etc. depending on your tastes.If you have the time, i say brine!

[classicrockgriller]

I'll just say this, If you are going to inject with seasoning, ie: tony's jalapeno/n butter, then no brining.

If not, then I am out of the equation.

Hope It is a great smoke!

[Habanero Smoker]

I just picked up two 5lb frozen turkey breasts...... they have been injected with that 15% solution of water, salt, turkey broth etc.....

Do they need to be brined or will the solution act as a brine?

Thanks, Rich

If you are speaking of factory injected brine, then there is no need to brine. It will come out moist. I've found that any poultry or meat which has been injected 5% or more usually doesn't benefit from brining. There may be some change, but I've never noticed any. It could not hurt to brine an already brined (injected) turkey breast.

If the poultry or meat is already brined, then during osmosis the higher concentration of salt water will flow toward the solution that is less concentrated. Since the poultry/meat is already brined there may be a little exchange flowing in or out, depending if the solution in the brine is higher or the solution in the meat is higher. Osmosis will occur and continue until the salt solution in the brine is equal to the salt solution in the cells of the meat. Since the brine solution and the solution in a meat are close to equal to begin with, it would probably take longer then the common brine times of 8 - 24 hours, for the solutions to have any meaningful effect on each other.

The only way I can see this having any effect is by using the brining method that Pachanga uses. He uses a low salt brine, and brines for 3 -4 days. What I suspect is happening when you use his method, is first he is using a low salt brine, so the brine will have a weaker solution then the turkey, and secondly he is brining for 3 - 4 days. Because of the lower salt solution in the brine it will draw most of the solution out of the turkey (reverse osmosis - similar to what is occurring when you soak a piece of meat after it has been cured). Once that has happened, the brine salt solution will be higher then what is in the cells of the meat, and osmosis will take place, drawing in the flavors with it. To me the 3 - 4 days of brining is plenty of time for all of this to occur.

[Smokeville]

Thanks, HS, and all of you....

I wasn't quite clear in my post - yes, the 15% solution was injected at the "factory" before freezing and shipping.

Rich