Sugar balances the flavour of the salt and I don't think it's necassary for the actual tenderizing process. I frequently put a dry salt and herb cure on meats like chicken, duck and pork and the flavour is just fine.

Here's a link on how brining works. So, the process does allow sugar to enter the cells. How much enters? Your guess is as good as mine.

In the grand scheme of things, one brined turkey does not blow a whole low-carb WOL. So from the pure enjoyment point of view, do it and enjoy it.

I'm including my own recipe for brined turkey.

Ninety Minute Miracle Turkey
Serves 10-12

1 15 lb. turkey
2 cups kosher salt or 1 cup table salt
1/4 cup Sugar Twin
1/4 cup Splenda
24 cups water
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted

Dissolve the salt and sweeteners in the water. Split the turkey down the backbone and flatten out - you can ask your butcher to do this for you. Submerge in the brine and refrigerate for 8 hours. Remove from the brine, pat dry and refrigerate uncovered for 8-12 hours.

Preheat oven to 450°F. Place the turkey on a large baking sheet or roasting pan and brush with the butter. Place on a rack in the lower third of the oven. Roast for 80 – 100 minutes until the thickest part of the thigh registers 175°F and the thickest part of the breast 165°F. Rotate the pan from front to back after 40 minutes.

Let the turkey rest for 20 minutes before carving.

Karen

That's a great recipe. I will use concepts from all three recipes to achieve my perfect turkey . I can't use your method per se, since we are having a stuffed turkey, (stuffings for everyone else). Thanks for your response.

Have a great week-end!

I made pork-rind stuffing for Thanksgiving this year and it was pretty good. I put lots of mushrooms and sausage in it.

I know it's traditional to stuff a turkey but I stopped doing years ago when I realized that stuffing a cold turkey with cold stuffing inhibited the turkey from cooking to perfection.

The cavity in the turkey allows the heat to cook it from the inside as well, so I don't truss whole chickens or turkeys for roasting. Cooking time is shorter and there is less of a chance of overcooking.

A lot of cooking traditions come from a time when the ingredients were a lot different than they are now. The turkey of 100 years ago was no doubt more flavourful, but it was also more sturdy and required different cooking techniques.

What's the whole point of my spiel? Cook the stuffing in a separate pan for a better roasted turkey.

Karen

Karen,,

Okay, here I am again... but do you mind me asking what your Pork Rind Stuffing recipe was??? I would really like to see it.
Thanks
Cindy

PS...I would definately buy a couple cookbooks if you have them for sale too.

Thanks

I didn't have a recipe, but this is what I did.

I softened nion and celery in butter and fried sliced mushrooms separately in butter. Then I crumbled up some sweet Italian sausages and fried those without fat. I mixed everything in with some crumbled pork rinds, chicken stock to moisten it, fresh chopped sage, salt and pepper to taste and a few eggs to bind it. Pack it into a baking dish and bake it at 350 for about 30 minutes.

It's not as soft as bread stuffing, but I give it a pass.

Karen

My family would scream if I suggested that the stuffing not actually be included in the bird. But, I will give it a try Thanks!

Go ahead Carlotta. Be a renegade!

Karen

Thanks Karen,

I will definately give it a try and wing it, it sounds yummy.

Cindy