George wrote on Sat, 04 Sep 2010 14:34:38 -0400:

> On 9/4/2010 1:18 PM, Nancy Young wrote:
>> jmcquown wrote:
>>> "Nancy Young" > wrote
>>
>>>> The reason is that it was salty as hell. Pretty much
>>>> inedible and had that ooky soaked texture. Here's my question: Are
>>>> turkey breasts sold brined or should I find plain,
>>>> unadulterated turkey breasts if I go shopping for one?
>>
>>> A fairly recent thing (last 10 years) is the suggestion that
>>> brining turkey is a *wonderful* idea. Sorry, but the same
>>> people complain about WalMart's injected meat. I don't get
>>> the difference. Subtract the syringe, you still have the
>>> same thing. Brine. Salt.
>>
>> When I brine a turkey or a chicken, it doesn't come out salty
>> and overly soft the way commercially brind meats do. For one thing,
>> the brine isn't sitting in the meat for
>> days/weeks/months on end the way store stock is. The brine
>> doesn't have as much time to turn the meat to mush. No way am
>> I buying WalMart brined meat and paying meat prices for
>> water. No thanks. And when I brine, what goes into it is what
>> I want in it.
>>
>>> Maybe soaking it in cold water for 12 hours would help.
>>
>> It won't help the texture, I won't bother making a turkey
>> breast again unless I can find a natural one.
>>

Trader Joe's (and others's) "fat-free" sliced ham and turkey breast have
interesting textures. After wrapping a slice in a paper towel and
nuking, it begins to resemble real meat, even if there are alarming
poppings and bangings as the water leaves. :-)

--

James Silverton
Potomac, Maryland

Email, with obvious alterations: not.jim.silverton.at.verizon.not