Full question
Hi, I tried the brined Superjuicy Turkey last year, using a good quality, free-range bird. It was tender, but not in a good way; it fell apart under the knife, rather than cutting into slices. I've never had this problem before. What did I do wrong?
Our answer
Nigella's Spiced And Superjuicy Roast Turkey (from NIGELLA CHRISTMAS) bathes the turkey in a brine made from brown sugar, salt and spices before cooking. Brining helps to season the turkey, as well as keeping it moist.
If you brine the turkey for too long then it can start to have a negative effect and the proteins in the meat will start to break down, causing the meat to fall apart. So always keep to the guideline times and if your cooking time changes, remove the turkey from the brine, pat it dry and refrigerate it until needed. However, we note that you have used a good-quality turkey and possibly a heritage breed, and these can cook more quickly as they tend to have slightly less exaggerated or large breasts versus a mainstream turkey and also they tend to have a higher fat ratio that can change the cooking time. So it is possible that the meat is falling apart as the turkey slightly overcooked. However, as it was brined the turkey would not be dry. If you buy a heritage bird they often come with cooking instructions and it is worth using these as a guideline. Also it may be worth using a meat thermometer as a guide to when the turkey is cooked.
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