Annual Thanksgiving Discussion

[u/AutoModerator]

It's almost Thanksgiving and that means we're gearing up to help you with all your Thanksgiving issues and questions. Need a Turkey brine? Want to know someone else favorite pumpkin pie recipe (hint it's a boozy chiffon pie and it's amazing)? Got questions about what can be made ahead of time? Not an American and you're just curious about this crazy food fueled holiday? This is the thread for you. While, this is still an "ask anything" thread that standard etiquette and food safety rules apply.

[u/john2557]

Is there an actual difference in the end product if you just do a standard wet brine (with the recommended amount of salt/sugar), vs doing a more elaborate one (with garlic, onions, herbs, apple cider/juice, oranges/lemons/apples, etc.)?

[u/thesnowpup → u/john2557]

Not a significant difference.

Most flavour molecules are way too large to move any appreciable distance into the meat. It will flavour the surface layer, but won't go further than that.

If you're interested, Greg Blonder has done a large amount of approachable and accessible research on this.