Soak Your Turkey In One Dairy Ingredient For Ultra-Tender Results

There are a million tips online about how to marinate, soak, and brine America's favorite big bird for ultra-tender results. But whether you're frying, roasting, or smoking your turkey, there's one of many clever ways to upgrade your turkey that's so easy you won't believe you haven't tried it before: a buttermilk marinade.

The active tenderizing ingredient in any dairy-based marinade is lactic acid, the ingredient added to fermented milk to make buttermilk. Too much acid may ruin your marinade, but lactic acid is far gentler than citrus or vinegar mixtures. This makes it ideal for soaking large pieces of meat, like turkeys, for long periods as it gives the buttermilk enough time to tenderize and provide flavor whereas a lemon or vinegar-based marinade may make the wings and legs mushy before it has a chance to tenderize the thicker breast muscles. Plus, the naturally occurring sugars in the milk will kickstart the Maillard reaction, giving you a perfectly golden brown bird.

Like with fried chicken, a buttermilk marinade is an excellent choice if you plan to fry a whole turkey. The creamy texture helps capture any extra seasoning for a flavorful exterior, ultra-tender texture, and juicy interior. However, the efficacy of any marinade is entirely dependent on timing and the size of your meat, so take these into account when planning your turkey dinner.

Buttermilk is a fantastic ingredient for both a simple marinade and complex brines. All you have to do is keep in mind how much you're making and how large your bird is. For the following suggestions, we'll be using a 12- to 14-pound turkey as an example.

For a marinade, select a container that's large enough to fit your turkey but small enough to let three quarts of buttermilk completely cover it. Let it marinate for 48 hours so the lactic acid has a chance to fully penetrate even the thickest portions of muscle. If you'd like, flavor the buttermilk with your choice of ingredients like poultry seasoning, bay leaves, garlic, or peppercorns.

Brines are great ways to inject salt directly into the turkey's meat. However, if you leave the bird in too long, the lactic acid and salt will compromise both the flavor and texture of the meat, rendering it far too soft and salty. As a general rule, shoot for two parts buttermilk to one part brine and soak your turkey for no longer than 24 hours. This ensures the right balance of salt and tenderness while giving any other spices the chance to flavor the meat. For bonus points, try incorporating some pickle brine into the mixture!