Turkey in vinegar: balsamic, wine and apple

White and red wine are common marinades for turkey meat, which is juicy, tender and moderately fatty.

Turkey kebab, in addition to its expressive taste, contains a maximum of useful substances.

Turkey meat is more animal-like than poultry meat.

It perfectly absorbs marinades, and when baked over hot coals it acquires a stunning golden-peach color.

Features of cooking turkey with vinegar

Turkey is a dietary dish. During cooking, it is important to take into account its features. Failure to follow the recipe will result in a tough and dry bird.

With vinegar essence

Experienced cooks and professional chefs advise against using 70% essence. The acid concentration is so high that the slightest error or deviation from the recipe will make the dish sour and ruin its taste.

With table vinegar

Add table vinegar carefully. For the marinade, 2-3 tbsp is enough. acids. Failure to follow the recipe will, at best, make the turkey too sour, and at worst, ruin its taste.

The table solution works well for marinated squid with vinegar and oil. This nutritious snack is not difficult to prepare; your guests and family members will appreciate its taste and aroma.

With apple

Apple cider vinegar is most often used for marinade. It makes the bird softer and gives it a specific fruity aroma. Since the acid concentration in the preservative is less than in the essence and table product, its use is safe for the taste of the dish. Fruit vinegars are natural products, so their use is preferable.

Have you tried turkey with apple cider vinegar?

Not really

With wine

Wine vinegar is used less often for marinade than apple cider vinegar. Because the cost of the preservative is much higher. The price of acid is determined by the characteristics of production.

Wine imparts a pleasant grape flavor to the turkey. It is almost impossible to spoil a dish using the product.

With balsamic

Balsamic, like wine vinegar, is a rather expensive product. The cost ranges from 200 to 500 rubles, depending on the brand and volume of packaging. But it is balsamic that many gourmets choose for marinade. Even if you add too much preservative, the dish will turn out juicy and flavorful.

Author's note

Agapov Vladislav

For turkey, use fruit vinegars. Synthetic preservatives can ruin the taste of a dish and make it tough.

Natural fruit vinegars are more suitable for turkey

Apple Cider Vinegar Marinated Turkey Recipe

Ingredients:

Turkey - 1.5 kg.
Water - 200 ml.
Onions - 3 pcs.
Apple cider vinegar - 75 ml.
Cilantro - 50 g.
Salt, pepper, spices - to taste.

Cooking instructions:

Start preparing the dish by washing the carcass. Then cut it into portions.
Peel the onion and chop it. Cut into half rings or rings.
Place the turkey and onion in a deep bowl and stir thoroughly until the onion begins to release its juices.
Mix vinegar with water and pour the resulting solution over the meat.
Add salt, pepper and spices to taste to the bowl with food.
Wash the greens, chop and add to the dish. Mix the ingredients thoroughly.
Place the meat in the refrigerator for 3-4 hours.
After the specified time has passed, place it on a skewer or place it in a grill pan.
Fry until the pieces become golden brown. Cooking time should not exceed 30-40 minutes. Otherwise the meat will become dry.

Calories:

100 g of the finished product contains 194 kcal.

If you don't like the taste of poultry, learn how to soak rabbit in vinegar before cooking. Using acid will create tender meat that will melt in your mouth.

See how to make delicious Balsamic Turkey

Easy turkey recipe with wine vinegar marinade

Turkey in wine vinegar has a spicy taste. To enhance it, add basil.

Ingredients:

Turkey fillet - 1 kg.
Porcini mushrooms - 0.5 kg.
Wine vinegar - 150 g.
Onions - 3 pcs.
Garlic - 4 cloves.
Basil - to taste.
Salt, pepper, spices - to taste.

Cooking instructions:

Rinse the carcass under running water. Dry it with paper towels or napkins.
Cut the turkey into pieces.
Place the pieces in a deep bowl.
Peel the onion, cut it into rings or half rings. Add the chopped vegetables to the meat and stir.
Add spices to taste.
Chop 4 cloves of garlic using a knife or a press. Add to the initial mixture and mix the products thoroughly.
Pour wine vinegar over the bird.
Place the meat in a cool place for 2-3 hours.
While the turkey is marinating, wash the mushrooms and cut them into large pieces.
Place a pan of water on gas, wait until the liquid boils, then add the mushrooms. Cook them for 5-7 minutes.
After marinating, start threading the meat onto skewers, alternating with onion rings and mushroom pieces. Alternatively, use a grill pan.

Calories:

100 g of the finished dish contains 180 kcal.

Cooking turkey with a wine vinegar marinade?

Not really

How to make turkey kebab with wine: tips

It is best to use homemade wine made from natural fruits and berries for marinating turkey in wine. Even a little peroxided will do - it will add piquancy.

You can also use store-bought wine, but not the cheapest of artificial ingredients, because its reaction with turkey meat is difficult to predict.

When choosing wine for marinade, you should give preference to semi-sweet varieties.

If the wine is too sweet, you can improve the situation with lemon or lemon juice.

The citrus aroma goes well with the wine marinade.

Among the spices, paprika, peppercorns, asafoetida, and ginger work well.

Spicy herbs will also come in handy: basil, leeks, watercress. Turkey kebab with rosemary turns out very tasty.

Shish kebab is prepared from different parts of a turkey carcass. This bird is quite impressive in size.

You can cut suitable pieces from the breast, thighs or drumsticks.

Remember that the thighs are the fattest part of the turkey.

The breast contains no fat at all, but it is not as dry as chicken.

You can combine pieces cut from different parts of the carcass.

Turkey is a fairly light meat.

It requires less marinating time than fatty pork and tough lamb.

Usually 4-6 hours are enough for the tender pieces to be completely soaked.

Recipe for cooking fillet with balsamic vinegar in a frying pan

Turkey in balsamic vinegar is tender and juicy. Use garlic as an additional ingredient. It will make the meat flavorful.

Ingredients:

Turkey fillet - 1 kg.
Onions - 2 pcs.
Garlic - 2 cloves.
Balsamic vinegar - 75 ml
Vegetable oil - 2 tbsp.
Salt, pepper, spices - to taste.

Cooking instructions:

Rinse the turkey meat, dry it with napkins and cut into 5-6 cm pieces. If desired, beat the meat.
Chop the garlic and cut the onion into half rings or rings.
Place the meat in a deep bowl, add onion, garlic and spices and mix thoroughly.
Fill the dish with balsamic.
Place the turkey bowl in the refrigerator or cool place for 40-50 minutes.
After the specified time has passed, heat the frying pan and pour vegetable oil into it.
Fry the pieces over medium-high heat. Continue frying until golden brown.

Calories:

100 g of the finished dish contains 190 kcal.

Turkey shashlik recipe in red wine

Ingredients:

turkey fillet - 1.5 kg
fresh lard - 300 g
onion - 6 medium sized heads
olive oil - 3 tbsp. l.
dry red wine - 1 glass
pepper mixture - 10 peas
dried basil - 1 tsp.
ground paprika - 1 tbsp. l.
ground red pepper - 1/2 tsp.
salt - 1/2 tbsp. l.

How to cook turkey kebab in red wine:

1. Rinse the turkey fillet and dry it with a paper towel.

2. Cut the pulp into large pieces across the grain. The size of the pieces is 5-6 cm.

3. Chop the onion into rings or half rings. Place in a bowl along with the spices and shake well with your hands to release the juice.

4. Add salt, olive oil and dry red wine. Remember everything again and mix.

Olive oil is necessary to enhance the taste and smell of spices, and it is also needed for dry meat. In the recipe for grilled mackerel, the oil prevents the meat from sticking to the bars of the grill.

Dry red wine, when added to the marinade, will give the turkey kebab a rich color and make it juicier and more tender.

5. Place the turkey in the marinating mixture and remember well.

6. Cut the lard into small slices and also add to the marinade.

7. Leave to marinate for 4 to 14 hours. If you use a vacuum marinator, then turn it on for 2 cycles of 9 minutes.

The longer the turkey kebab sits in the wine marinade, the more tender and juicy it will be.

8. When the coals are ready, you can string pieces of kebab onto skewers, alternating meat with lard.

How do you know when the coals are ready to fry meat? Level the coals with a poker. Break up large pieces. Place a sheet of newspaper on top. If the newspaper catches fire immediately, the heat is still too strong. If the newspaper began to show spots and smolder and only then caught fire, it means the coals are ready.

9. Turkey kebab is fried in a wine marinade for about 20 minutes. To check the readiness of the meat, you need to cut it with a knife. The finished turkey meat will be light in color.

How to marinate a turkey in table vinegar before baking in the oven

Roasted turkey is higher in calories. Therefore, many people prefer to cook meat in the oven.

Ingredients:

Turkey fillet - 1 kg.
Onions - 3 pcs.
Salt, spices - to taste.
Table vinegar 9% - 2 tbsp.

Cooking instructions:

Rinse the meat and cut it into 6-7 cm pieces.
Peel the onion and cut it into half rings.
Place the meat and onion in a deep bowl and mix thoroughly until the vegetables begin to release their juice.
Add salt, pepper and other spices.
Pour acetic acid into the mixture and mix thoroughly.
Place in the refrigerator or cool dark place for 1-2 hours.
After the specified time has passed, place the meat in a mold and place in an oven preheated to 180 degrees. Bake for 30-40 minutes. 10 minutes before cooking, reduce the temperature to 150 degrees.

Calories:

100 g of cooked meat contains 164 kcal.

Turkey in cream sauce

The main advantage of this recipe is the creamy sauce, which allows you to cook turkey breast for dinner or for sandwiches as deliciously as possible. Also, such a sauce will help eliminate the situation in which the meat dries out excessively during baking.

Ingredients:

turkey (fillet) – 700 gr.;
cream – 200 ml;
mustard – ½ tsp;
paprika (sweet and hot) – ½ tsp each;
cheese – 150 gr.;
seasonings - to taste.

Cut the meat into small slices and fry until golden brown, 2-3 minutes on each side. Place the finished pieces in a baking dish and pour over the sauce, for which mix cream, mustard, half a portion of grated cheese, both types of paprika and other selected seasonings.

Place the pan in the oven for 30-40 minutes at 190°C, 10 minutes before the end of the cooking time, sprinkle the dish with the remaining cheese. If the cheese crust starts to dry out too quickly, you can cover the top of the pan with a sheet of foil.

Marinade for turkey shish kebab with vinegar

Using vinegar is the most popular way to marinate meat. This is an important component even in recipes for chebureks with vinegar. Turkey fillet in vinegar turns out soft and juicy. Fruit preservatives add a pleasant aroma to the dish.

With balsamic

The marinade is easy to prepare. Just mix the acid with water and spices to taste. For 100 ml of water, take 3 tbsp. balsamic vinegar. If you want to add sourness to the meat, add 4 tbsp. preservative. There is no need to infuse the marinade. After cooking, immediately pour the solution over the kebab.

With wine

The cooking principle does not change depending on the type of vinegar. Only the proportions of water and acid change. To prepare the marinade, mix wine vinegar with water in a ratio of 1:3. For 300 ml, take 100 ml of preservative. Add salt, pepper and spices to taste and mix thoroughly.

With apple

Mix 100 ml apple cider vinegar with 400 ml water, add spices and mix thoroughly. Pour the resulting solution over the meat and place it in a cool place or refrigerator. In this way, you can prepare not only the turkey, but also marinate the duck in apple cider vinegar. The dish will turn out tender and juicy.

See how to make marinades for a juicy turkey.

Why and how to marinate a whole turkey for subsequent baking in the oven - the essence of the question

Not only American citizens adore turkey - ours are also not fools to try turkey meat. You've probably noticed that we've been having a real turkey craze lately, especially on New Year's and Christmas. But, to be honest, few people make the dish tasty. I believe that the reason for failure is ignorance of just two factors:

Turkey meat is quite lean, especially the breast, and the average bird weighs 5-6 kg. The following follows from this circumstance.
This carcass takes quite a long time to prepare according to the classic recipe. The result is almost always the same - dry, tough meat, including the vaunted breast.

To be honest, I myself had never thought about how to marinate a whole turkey for baking in the oven, preferring to cook baked duck or goose. Apparently, this would continue until I accidentally saw Alton Brown’s cooking show “Good Eats” on the Food Network channel.

Some people think that soy sauce and honey are important here, others think that honey mustard marinade is important. In fact, what is needed is brining technology, in other words, marinating in brine. A short time will be enough for the carcass to be soft and juicy.

The reception was heatedly discussed among English-speaking authoritative bloggers. I trusted their recommendations and did not regret it: firstly, the cooking time was reduced by almost half; secondly, the meat turned out tender and tasty.

What is the magic of brine?

We are not talking about the brine that people actively use to improve their health after a riotous feast. Let's talk about a solution for soaking the product before subsequent heat treatment. To understand how to marinate a whole turkey for baking in the oven, a brief excursion into the school curriculum in physics and chemistry is enough. For those who are not interested, skip the theory and start practicing.

All the magic of a simple brine rests on three pillars:

Diffusion is the process of interpenetration of microparticles of one substance between the molecules of another, which leads to spontaneous equalization of their concentrations throughout the entire volume. In our case, the turkey marinade completely ensures the penetration of salt molecules into the meat cells.
Osmosis is a variant of one-way diffusion, when solvent microparticles pass through a membrane towards the most concentrated solution. Our solvent is water, which saturates the meat cells along with salt. A carcass left in brine overnight will weigh 7-8% more than its original weight.
Protein denaturation is a disruption of the unique protein structure. Initially, the protein in meat has a twisted configuration; after exposure to a saline solution, the polypeptide chain unfolds. In other words, before baking, a matrix is formed in the meat that retains moisture inside the cells, thereby preventing dehydration of the carcass during heat treatment.

How it works in the process

Now I will briefly describe the essence of the marinade procedure. I repeat once again - this is not pickling with vinegar, as we commonly believe, but rather soaking in brine. The technology for implementing brining is not rocket technology, everything is simple here. The whole process can be described by the axiom that nature abhors a vacuum.

When we were going to marinate the whole turkey for baking in an electric oven, we immerse the turkey in a solution of water, salt and sugar, thereby disturbing the balance of things in nature. An imbalance is created when the concentration of components around the carcass is much higher than inside it.

Natural forces begin to work, trying with all their might to equalize the balance, but even the best brine will not do this quickly - it takes time. The cells inside meat are surrounded by a semi-permeable membrane through which water and salt molecules, but not proteins, can pass freely.

Through osmosis and diffusion, the cell moves curing substances in and out, attempting to restore equilibrium with the surrounding solution. Of course, this also adds flavor to the meat. When the salt concentration in the cells increases, the tightly coiled protein structure gradually unwinds. Some types of proteins are almost completely denatured and liquefied.

At the beginning of the process, the meat is dehydrated. As the diffusion elements of brine accumulate in the tissues of the carcass, a gradual transition occurs from the phase of its dehydration to the phase of hydration. Due to the fact that the meat will gain moisture, it will be tender and juicy, and no mayonnaise or wine vinegar is needed here.

Recipe for cooking turkey with vinegar and onions in the oven

Ingredients:

Turkey fillet - 1 kg.
Onions - 4 pcs.
Garlic - 3 cloves.
Salt, pepper, spices - to taste.
Water - 300 ml.
Apple vinegar - 75 ml.
Hard cheese - 100 g.

Cooking instructions:

Cut the pre-washed meat into small pieces.
Chop onion and garlic.
Place meat and vegetables in a deep container and mix thoroughly. Add salt, pepper and spices.
In a deep bowl, combine water and vinegar and stir. Pour the resulting solution over the meat and send the workpiece to marinate in the refrigerator or a cool, warm place for 1-2 hours.
After the specified time has passed, place it in a mold and place it in an oven preheated to 180 degrees for 30-40 minutes. 10 minutes before the end of cooking, reduce the temperature to 150 degrees and sprinkle the meat with grated cheese.

Calories:

100 g of finished dish contains 180 kcal

Practice: how to marinate a whole turkey for further baking in the oven

Friends, I hope I’m not tired of my theoretical research, so let’s get down to business! To be honest, Alton Brown’s marinade recipe alarmed me, since the classic salting technology contains slightly different proportions of components. Nevertheless, I did everything according to his recipe and did not regret it.

The dish was ready in just two and a half hours, which is almost two times less than with traditional cooking without pre-processing. The meat turned out to be tender and rich in flavor. Now I know how to marinate a whole turkey at home for roasting in the oven, and I can recommend the secret to preparing a gourmet dish.

Ingredients and equipment

I had a bird weighing 6 kg, but the listed number of components is enough for a seven-kilogram carcass. You can find a larger bird, but is there any point and, most importantly, the ability to bake it - it simply won’t fit into a standard oven. So, let's take:

Salt – 250 g.
Sugar – 100 g.
Black peppercorns – 1 tbsp.
Dried thyme – 1 tbsp.
Dried rosemary – 1 tbsp.
Dried sage – 1 tbsp.
Vegetable broth – 3.7 l.
Cold water – 3.7 l.
Ice – 3-4 glasses (if possible).

The minimum set of spices works flawlessly - tested.
No, I don’t insist on this list; I also came across recommendations for soaking poultry in orange marinade. However, I prefer to put orange quarters inside the carcass before baking - a piquant taste is guaranteed. I should try adding kiwi in the future for extra sourness. Many people are confused about what to soak so much meat in. A bucket or deep basin will do. For example, I used a ten-liter plastic container. You will need some other weight so that the carcass does not float and is completely in the brine.

Important! Don't forget to defrost the turkey in advance if necessary!

Vegetable broth

They say that this “happiness” in America is sold ready-made in boxes, but I didn’t see this here, so I prepared the broth myself. There is nothing complicated here - no more difficult than preparing brawn or jellied meat. So, before marinating the whole turkey in brine for baking in the oven, prepare a vegetable broth:

Water – 4 l.
Onion – 1 pc.
Carrots – 2 pcs.
Celery stalk – 3 pcs.
Garlic – 3 cloves.
Tomato – 1 pc.

In fact, the traditional ingredients for vegetable broth are carrots, onions and celery.
But other components can be used if desired. Cabbage, broccoli, zucchini, and sweet peppers are suitable. And in general - put what you have on hand and suits your taste. For example, I didn’t use garlic because we didn’t like its aroma. Preparing the decoction will not take much time. Pour water over all ingredients, bring to a boil and cook for 40 minutes. Afterwards we filter and use it for its intended purpose.

Brine preparation

In a large saucepan, add spices, salt, sugar to the strained marinade and cook for 10 minutes. Then remove from heat and cool to a temperature of 20-25°C.
Place the turkey in a bucket, fill it with broth, add cold water and ice. The amount of water must be the same as the amount of brine, otherwise the salt concentration will be increased.

Important! The carcass must be completely immersed in the marinade; if this does not work, turn it over every 5-6 hours. Keep the meat in brine for two hours per kilogram of weight, i.e. a six-kilogram bird will be salted for 12 hours. You don’t need it for a day or two - just over-salt the product, it’s better to under-salt it.

We put the closed container with meat in the refrigerator or some cold place. I won’t talk about the chemistry of the process, just remember – the optimal temperature of the solution should be at the level of -2...+2°C.

FAQ

Housewives are interested not only in how to prepare a delicious marinade, but also in other questions. Not knowing the answers to them can affect the taste of the dish.

Is it possible to use old meat from the freezer?

You can use old meat that has been in the freezer for a long time to prepare a delicious dish. It must be taken into account that the product will be harsh. To prevent this, beat off the pieces of poultry and increase the marinating time to 3-4 hours. Keep in mind that frozen meat may have a specific aroma. To eliminate it, use fruit vinegars and flavorful sauces when serving.

What seasonings are best for marinating turkey?

Rosemary, curry, black or a mixture of peppers, basil, turmeric, nutmeg, and savory are ideal for marinating turkey. Coriander, paprika, garlic, cumin, ginger, cardamom, and anise will add a pleasant taste and aroma.

How to Prepare a Turkey for Marinating

Before marinating poultry, rinse it thoroughly under running water and dry it with paper towels or napkins. Then cut the carcass into equal pieces of 5-6 cm.

How long to marinate turkey?

The turkey marinates quickly. 3-4 hours are enough for the meat to become soft and soaked in juice. If you don’t have much time, you can reduce the marinating to 1-2 hours. This time is enough for the young turkey meat to soak through. If the dish needs to be prepared urgently, and you don’t even have 2 hours, thoroughly pound the meat, then marinate it and put it in the refrigerator or a cool dark place for 30-40 minutes.

What to do if there is too much vinegar in the marinade

If you used apple cider vinegar or other fruit vinegar for pickling, no need to worry.
Natural preservatives have virtually no effect on the taste of the dish and do not make the turkey sour. If you used table salt or essence, rid the meat of excess acid before cooking it. To do this, place it in a bowl of boiled water at room temperature for 20-30 minutes. After the specified time has passed, dry it with paper towels or napkins. If the dish is still sour, add 1 pinch of soda. To remove acid, soak the meat in mineral water or cream. Vinegar can be used not only for pickling, but also for preparing dairy products. Few people know how to make cottage cheese from fresh milk with vinegar.

If the meat is old, use garlic to get rid of the unpleasant smell

On a note

Turkey is a dietary dish, suitable even for children. Marinades make it soft and juicy. It is preferable to use fruit preservatives. Natural acids based on fruit and wine give the bird softness, juiciness and a pleasant aroma. Essence and table vinegar can ruin the taste of the dish.
The marinating time depends on the freshness of the product, the size of the pieces and the desired result. The best option is to soak in the acid solution for 3-4 hours. If you don’t have much time, you need to beat the carcass first.
The dish can be prepared on skewers, or you can use a grill pan or oven. You need to cook for no more than 30-40 minutes at 180 degrees. If you increase the time, the meat will turn out dry and tough. Step-by-step recipes with photos will allow you to prepare a delicious dish without much difficulty.

Do you love turkey? Do you use acetic acid for pickling? Share your opinion in the comments.