A brining accident in the Great Salt Lake sends a Utah family’s Thanksgiving turkey from the dinner table to the beach.#Thanksgiving #SaltLakeCityUT #Utah #News
Utah’s Salt Lake CityThanksgiving is a time for wonderful turkey, food, and family. However, for one Utah family, their Thanksgiving turkey turned out to be an unexpected shore visitor on the Great Salt Lake, giving their holiday a surprising twist. Authorities are now cautioning people against using the unusual turkey brining technique that caused the poultry accident.
The Great Turkey Brine Failure
By brining their turkey in the Great Salt Lake, the family came up with a clever concept. But as soon as the bird was carried away by strong waves, their plan went astray. The family was left without a turkey for their Thanksgiving dinner after the bird wound up on Silver Sands Beach.
A picture of the wounded turkey and a warning against the notion were posted on Facebook by the Great Salt Lake Park and Marina. Once again, the season has arrived! The post said, “Just your yearly reminder not to brine your turkey in Great Salt Lake.” The waves can be rather powerful, the salinity is too high for a proper brine, and there’s a significant possibility you could lose the entire turkey, as this person did.
Why the Great Salt Lake Isn t the Right Brining Solution
In order to break down proteins and make meat or fish more soft and moist when cooked, brining entails soaking it in salt water. Three to six percent salinity is required for a typical brining solution. Usually, two cups of kosher salt per gallon of water will do this.
But the salinity of the Great Salt Lake is far higher. Depending on the lake’s water levels, salt levels can vary from 5% to 27%, according to Utah State Parks. The average salinity of the ocean, on the other hand, is only 3.5%. The Great Salt Lake is an inefficient and possibly hazardous location to brine a turkey because of its extremely high saline levels.
Official Warnings About Using the Great Salt Lake
The Great Salt Lake should not be used for brining or other culinary experiments, officials have warned on several occasions. The Great Salt Lake Park and Marina pointed out that the salt renders the lake unfit for its intended use and that the waves are powerful enough to carry away even a turkey.
In their Facebook post, they also mentioned that the excessive salinity just doesn’t work for brining and that you may easily lose your bird in the waves. Experts at Utah State Parks support this suggestion, stating that the lake’s varying salinity makes it unpredictable and hazardous for such an undertaking.
Enjoy Your Thanksgiving Feast!
Therefore, as you are preparing your Thanksgiving meal, keep in mind that although the Great Salt Lake is a stunning sight, it is not the appropriate location for brining your turkey. To keep your Christmas feast intact, stick to more traditional techniques. You want a nicely brined bird on your table, not one that washes up on the shore, after all. Cheers to Thanksgiving!
RELATED TOPICS: Utah, Thanksgiving, and food
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