The Pickle Trend Has Finally Reached Thanksgiving, And We’re Stressed

When I say goodbye to this fair earth, I’ll close my eyes – and a pickle will appear before me. I’m convinced of it. Not because I have some kind of attachment to pickles, or because they’re going to ferry me into the afterlife or anything like that, but because I’ve spent so much time talking about them in the last year that they’re constantly at the forefront of my mind. Sadly for people who hate vinegary, herby chomps of acid-softened vegetables, the pickle trend refuses to disappear: Just last week, Jimmy John’s brought back a pickle-heavy favorite, and preserved cucumbers are being seen in almost comical quantities over in Japan. 

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But surely Thanksgiving is safe, right? Nope. This year, you can have a pickle-flavored turkey. C’mooon.

Reynolds Dill Pickle Turkey

Consumer goods company Reynolds, which is, of course, most famous for its aluminum foil and food bags, has taken the curious step this year of announcing its Reynolds Dill Pickle Turkey. I say “announcing” because Reynolds isn’t actually releasing a pre-brined turkey here, as you might assume: Instead, as part of the 10th anniversary of its Trending Turkey campaign, it’s promoting a dill pickle turkey recipe, which you can make at home with either its Heavy Duty Foil or Turkey Oven Bags. 

The clue’s in the name with this campaign: In previous years, Reynolds has brought such offers as the Espresso Turkey-tini and the Dubai Chocolate Turkey to the table, jumping on the biggest food moments du jour and transfiguring them into your holiday centerpiece. It’s pretty harmless fun – even if the thought of a pickle-themed turkey is kinda making me queasy this morning. Turkeys shine when they’re brined, of course, thanks to the liquid both seasoning and tenderizing the meat…and dill pickle juice is essentially a brine, so this recipe makes a little more sense than some of Reynolds’ other wacky offers. But vinegary, dill-inflected turkey just isn’t speaking to me here. It all feels a little busy, if you ask me. 

But I Wanna Try It!

Well, friend, you can. Reynolds’ full dill pickle turkey recipe was provided in its press release, and you’ll basically need all the ingredients you’d use in a standard turkey brine (so various whole and ground spices, water, garlic, that kinda thing), plus eight cups of dill pickle juice, a lot of fresh dill, and some pickle spears and chips. The idea with the latter two is that they work as a garnish: The spears make the turkey’s “tail,” while the chips adorn your bird as you serve it. 

Look, this one might be for you. But I…don’t think it’s for me. I’ll take my turkey pickle-free, thanks.