I have been using this for years, with great results.

https://www.amazon.com/Spice-H...+hunter+turkey+brine

It is sold at our local grocery chain for a lot less than the amazon price.

I have a 3 gallon (food grade) bucket just for brining birds, Quick and easy.

And they always come out great on the Kamdo Joe.

Look up Jeff Katz turkey brine recipe. Might be on www.wrva.com website.

Don’t forget to add the lemons. I dare you.

Brine recipe

1 gallon water
1/2 cup brown sugar
rind of an orange
3 sprigs rosemary
1 cup Kosher salt
2 quartered yellow onions
1 head of garlic, halved
12 pound turkey

put the turkey in a 2.5 gallon zip lock bag. I use double bag to guard against leak. Mix all brine ingredients in a large pan and pour into bag. Marinate in refrigerator at least 12 hours. I leave it in for 2 days. Turn bag occasionally.

We use John Henry chicken tickler rub .

Fry or smoke your preference. We use the beer can method on the smoker at 225 degrees, figure 45 minutes per pound. Drop 1/4 lemon and 1/4 orange in the ceramic beer can with the beer. The turkey comes out tender as butter.

I have been brining 1-2 turkeys each year for the past 10 years. I think it works well. I’ve used Alton Brown’s brine most often but other popular recipes have worked well too.

My biggest tip is to brine in a five gallon water cooler (the round ones with the spout at the bottom). They are the perfect size for any turkey up to 25 pounds and the insulation allows you to keep the cooler outside on a porch or in a garage. Just get the brine very cold before starting, put the turkey in, and then put a gallon sized zip top bag full of ice on top. The bag serves two purposes: it keeps things cold without diluting the brine and it makes sure the turkey stays submerged. The spout makes draining easier and cleaner, but a bit slower.

quote:

Originally posted by Wayniac:
Don’t forget to add the lemons. I dare you.

LOL...that is funny!

quote:

Originally posted by IndianaBoy:
http://www.seriouseats.com/201...en-thanksgiving.html

^^^THIS!!! ^^^ Dry brine FTW! And Serious Eats, especially Kenji, is GREAT info!

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Not much to add about brining other than I have been very happy using the recipes by:

Alton Brown www.FoodNetwork.com/recipes/Alton-Brown/Good-Eats-Roast-Turkey-recipe-1950271

Martha Stewart www.MarthaStewart.com/343940/Turkey-Brine


Also important to understand are all the types of Turkey. For example, never brine a Kosher or Self-Basting Turkey because their processing includes soaking in a salt solution:

(from Alton Brown's Thanksgiving Turkey Survival Guide: www.AltonBrown.com/Thanksgiving-Turkey-Survival-Guide)

Commercial/Standard: Broad breasted white, developed in the 1960s for our love of white meat, count for 99.99 percent of megamart turkeys. They weigh between 16 and 22 pounds at 12-14 weeks. After processing they weigh between 12-18 pounds. National average is $1.50 per pound. So heavy and large breasted birds cannot fly or mate naturally.

Natural: This is not a controlled term. No artificial ingredients or color is added, and they are minimally processed. These birds tend to be drier, which can be remedied with brining. Natural poultry can be given antibiotics.

Kosher: These birds are broad-breasted, white processed birds processed under rabbinical supervision. They are grain fed, have access to the outdoors, given no antibiotics and soaked in salt brine . Salting seasons the meat, improves texture and retains moisture.

Organic: Certified by the USDA (an accredited certifying agency); raised on 100 perfect organic feed, have access to outside and have zero antibiotics.

Self-Basting: Injected with or marinated in a solution. It increases the moisture content for a juicer bird, but masks the turkey’s flavor — do not brine these birds.

Free-Range: Access to outside — doesn’t necessarily mean it has roamed though. Commonly misunderstood as organic or naturally processed, however, this does not refer to the birds feed or handling.

No Hormones Added: Sometimes added to labeling, though this is meaningless as no hormones are allowed in U.S. poultry or eggs.

Heritage Birds: These are turkeys from old-fashioned (heirloom) breeds. Eight varieties are listed in the American Poultry Associations Standards of Perfection: Black, Bronze, Narragansett, White Holland, Slate, Bourbon Red, Beltsville Small White and Royal Palm. Other recognized varieties like Jersey Buff and White Midget, have been accepted by the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy, but not the APA. Heritage birds are a lot more expensive than commercial birds coming in at $7-10 per pound (commercial averages $1.50 per pound). All heritage birds must meet the following:

– Natural mating and growth

– Long productive outdoor life style

– Slow growth rate (7-8 months, 2x longer than commercial turkeys)

– No antibiotics or other additives (i.e. basting solutions) can be given to heritage birds

– Heritage birds have time to develop an extra layer of fat which is said to add to their deeper flavor. Because they are allowed to run and fly, their meat is firmer/chewier. The meat is darker without being gamey.

Alton Brown's Survival Guide has more about Turkey size, storage, and thawing.
www.AltonBrown.com/Thanksgiving-Turkey-Survival-Guide

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quote:

Originally posted by DSgrouse:
when i do my cured smoked turkeys, I go the 5 gallon bucket and start with alton browns basic brine. I then adjust sugar/salt combo to include instacure 2. then I brine the birds for around 30 days at 38 degrees. Add a 2days for every 2 degrees below, and 1 day for every 2 degrees above per 24 hour period.

You brine the bird for 30 days????? Is that a typo? As I would think the bird would disintegrate floating in brine for 30 days.

Aren't most grocery store bought turkeys already brined?

Tagging

After I clean/prep the Bird I put it in a turkey sized oven baking bag. Put both into a large stock pot, then add my brine. Remove the air from the bag and seal it up.
This keeps the whole thing contained. The bird getting completely brined.
Cleanup is simplified.

Cheers~

I've been wet brining for several years and always get good results, the first time I used Alton Brown's recipe but after that I changed it to only using the salt and sugar part of it. I use one of the x-large ziploc bags and then place that into a large container in the fridge for 24hrs. This year im going to dry brine ours, i saw this recipe and technique on America's Test Kitchen/Cooks Country and it looked promising.
Measurements for a 12 lb turkey – adjust for larger turkey
Mix

4 T kosher salt
4 t sugar

Separate skin from meat from both breast and legs. Rub 2 T mixture on each breast and 2 t on each leg.

Tress the legs with twine and turn the wings under.

Place on rack on sheet pan. (like a cake rack, not roast rack). Put turkey in fridge uncovered to dehydrate for about 48 hours. Remove from fridge and pat off any remaining surface moisture. The skin should be fairly dehydrated.

Mix

1 T baking powder
1 ½ t oil

Paint the mixture on turkey breast only; not on legs.
Make a foil shield roughly same shape as wide paper airplane and mold to turkey breast.

½ hour before putting turkey into oven, preheat oven at 500 F and place baking stone in oven with empty roasting pan on top.

Remove roasting pan and put 3 T oil in bottom of roasting pan. Place turkey in roasting pan (will sizzle). Place roasting pan back onto baking stone and turn oven down to 425 F and roast for 45 minutes.

Drop oven temperature down to 325 F and remove foil shield. Roast until breast is at 165 F and legs are at 175 F.

Transfer to carving board. Rest for at least 30 – 45 minutes.

Use drippings for gravy.