Turkey brine recipe needed

[akmike47]

@akmike47
How long on your brine for chicken and turkey?

Not my favorite thing birds, my deal is beef briskets, skirts, and pork ribs , shoulders.

(Deleted do to being way off) We always injected them was too big a PITA to brine several hundred lol.

Could inject them as you tossed them on the pit. Usually had a lot full of big smokers going. Our two pits held quite a few brisket.

One was 5x14ft I think. Took up most of a 20ft car hauler. Been several years now.

Edit: Don’t listen to me, see below lol

 

[Snuby642]

well I will leave that stupid post up for a laugh, somebody said 48 hours?

 

[akmike47]

well I will leave that stupid post up for a laugh, somebody said 48 hours?

I’d go with whatever Alton brown says, that guy knows food.


All I have is a smaller traeger now, we got burnt out cooking. It was always a shit ton 10-40 pits and like I said couple thousand yard pimps, 800 turkey, couple thousand racks of ribs.

The ribs raised money to do the other. We fed the needy/shut ins in the county on thanksgiving and Christmas. Fed/clothed, made toiletry bags, got blankets for the homeless, built women’s shelters, blah blah blah. I’m volunteered out, I’ve done my good dead’s I can be an asshole now lol.

I don’t really do much anymore too many scammers and lazy people. I will buy a actual homeless person food now and again, or a beer if they are honest about it.

 

[akmike47]

well I will leave that stupid post up for a laugh, somebody said 48 hours?

I lied google says 8-18 hours

 

[vh20]

1-1/2 cups Kosher salt and 1 cup brown sugar per gallon of water. Place bird in stock pot and cover with brine solution. Place lid on pot and place in refrigerator for 48 hrs before smoking. I've done 24 hrs and couldn't tell much difference though.

Hint: To figure the amount of brine you need, place the bird in the pot and fill with plain water until it is covered, measuring the amount of water you put in as you add it. When the amount required to cover the bird is determined, dump the water and mix up the same amount of brine solution at the ratio previously stated, and pour it into the pot over the bird.

 

[Snuby642]

All I have is a smaller traeger now, we got burnt out cooking. It was always a shit ton 10-40 pits and like I said couple thousand yard pimps, 800 turkey, couple thousand racks of ribs.

Wow

When both my sons were active duty the wife and I were in overdrive when they showed up.
They would bring friends.

Grill, smoker and kitchen ran about 20 hours a day sometimes 24.

Those were the best days.

 

[supercorndogs]

1-1/2 cups Kosher salt and 1 cup brown sugar per gallon of water. Place bird in stock pot and cover with brine solution. Place lid on pot and place in refrigerator for 48 hrs before smoking. I've done 24 hrs and couldn't tell much difference though.

Hint: To figure the amount of brine you need, place the bird in the pot and fill with plain water until it is covered, measuring the amount of water you put in as you add it. When the amount required to cover the bird is determined, dump the water and mix up the same amount of brine solution at the ratio previously stated, and pour it into the pot over the bird.

This has been my experience with a wet brine also. I see some say less than 24 hours. Martha Stewart told me less than 72 hours. The ones i only gave 24 hours I couldn't really tell a difference. 48hrs, is better, but pushing closer to that 72 hour mark seems to make the bird more moist and tender. I always wonder if part of the difference bird to bird is just due to the actual bird, but of the dozens I have done, the half dozen or so that only brined for 24hrs, and the un-brined turkeys I have cooked were much different.

My brother's wife's brother always deep fries turkeys for their family. They asked me to cook them a turkey to take home for leftovers. I heard this from a few friends who don't even like turkey after I started brining birds. "That is the best damn turkey I have ever had. I usually just drown turkey in gravy and choke it down to be polite." We cook a whole turkey about once per month. Then we usually cook about 6-12 on Thanksgiving and Christmas. Its no prime rib, but its also 89 cents per pound right now.

Same with Antelope. Same guy, he was like. That is Antelope, what did you do to it?!?!?

I think another overlooked thing in making a good turkey is not choosing too big of bird. I don't like to go over about 15lbs.

 

[powdahound76]

Yeah.

Im not sure what people are doing that it doesnt taste good.

My smoked turkeys disappear fast.
I have to keep my cutting board in a jelly roll pan because they are so juicy.

 

[CheStadium]

Take a look at amazingribs.com.

I'm dry brining and frying this year.

 

[Odysseus1911]

Yeah.

Im not sure what people are doing that it doesnt taste good.

My smoked turkeys disappear fast.
I have to keep my cutting board in a jelly roll pan because they are so juicy.

I think people oversmoke them.

I talked my dad into getting a stick burner a couple years ago and he decided to do a couple birds for turkey day. They were inedible. The whole time I kept telling him he wanted "thin blue smoke" coming out of the chimney, but no. He was "smoking them", right?!. Smoke so thick looked like he was burning leaves. Those birds came out jet black.

 

[Cowpokey]

Just bought a new smoker. The propane Masterbuilt was needing the part under the chip tray replaced...it worked well for 6 years. Stepped up to my smoker game. Going to brine, spatchcock, dry rub and smoke the turkey for Thanksgiving. I've read through this entire thread, and watched several pro made videos so I should be ready.

 

[eflyguy]

@akmike47
How long on your brine for chicken and turkey?

Not my favorite thing birds, my deal is beef briskets, skirts, and pork ribs , shoulders.

You're not asking me but I take mine from frozen and it takes a couple of days in a "gatorade" style water cooler (no, it's never used for drinking!) - perfect size for a turkey and well insulated.

 

[Snuby642]

Thanks that is a good call on container and time.

 

[SharpsNitro]

Have to read through all of this. I’m going to try my first turkey on the smoker next week, will be brining, spatchcocking and smoking on a Big Green Egg. Current plan is to use a brine recipe I found on the BGE site and to use post oak for the smoke.

As an aside, have any of you ever had a Greenberg’s smoked turkey out of Tyler Texas? Awesome bird, their plant burned down a year or so ago but they are back in business this year.

Greenberg

www.gobblegobble.com

 

[Makarios031]

+1 for AmazingRibs.com

They are my go to for any meat or cooking process I am unfamiliar with - the grilled lamb chops are PERFECT.

Grilled Or Smoked Turkey Recipe: Our Guide To A Perfect Bird

Our grilled and smoked turkey recipe and tutorial make your ordinary holiday meal extraordinary! Here's everything you need to know about making the ultimate holiday bird. We also bust some myths, discuss side dishes, and so much more!

amazingribs.com

This is an insanely intricate write up - the biggest take away is:
1/2 tsp Kosher salt per pound applied 12-24 hours prior to cooking - I do this to every piece of poultry and have never had anything dry. Anyone struggling with chicken breast will overcome with this step.
The second is his Simon & Garfunkel Rub with olive oil is great and crisps the skin.
Spatchcock is quick but you must temp the breast near the ribs and at the center.
We did the “gravy” but prefer a real turkey gravy from giblets. His was very good but was more broth.

 

[calling4life]

I cook Cornish game hens often on my showtime rotisserie and have been doing this since it was bought for me as a joke about 15 plus years ago.

I brine these, at times for 10 days or so, never ever will I understand people who do this for "hours or at max a day."

Have done it on game meat as well, steaks too.

Water, salt, sugar.

Did a root beer brine once and it was actually amazing, should have written it down, surprised me, still never do it, but worth noting it was a success anyways.

 

[eflyguy]

AmazingRibs is a good site with great info.

 

[NFAJohn]

Fresh 5 gallon bucket from Tractor Supply
1 Cup course sea salt
1 Cup rye whiskey
3 diced jalapenos
1 clove garlic
2 whole grape fruits
1/4 cup olive oil
Water from the well that is cold af

Soak Mr. gobble gobble for 24 ours in the fridge

Pull from brine and pat dry
Dust outside with Salt, pepper, pork rub of choice, drink healthy portion of whiskey
Onto the smoker at 225 for 30 min per pound until 165 internal. After first hour place in roasting pan and baste with butter ever 30 mins, last 1/2 hour go to 325 to crisp skin, (get a bird under 12 pounds, you have the cook the big ones too long and it can make you sick)

More whiskey

Carve turkey and enjoy

 

[akmike47]

Have to read through all of this. I’m going to try my first turkey on the smoker next week, will be brining, spatchcocking and smoking on a Big Green Egg. Current plan is to use a brine recipe I found on the BGE site and to use post oak for the smoke.

As an aside, have any of you ever had a Greenberg’s smoked turkey out of Tyler Texas? Awesome bird, their plant burned down a year or so ago but they are back in business this year.

Greenberg

www.gobblegobble.com

Unrelated, Tyler had the smallest strip club ive ever seen. Never been in but it can’t hold many people passed it when I traveled there for work.

Got family from there, but don’t know any if they are still there. The stripper might have been one

 

[NoDopes]

I heat half the water first to dissolve salt and suger. Let it cool and add the rest before adding turkey. 24 hrs was enough for me.

 

[akmike47]

I wonder how Italian dressing would be with turkey? We used to mix up a bunch of shit in ice chests to marinade those chickens and it had a bunch of Italian dressing and lemon juice, chicken came out great.

I wish I could remember all the stuff we mixed up.

 

[akmike47]

+1 for AmazingRibs.com

They are my go to for any meat or cooking process I am unfamiliar with - the grilled lamb chops are PERFECT.

Grilled Or Smoked Turkey Recipe: Our Guide To A Perfect Bird

Our grilled and smoked turkey recipe and tutorial make your ordinary holiday meal extraordinary! Here's everything you need to know about making the ultimate holiday bird. We also bust some myths, discuss side dishes, and so much more!

amazingribs.com

This is an insanely intricate write up - the biggest take away is:
1/2 tsp Kosher salt per pound applied 12-24 hours prior to cooking - I do this to every piece of poultry and have never had anything dry. Anyone struggling with chicken breast will overcome with this step.
The second is his Simon & Garfunkel Rub with olive oil is great and crisps the skin.
Spatchcock is quick but you must temp the breast near the ribs and at the center.
We did the “gravy” but prefer a real turkey gravy from giblets. His was very good but was more broth.

He seems credible until he said it took 3 minutes to make a medium roux, every Cajun I’ve ever known would slap the shit out of him for that. That's a white roux like you use for cream gravy, medium takes 30-60 minutes usually. Dude would make gumbo that looks like coffee with creamer.

The dry brine makes sense could probably add your herbs to it.

 

[SharpsNitro]

Unrelated, Tyler had the smallest strip club ive ever seen. Never been in but it can’t hold many people passed it when I traveled there for work.

Got family from there, but don’t know any if they are still there. The stripper might have been one

Don’t know anything about Tyler beyond the turkey. My dad used to deliver the newspaper to Old Man Greenberg when he lived there as a kid back in the late 40s or early 50s.