Time to brine the turkey!

[Pajamarama]

In a few minutes, I'll be getting the turkey out of the fridge and soak it overnight in a 5 gallon bucket of brine to prepare it for tomorrow's feast.

I just use kosher salt and water. I know some people add spices, fruit, etc to their brining solution. Anyone got any tried and true recipes for turkey brining?

 

[spasm3]

I have a 23 lb turkey going on the smoker at 1:30am!

 

[Quattro Pete]

When I brine chicken wings, I add pepper flakes and chopped garlic to the brine. Wondering if it'd work on a turkey.

This year we just bought a few turkey breasts that were already baked since it's just the two of us and two friends. Now I'm cooking them in a pan with butter, garlic, and marjoram to improve taste and make them juicy.

 

[dlundblad]

Mom has hers brining too. She adds more spice than salt I think? Our turkey is only 14 lbs, but we picked up a few hams for the extra company.

I am pretty excited to say the least.

 

[Rolla07]

You silly people celebrating Thanksgiving so close to Christmas!! Just kidding!! Was just across the border and saw all the shopping and celebrations going on, nice to see.. Thanksgiving up in Canada occurs in early/mid october but not nearly celebrated as well as you folks down in the USA! You are all making me hungry!

 

[mcrn]

I just brined mine for the first time......Vegetable stock....water.....garlic....peppercorns.....salt.....brown sugar.....candied ginger....and all spice.

 

[Stewart Fan]

Gallon of water

Gallon of apple juice

2 cups salt

Small handful of peppercorns

I put a 12lber for the smoker and a 16lber for the oven in this brine a few minutes ago. I'll pull and rinse them after about 12 hours.

 

[Pop_Rivit]

Our turkeys went into the brine a couple hours ago. We spent Thanksgiving doing charity work, but we'll have (at last count) about 15 people out on Friday. I use a simple brine of water, vegetable broth, honey and kosher salt.

I'll fire up the smoker somewhere around 2:00 AM Friday morning, and the turkeys should be ready somewhere around 1:00 PM.

A couple years ago I had someone on this forum insist that turkey couldn't be smoked-the skin would end up rubbery and tasteless. I chuckle at that every time I smoke a turkey-everyone loves our smoked turkey and I always get asked for it at holidays. And no, the skin is certainly not rubbery.

 

[Stewart Fan]

Originally Posted By: Pop_Rivit

A couple years ago I had someone on this forum insist that turkey couldn't be smoked-the skin would end up rubbery and tasteless. I chuckle at that every time I smoke a turkey-everyone loves our smoked turkey and I always get asked for it at holidays. And no, the skin is certainly not rubbery.


Same here,my smoked turkeys have very tasty skin when finished.

 

[spasm3]

Turkey skin is fine smoked, especially on a water smoker. Now if you get it too hot, well that will do it.

 

[JHZR2]

I've enjoyed plenty of smoked turkey. I don't eat the skin, and I can see how the meat could get too dry, but I can't see how anyone would see it as impossible or an issue.

 

[Nyogtha]

I've smoked many turkeys since about 1975. Brining can be beneficial but if the bird has been factory brined you have to kick up the salt content to overcome the salt in the factory brine, otherwise there's no movement between the solution and the meat.

Instead I use Cajun Injector brand injections with a factory brined bird, to great reviews. Smoking poultry around 325°F helps yield crispy skin vs. typical "low & slow" smoking temperatures.

For turkey brine recipes Smokin Okies Holiday Turkey Brine has the most positive reviews of any turkey brine recipe I've seen.

For tomorrow, I'm smoke-roasting a brined pork loin, cut like a scroll then stuffed with tart Michigan cherries & chevre goat cheese (and usually nuts except my mother in law is on Dr.'s orders for no nuts now), with a cherry fruit sauce for serving.

 

[spasm3]

I'm going to try smoking some onions cut in half. Don't know if they will be good but i'm going to thrown them on there at about 8:30 with the turkey and see if they are good.

 

[spasm3]

A bit of sea salt on the bird and its now on the smoker! i'll stay up a bit and keep it smoked heavy for the first hour, then lower the temp and load up the chip tray and head to bed

 

[asiancivicmaniac]

I'm not a fan of the taste of turkey, and brining doesn't do enough to take away the gamey flavor. This year, I'm marinating it in mojo marinade. It has been sitting in it since Monday.

 

[spasm3]

Originally Posted By: asiancivicmaniac
I'm not a fan of the taste of turkey, and brining doesn't do enough to take away the gamey flavor. This year, I'm marinating it in mojo marinade. It has been sitting in it since Monday.


Smoking( the turkey) will fix that.