Food and Beverage - Turkey Brine

Any of you Smoking & Grilling guys have a good Turkey Brine concoction? I have a big bird I am going to spatchcock and put in the smoker.

Thank's in advance!

I'm smoking a butt this year. Last year we did a turkey the brine I used was pretty easy just

•1 cup salt (1 1/2 cups Kosher or coarse salt)
•1 cup brown sugar
•peppercorns
•1 onion
•1 carrot
•bunch of scallions
•one hot pepper
Fill it with about a gallon and a half of water enough to cover the bird. Cook it until it comes to a boil let it cool then place bird in it. I let mine stand overnight.

It turned out pretty awesome. Good luck

Going to put one on the MES first thing Christmas am, I am injecting mine in lieu of brine. Hope this works out ok been told it does.

How long do you smoke your birds and what kind of wood

Going to put one on the MES first thing Christmas am, I am injecting mine in lieu of brine. Hope this works out ok been told it does.

How long do you smoke your birds and what kind of wood

Figure 30-40 minutes per pound running at 235.

Figure 30-40 minutes per pound running at 235.

Thanks, bout what I was figuring. I do a lot of smoking but not a lot of turkeys (normally we fry them)

Put my bird on at 5 am this morning, started smoke last night about 10 at 250 so it would be good and hot at 5 am. Had turkey ready to go but added little more rub and in it went.

WE SMOKIN:thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:

Will post some pics but even if I have to say so myself, DAMN IT WAS GOOD

Admiral said it was better than fried turkey

Will post some pics but even if I have to say so myself, DAMN IT WAS GOOD

Admiral said it was better than fried turkey




Our came out very good as well, epic in fact. My bird was about 19 pounds, so I had to spatchcock it ( remove the backbone, flatten it out and cut it in half) I ended up about 12 hours of brine time. Everybody loved it.

I used Thermadhook's brine more or less, THANKS!

Used 16lb bird and took it off about 1 pm, 7 hours

My question is what if i did more than one bird at a time, would it take longer ;?

I've discovered a nice salty rub works about as well as a brine and is less of a mess if you don't have room for a container of brine. Works well on breasts anyway. Just lots of Lowrey's seasoned salt inside and out, then garlic and pepper. Let it rest for a day, then come up to room temp before smoking. Maybe an hour and a half for a 6lb breast in a charcoal smoker without water.

Used 16lb bird and took it off about 1 pm, 7 hours

My question is what if i did more than one bird at a time, would it take longer ;?


If you mean will two birds in the smoker take more time, for me, marginally yes. BTW, a 16 Pound bird is a big bird to e be smoking whole!

BTW, a 16 Pound bird is a big bird to e be smoking whole!

Yea I was concerned about it but turned out great

Really meant to pick up a 12-13lb bird, we fry a lot of turkeys as well and I have fried a few 20+ lb birds but have come to realize it is much easier to fry 2 15lb birds instead.

Thinking same thing for my Thanksgiving dinner next year, My family and Admiral's family both come to our house for T Day and it takes two.

Love them fried but have to admit the smoking is much easier to do, takes longer but I do not have to baby sit the bird the entire time and also saves the $35 for peanut oil

Turkey Brine

My recipe

1/2 gallon Orange juice
1/2 gallon Apple juice
1 cup Teriyaki sauce

1 cup salt dissolved in 1 gallon water (add enough water/salt to cover bird)

soak overnight

Back to the top. I have been googling brines. I brined a turkey many many years ago but couldn't tell a difference. Think I am going to try again this year. AFD, I am going to try using your brine recipe. It looks interesting. Do you inject your turkey after brining/before cooking?

I have a real good cajun butter inject that I make and that butter in the breast meat really moistens it up. However, if the brine does the trick I won't bother injecting.

Mine's in the fridge with a Jack Daniel's & Maple Syrup brine. I'll take it out tonight and let it dry before the smoke. (http://tvwbb.com/showthread.php?10090-My-Jack-Daniel-s-Maple-Syrup-Brined-Turkey-w-Pics)

Tomorrow AM I'll ice the breasts for about 45 minutes, oil & season the skin, and throw it in the smoker at 325-350 for 4-5 hours with some cherry wood. I'll also be making Mad Max's gravy to go along with it. (http://www.nakedwhiz.com/madmaxturkey.htm)

Wish me luck!

Ok,
How about you guys post up how the bird turned out. I brined my 15 pounder for about 12 hours and cooked it on the grill, not really smoked per se. Damn it was good!

Turned out really good. I used AFD's brining solution except cut the water to 1/2 gallon and added some worcestershire sauce, bay leaves and garlic. Brined for 12 hours. Then injected with a honey, beer, cajun spice inject. Then deep fried.

I smoked a turkey and it took me hour and a half. It was juicy and very tasty. I didn`t use my big smoker, I used my Orion cooker.

Put two turkeys in the fryer for Thanksgiving and one on the smoker, Admiral and others really liked the smoked on better but ALL 3 were gone by end of the day

I use the same cajun rub/injection on all three

Seems like the flavor is more intense on the smoked one but naturally the skin/crust was better on the fried ones

you all may know this but the brine has to be able to float a raw egg (so the ratio of salt to water is correct) then the liquid in the meat can be replaced by the brine.

Here's mine.
Always get compliments on how moist the bird is.
I take it a step further and roast it in an oven bag as well.

Ingredients:
1 (10-12 pound) whole fresh turkey, giblets and neck removed and reserved for stock
2 apples, quartered and cored
1 onion, peeled and quartered
2 rosemary sprigs
3 sprigs sage
Olive oil, for drizzling
1 cup cubed carrots
1 cup cubed celery
1 cup cubed onions

Turkey Brine:
2 gallons water
1 tablespoon ground ginger
4 tablespoons cracked black peppercorns
12 bay leaves
1 cup kosher salt
24 ounces honey or 1 cup of brown sugar
24 ounces maple syrup
2 oranges, quartered
2 lemons, quartered

To make the brining solution, in a large stockpot, bring the water, ginger, black peppercorn, bay leaves and salt to a boil. Lower to a simmer and stir in the honey (or brown sugar) and maple syrup until well blended. Turn off heat and allow to cool to room temperature. Transfer the brine to a non-reactive container (such as a clean bucket or a clean, heavy-duty, plastic garbage bag placed inside a cooler.) Add the oranges and lemons.
Note: if you have a big turkey and need more brine than this, use 1/2 cup salt and 1/2 cup brown sugar for every gallon of water.
Rinse the turkey inside and out with cold tap water. Reserve the neck and specialty meats for pan gravy. Set the turkey in the brine, making sure that the turkey is fully immersed in the brine. Place a weight on top of the turkey to make sure it is always covered with brine. Marinate for at least 4 hours to overnight, depending on the weight of the turkey, in the refrigerator or in a cooler with ice.
YOU MUST KEEP THE TURKEY TO A TEMPERATURE BELOW 50 DEGREES F TO PREVENT BACTERIA FROM GROWING.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
In a heavy roasting pan, place the carrots, celery and onions. Use a thick, heavy duty roasting pan – enameled cast iron or heavy stainless steel – not a thin, throw-away pan – these leave hot spots that burn portions and leave other portions uncooked.

You guys should look up Fire and Flavor Brines. I used the apple sage brine this year and everybody said it was some of the best turkey they have ever had. Fire and Flavor is out of Athens Georgia and has some really great products for you foodies.

If you brine a turkey a good rule to follow is at least an hour per pound.

I also made a sage butter compound to rub under the skin and covered the breast in layers of hickory smoked bacon to insure even cooking with the dark meet. Cooked on the BGE at 300 for 4 hours....perfection!

http://www.biggreenegg.com/recipes/smoked-turkey/

I used this recipe a few days before Christmas. The bird came out fantastic. Very moist and tasty!