# Who's brining



## surfinsapo (Nov 25, 2008)

a turkey this Thanks Giving? Want to share your brine recipes if they aren't family secrets? I want to make something different this time. thanks yall...


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## Bruce B (Nov 25, 2008)

Here you go SS

INGREDIENTS    

1 12-14 lb turkey (mine this year is just uner 15lbs)
1-2 gallons apple juice (I used apple cider)
1 lb brown sugar
1 cup honey/maple syrup
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup Jack Daniels (never tried this before, but I only had a little left in the bottle, so what the Hell)
1 cup kosher salt (or more depending on amount of apple juice used)
3 oranges, quartered
12 black peppercorns
10 whole cloves
6 bay leaves
6 large garlic cloves, crushed
2 tbls dried thyme
1 tbls dried sage

DIRECTIONS

Combine apple juice, brown sugar, and salt in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring to dissolve. Boil for one minute, remove from heat, let mixture come to room temperature, add honey/maple syrup, then refrigerate to 40*F.

In a large non-reactive container, combine the apple juice mixture with the remaining ingredients and stir. Place rinsed, drained whole turkey into the brine. Use a heavy weight to keep the bird submerged, if necessary.

Refrigerate for 24 hours. Remove turkey from brine and pat dry inside and out. Fold wing tips under the bird. Brush outside surface with vegetable oil or melted butter.

Cook at 325-350*F to 160-165*F in the breast, 170-175*F in the thigh. Let rest 15-20 minutes before carving.

I'm doing my bird on the Weber Kettle this year using a turkey cannon.


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## surfinsapo (Nov 25, 2008)

Thanks Bruce. I just got a 10 lb fresh turkey and will brine it starting When I get up on Wed. Looks like a great recipe. I'll add a few extra goodies to make it S.Tx taste.. Yikes...  .. Take pleanty of pics and I'll do the same. Have a safe and Happy Thanksgiving!!!!


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## dmtky (Nov 25, 2008)

hey Bruce, them turkey cannons so the trick don't they, only way to cook the bird anymore as far as I'm concerned, usless it's on the smoker of course


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## bigwheel (Nov 25, 2008)

Well aint nobody gonna catch me brining no steeken juajalotes.  I just buy the kind that is already brined such as about 99.99999% of the dumb critters which can be found at a regular old grocery store.  The one I got is supposed to ooze out butter as it cooks. Now is that fancy or whut?

bigwheel


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## surfinsapo (Nov 25, 2008)

bigwheel said:
			
		

> Well aint nobody gonna catch me brining no steeken juajalotes.  I just buy the kind that is already brined such as about 99.99999% of the dumb critters which can be found at a regular old grocery store.  The one I got is supposed to ooze out butter as it cooks. Now is that fancy or whut?
> 
> bigwheel


Try injecting it with 15 oz. of Gerital. I heard that rocks!!


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## Bbqbrad (Nov 25, 2008)

This is my chicken wing brine for lemon pepper. But we're gonna use it on the turkey this year.

1 cup brown sugar
1 cup kosher salt
2 cups boiling water
2 12oz cans beer
4 teaspoon thyme
4 teaspoon rosemary
 Zest of 1 lemon
6 bay leaves
2 cups ice

Mix the sugar, salt and boiling water. Mix until dissolved. I then put this in a chili pot that has a trash bag in it. Then add all other ingredients. fill to the top of the meat with water. 

I soak for 1 hour for chicken.  I'd do about 4-6 hours for a whole gobbler.


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## Bruce B (Nov 25, 2008)

dmtky said:
			
		

> hey Bruce, them turkey cannons so the trick don't they, only way to cook the bird anymore as far as I'm concerned, usless it's on the smoker of course



I'll let you know, this will be the first time I've used it. I've heard outstanding reviews of it though.


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## Damar12 (Nov 25, 2008)

Simple Spicy Brine

½ cup Kosher Salt
½ cup Sugar
1 Gallon Water
2 T Tender Quick 
1/4 cup Zatarains Liquid Crab Boil Seasoning, optional

Allow to sit in brine 24 hours for turkey breast, whole turkey for 48 hours.  Cook at 250 degree setting until breast gets to 170 internal.

I like it with the crab boil, different with wang.


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## surfinsapo (Nov 25, 2008)

Damar12 said:
			
		

> Simple Spicy Brine
> 
> ½ cup Kosher Salt
> ½ cup Sugar
> ...


Isn't that a bunch of crab boil? what does it taste like?


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## bigwheel (Nov 25, 2008)

Well to start with a person don't even start to brine at anything less than a cup o salt per gallon of agua. We doing a salt water soak here. Crab boil tastes like you have cleaned out the eyetalian section of your spice drawer. It also hot cuz they put poleece peppa spray in it.  It should be hot and eyetaliney..but doubt if it reaches the bone. Takes a real brine to reach the bone. I had a chicken which tasted like a Pepperoni Pizzer to the bone one day. Yeppers got a little carried away with the Oregeno and was guilty of the one cup per gallon rule. Now that be a weak brine. A strong old timey perservative type brine would add salt till it would float a raw egg. Now why anybody want a turkey with pink meat I aint sure. I would leave out the TQ.  All the old pharts will start screaming its raw.  Person should have plenty of leftovers under that scenario. 

bigwheel


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## Rockin Rooster (Dec 1, 2008)

It's been a while since I've posted, but smokin all those turkies got me thinking about the chat here. I saw this thread, and I figured I'd put this out there, even though it's after Thanksgiving. 

It's super simple but I have friends knocking down my door to cook there Thanksgiving bird every year.

2 cups of salt 
2 gallons of water 
2 gal Pineapple juice


Disolve the salt in the water on the stove and cool with ice.
pour that into what ever your using for a brining container and mix in the pineapple juice. add birds and lots of ice and set for 4 - 6 hours.

Oilit, rub it, and smoke the dang thang.


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## bigwheel (Dec 1, 2008)

Well I was fixing to start naggin about the cardinal rule of brining been possibly broken    Which is the salt and the sweet have to equal out or it turn out too salty. But then I got to thinking about all that pineapple juice. I mean that stuff purty danged sweet and there is a bunch of it. Assuming ya done good on that part.  Now I save you some grief on brining techniques. Get two unscented Glade tall trash bags and layer them one inside the other.  Put the turkey in there breastes side down and pour your brine over the top. Squeeze out all the air you can and tie a knot in the bags. Throw it in an icechest or the icebox in the house. Give it a shake rattle and roll occasionally. I like to go at least 24 on turkeys. Now some say them trash bags is pizzen but I but doing it like this for years and as can be readily determined..I am alive and well.  Now if you the squeamish sort...somebody say you can sub out large ice retail vending bags or one of them turkey roating bags..but them thangs are expunsive.  Thanks for the recipe. Got it copied.

bigwheel


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## BayouChilehead (Dec 2, 2008)

surfinsapo said:
			
		

> Damar12 said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



They have two types of Zatarains, regular and concentrated. If he is using the regular it won't be to potent. If he is using the concentrated....it might be.


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## Rockin Rooster (Dec 2, 2008)

I've never had any problem with any brine I've tried makin my food to salty. The sodium opens the pours of the meat and carrys the flavors into the meat. Sure you can go overboard, but I would imagine that would take quite a bit of salt to do. Anyway, It's nice to be able to get back to talkin Q again.


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## bigwheel (Dec 2, 2008)

Well aint sure about that opening up the pours bizness...always heard the rumor brining worked by a process called Osmosis which prob means opening up the pours in some language    Now as far as getting a brine too salty I have discovered several ways to do it.  1st way is to use warm brine.  2nd is not add enough sweet to counteract the salt. 3rd way involves being drunk and forget eggxactly how it happened right now. 

bigwheel


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## Griff (Dec 2, 2008)

bigwheel said:
			
		

> 3rd way involves being drunk and forget eggxactly how it happened right now.
> bigwheel


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