Turkey Brining

[The Celtic Gypsy]

We have brined our Turkey for several years. The best salt to use is Diamond Crystal Kosher salt as it does not seem to make the turkey too salty while giving it the juicy meat. I will say brining a turkey is the best way to have turkey!

[funlvnman]

I got a 5 gallon tub at Home-Depot for my brining. I use Alton Browns recipe which is quite similar to Jamies

I went to brewing 10 gallons at a time, so all my old pots just sit around. This year I bought a small turkey (12lbs) so my first stock pot (12qt) fit it great. For bigger birds I use the pot that came with my turkey fryer.

MM

[puddlemuddle]

I have been brining for the last three years. Very simple....5 gallon bucket, ice water, brown sugar, kosher salt, minced garlic, Worcester sauce.....then I put in the oven after soaking overnight and patted dry, into an oven bag with white onion, thyme, sage, and rosemary....absolutely divine flavoring!!!

Cheers!~
CHad

[Arlen]

I'm not 100% sure since Diane deals with the Turkey, but as far as I know the brine was kosher salt water, butter and apple cider vinegar. (We just put it in a bucket lined with a garbage bag.)Then it was oven roasted in stock and veggies with a covering of sage and butter.
Whatever she did it was absolutely delicious and perfectly moist but meaty when it came out.

[thescot]

I got a 5 gallon tub at Home-Depot for my brining. I use Alton Browns recipe which is quite similar to Jamies

This is the best advice you can have.

I promise you on my honor as a gentleman and a boulevardier extraordianire, if you will download Alton Brown's recipe and follow it from brining to the 161 F alarm sound on the remote thermometer, you will have a perfect turkey every time.

I used to disdain anything but a smoked turkey because I couldn't stand dry turkey breast, but this recipe is the best you can find. My only alteration is to leave it overnight like he does on the show. Occassionally I'll grease it down with butter instead of canola oil, but that's a small matter.

You can get a 5 gal. bucket at Home Depot, soak water and chlorine bleach in it to kill germs, and then go for it. It'll be the best, juciest turkey you ever ate.

[sydnie7]

When I brine a chicken, I'm able to put it in the fridge overnight (submerged.) I can barely get a 20+ lb turkey into the fridge along with all the other holiday stuff -- how do you keep it cold while brining overnight? Remember we are in San Diego so putting it outside overnight doesn't do the trick

[piperdbh]

Not to change courses here, but if you're roasting a turkey, it will cook faster if you cut it apart and then bake it o a cookie sheet. That way, you can thake the smaller pieces out when they're done, and leave the thicker ones in the heat.
A whole chicken in a Crock-Pot is a good way to go, too.

Ahhhh, those were the days...

[thescot]

When I brine a chicken, I'm able to put it in the fridge overnight (submerged.) I can barely get a 20+ lb turkey into the fridge along with all the other holiday stuff -- how do you keep it cold while brining overnight? Remember we are in San Diego so putting it outside overnight doesn't do the trick

You pour in ice water with chunks of ice as the last step and set it in the coolest spot you can find. I use a 5 gallon plastic bucket and a pot lid a bit smaller than the turkey to make sure it stays under the water while it's soaking.

Check the ice occassionally and add more as needed.

[funlvnman]

When I brine a chicken, I'm able to put it in the fridge overnight (submerged.) I can barely get a 20+ lb turkey into the fridge along with all the other holiday stuff -- how do you keep it cold while brining overnight? Remember we are in San Diego so putting it outside overnight doesn't do the trick

You need a cooler large enough to hold the bucket. Put the brining bucket in the cooler, cover it with a lid or tin foil, fill the cooler with ice and brine away.

[MuffinMan]

Again being a homebrewer I can either use my kegerator or my fermentation chamber (converted chest freezer) to cool down any amount of Turkeys. I love to brine my chickens with Amberbock, then slam a can up its **** with spices and more bock, place it on the Weber till nice and juicy.

MM