Brine Recipe's for turkey...

Go_Mizzou99
Go_Mizzou99 Posts: 2,628 Member
edited November 8 in Recipes
I have been using my tried and true brine recipe for a long time (see below). This year I will be smoking two turkeys. Maybe this is a perfect time to try a new brine on one of the birds. Do you have any recommendations?

My recipe for 1-gallon of brine follows:
To 1/2 gallon of water add 1-cup salt, and 1 tablespoon each of sage, rosemary, and thyme.
Bring mixture to boil.
Set aside and let cool.
Add about 1/2 gallon of ice and cold water to above-brine.

Rinse thawed turkey, place in large pot or plastic bag. Immerse in room temperature or colder brine (not hot brine!!!). Turkey must be submerged. Place all in refrigerator for 18 to 24 hours.

Rinse brined turkey very well - season to suit. Pop it on the smoker...

If you have never brined a turkey or chicken, all I can say is after you do it once, you will always do it. It makes the most juicy poultry there is.

Replies

  • jolt28
    jolt28 Posts: 218 Member
    OMG - so much sodium... I'm sorry - I'm willing to eat some items that I wouldn't normally eat, because of the holiday but no way would I do a brine. Raises my BP just thinking about it lol.
  • mygnsac
    mygnsac Posts: 13,413 Member
    edited November 2014
    jolt28 wrote: »
    OMG - so much sodium... I'm sorry - I'm willing to eat some items that I wouldn't normally eat, because of the holiday but no way would I do a brine. Raises my BP just thinking about it lol.

    I've heard sodium, while increased, isn't as high as you would think. I took the quote below from a random website, but this is what I've heard over the years (include Alton Brown on one of this turkey shows). I still haven't brined anything yet, but I've eaten brined turkey and it doesn't taste like a salt-lick like I thought it would...

    "In a nutshell, the whole thing is about osmosis: The salt solution is denser than the water packed into the meat’s cells. Based on that pressure difference, the saltwater floods into those cells, plumping them up with even more juice. Now they can’t be overcooked!

    Does brining add more sodium? Yes, a little. But not as much as you might think. The salt itself actually can’t permeate the cell walls very well, so much of it stays behind as the surrounding water slips inside."


  • snowflake930
    snowflake930 Posts: 2,188 Member
    BTW, a lot of frozen turkey (and frozen boneless skinless chicken breasts) are injected with a brine solution so read the labels if you don't want added sodium.
  • dklibert
    dklibert Posts: 1,196 Member
    This is the recipe I have used for years.

    Brining a Turkey
    Tyler Florence

    Ingredients

    3 gallons water
    1 cup sugar
    2 cup salt, kosher (will reduce to 1 cup this year)
    Palmful (1 Tbsp) black peppercorns
    Palmful (1 Tbsp) Juniper berries
    Palmful (1 Tbsp) Allspice
    1 head of garlic, cut in half
    3 sprigs Rosemary
    3 sprigs Thyme
    Bay leaf
    1 frozen whole turkey (14 lb.), thawed

    Directions

    Combine all ingredients except turkey, stir until sugar and salt are dissolved. Pour into plastic container large enough to hold brining liquid and turkey.

    Remove and discard neck and giblets from turkey cavities. Rinse turkey; drain well.

    Add turkey to brining liquid; cover. Refrigerate at least 12 hours or overnight. Remove turkey from liquid; rinse well with cold water. Pat dry with paper towels. Cook as desired.
  • Go_Mizzou99
    Go_Mizzou99 Posts: 2,628 Member
    dklibert wrote: »
    This is the recipe I have used for years.

    Brining a Turkey
    Tyler Florence

    Ingredients

    3 gallons water
    1 cup sugar
    2 cup salt, kosher (will reduce to 1 cup this year)
    Palmful (1 Tbsp) black peppercorns
    Palmful (1 Tbsp) Juniper berries
    Palmful (1 Tbsp) Allspice
    1 head of garlic, cut in half
    3 sprigs Rosemary
    3 sprigs Thyme
    Bay leaf
    1 frozen whole turkey (14 lb.), thawed

    Directions

    Combine all ingredients except turkey, stir until sugar and salt are dissolved. Pour into plastic container large enough to hold brining liquid and turkey.

    Remove and discard neck and giblets from turkey cavities. Rinse turkey; drain well.

    Add turkey to brining liquid; cover. Refrigerate at least 12 hours or overnight. Remove turkey from liquid; rinse well with cold water. Pat dry with paper towels. Cook as desired.

    Thanks. I will make up a trial batch and test it!
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