Turkey Brine

NS Mike D · 10-23-2011, 08:01 PM

Does smoking turkey require a less saline brine solution.

I made my usual brine - 2 gals liquid (including about 25& ice), 1 cup kosher salt and 1/2 cup sugar one day in advance.

I rubbed the bird under the skin with Plowboys Yardbird.

The brine is what I use to roast my turkeys using an herb butter rub.

I cooked with royal oak and cherry 275- 300 for four hours.

It was a little too salty for my taste.

Does the lower longer cook concentrate the brine?

ShutYrMouth · 10-23-2011, 08:43 PM

Chicken I've found, brines in 2-3 hours.
Turkey I do overnight, but with chicken it's too long for me. Unless I'm doing a buttermilk brine.
So it sounds like too long in the brine to me.

FYI, I also do 1cup salt, 1cup sugar, plus whatever else, per gallon.
Does that sound about right to you chicken pros?

ShutYrMouth · 10-23-2011, 08:48 PM

Oh ok.
Turkey.
sorry....

SmokinOkie · 10-24-2011, 12:50 PM

It wasn't the brine.

Was the bird already brined/enhanced (many are).

You have a 1/2 strength brine at best. A "normal" ratio is about 1 gal to one cup of table salt. Your ratio is 1 gal to 1/2 cup. Kosher salt by cup will be less salty then a cup of table salt.

FYI, I brine mine for 48 hours with no one commenting.

How about the rub, is that salty to you? How much, maybe you over rubbed it.

Check out my link below for more Brining info

Blackened · 10-24-2011, 03:08 PM

What percent solution was it enhanced with? Sounds like that might be the issue. I try to stay at 2-3% enhanced at most if possible.

I brine for 24 hours w/ 1 cup salt, 1 cup brown sugar per gallon

littlechief · 10-24-2011, 03:16 PM

Did you rinse the brine off before you smoked it? I forgot to rinse some trout once and they came out salty.

Kings over Queens · 10-24-2011, 04:47 PM

I came into this thread all fired up ready to help my brethern NSMikeD and see that it's all been covered. Thanks everyone. Carry on.

Slasher · 10-24-2011, 10:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SmokinOkie

I
You have a 1/2 strength brine at best. A "normal" ratio is about 1 gal to one cup of table salt. Your ratio is 1 gal to 1/2 cup. Kosher salt by cup will be less salty then a cup of table salt.

I agree... per gallon, I use 1 cup kosher or sea salt and 1 cup of light brown sugar (I bring the water to a rolling boil before stirring in the sugar and salt....)

No guru, but have been smoking fer years and I always brine fish or fowl, before smoking.... That's were you can get creative

10-23-2011, 08:01 PM	#1
NS Mike D Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 08-08-11 Location: Huntington, NY	Turkey Brine Does smoking turkey require a less saline brine solution. I made my usual brine - 2 gals liquid (including about 25& ice), 1 cup kosher salt and 1/2 cup sugar one day in advance. I rubbed the bird under the skin with Plowboys Yardbird. The brine is what I use to roast my turkeys using an herb butter rub. I cooked with royal oak and cherry 275- 300 for four hours. It was a little too salty for my taste. Does the lower longer cook concentrate the brine? __________________ Fast Eddy 120 WSM 22 WSM 18 La Caja China #2 Weber 22 Kettle Brinkman Vertical Charcoal (out on loan) Weber Q 200 Weber Summit Series Gasser

10-23-2011, 08:43 PM	#2
ShutYrMouth Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 01-01-10 Location: Columbus Oh	Chicken I've found, brines in 2-3 hours. Turkey I do overnight, but with chicken it's too long for me. Unless I'm doing a buttermilk brine. So it sounds like too long in the brine to me. FYI, I also do 1cup salt, 1cup sugar, plus whatever else, per gallon. Does that sound about right to you chicken pros? __________________ SHUT YR MOUTH BBQ TEAM DP Fat 50 Stumps Stretch WSM 22.5' Weber Kettle

10-23-2011, 08:48 PM	#3
ShutYrMouth Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 01-01-10 Location: Columbus Oh	Oh ok. Turkey. sorry.... __________________ SHUT YR MOUTH BBQ TEAM DP Fat 50 Stumps Stretch WSM 22.5' Weber Kettle

10-24-2011, 12:50 PM	#4
SmokinOkie is one Smokin' Farker Join Date: 03-02-08 Location: Full Time RV on the road somewhere	It wasn't the brine. Was the bird already brined/enhanced (many are). You have a 1/2 strength brine at best. A "normal" ratio is about 1 gal to one cup of table salt. Your ratio is 1 gal to 1/2 cup. Kosher salt by cup will be less salty then a cup of table salt. FYI, I brine mine for 48 hours with no one commenting. How about the rub, is that salty to you? How much, maybe you over rubbed it. Check out my link below for more Brining info __________________ Russ ***** Lt Col USAF (R) Lastest Smokers (4) FEC100's including Twin Big Reds, FEPC1000 Pellet Grill, Cookshack 36" Charbroiler [B][URL="http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1159993040"]Smokin Okie on Facebook[/URL][/B] A[B]uthor:[/B] [URL="http://www.cookshack.com/Websites/cookshack/Images/2010brining101.pdf"]Brining 101 PDF[/URL] & [URL="http://www.cookshack.com/Websites/cookshack/Images/2010Turkey101.pdf"]Turkey 101 PDF[/URL]

10-24-2011, 03:16 PM	#6
littlechief Knows what a fatty is. Join Date: 04-01-10 Location: Pacific Northwest	Did you rinse the brine off before you smoked it? I forgot to rinse some trout once and they came out salty. __________________ UDS - Mini UDS - Little Chief Smokehouse - Weber Kettle - Weber Genesis Silver C

10-24-2011, 03:08 PM	#5
Blackened is one Smokin' Farker Join Date: 07-07-09 Location: Paradise, CA Name/Nickname : Chris	What percent solution was it enhanced with? Sounds like that might be the issue. I try to stay at 2-3% enhanced at most if possible. I brine for 24 hours w/ 1 cup salt, 1 cup brown sugar per gallon

10-24-2011, 04:47 PM	#7
Kings over Queens Knows what a fatty is. Join Date: 09-27-11 Location: Middletown, NJ	I came into this thread all fired up ready to help my brethern NSMikeD and see that it's all been covered. Thanks everyone. Carry on.

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