Can anyone give me a recommendation of which over-the-counter turkey brine to go with. If I go onto Amazon and I type in "turkey brine"... everyone has one. Oakridge, Meat Church, Kosmos, etc.
Not sure how much of a difference there is in any of these brines but I would love to hear what others use for their brine.
Huskee Can’t speak for the others, but I use the regular Tony’s. Plus, it’s good on anything really. I sprinkle some on my French fries before baking in the oven.
Last edited by Panhead John; October 8, 2021, 11:38 AM.
I usually use my own rub but have used Blues Hog with very good results.
Just watch the nutrition label for salt content, if your going to wet brine or a packaged turkey with Kosher salt.
I can over whelm a turkey, especially the gravy if you do pan gravy.
When I brine a turkey I use kosher salt in a bucket of water if wet brining. If dry brining, I use kosher salt. That packaged brine stuff is more expensive & you do not know how much in the ingredient department. Salt is cheap. Now the rub, make it. It’s cheaper to & you have total control over what yer usin.
Wet brine, same as for chicken, is 5% salt and 3 % sugar in relation to weight of water. So, 1 liter of water = 1000 grams; 50 grams of salt, 30 grams of sugar. I use kosher salt. The added flavors of commercial brands will not penetrate the meat in any meaningful way. The salt and sugar solution will penetrate the meat through diffusion and will result in a change of texture, moisture retention and enhanced flavor from the salt.
I've mentioned this before but I go 90% in brown sugar and 10% white sugar.
I like the way brown caramelizes better than white sugar.
Just ups the taste another notch in my humble opinion.
Husky here’s what I’ve been using. Troutman and Panhead John turned me into this.
Really glad they did it’s now a staple in my cooking, love the peppery tones it gives off
Attached Files
Last edited by smokin fool; October 8, 2021, 09:23 AM.
I put that stuff on 2 thick pork chops, vacuum sealed and left in the fridge for 24 hours, sous vide at 140-F for 4.0 hours, chilled down, and then seared in a cast iron. C'est Bon!
SNS Deluxe
Cheaptex (Vortex knock-off)
Weber charcoal rotisserie (turkey making machine)
Weber charcoal baskets (only use with the turkey making machine)
Steelmade Flattop (griddle attachment for gasser)
Thermoworks Smoke
PartyQ
I cook up about a dozen turkeys each year (we get them on sale during November and freeze them, its a great and cheap way to feed a large family). Generally, I find that wet brining results in a moister turkey, but a dry brine results in a more flavorful turkey. For a wet brine, I just use a salt and water combination, and maybe some sugar. I don’t find that any other flavorings or spices really translate to the cooked bird. For a dry brine, I use any rub that you like for chicken (Simon and Garfunkel works well).
I've only brined a turkey twice. Both times I used the BBQ PitBoys Apple Cider Brine recipe and I loved it.
I have also made a really good turkey by rubbing it all over with Tabasco sauce and nothing else - it was a turkey packaged in a brine solution so I didn't add any more salt.
Last edited by 58limited; October 8, 2021, 11:57 AM.
To make the brining solution, dissolve the salt and sugar in 2 gallons of cold water in a non-reactive container (such as a clean bucket or large stockpot, or a clean, heavy-duty, plastic garbage bag.) Add the oranges, lemons, thyme, and rosemary.
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.
Soak the turkey in the brine, covered and refrigerated, for at least 4 hours and up to 24 hours.
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