Smoked turkey: Meat Church brine or butterball brined???

[jjdbike]

Hello fellow Q heads,

I'm planning on smoking a of couple boneless turkey breasts.

I'm a big fan of Meat Church rubs and wanted to try their "Bird Baptism" poultry brine. It includes seasonings, salt and phosphates to increase moisture retention. I want them to be super juicy and flavorful.

I looked at boneless turkey breasts on the Wild Fork website. They have ABF Planiville turkey roast which claims to have no antibiotics for $6.98 a pound, which I think is pretty steep. They also have Butterball boneless breasts for $2.98 a pound which *Contains up to 20% of a Solution of Broth, Salt, and Natural Flavors", in other words, it's preprinted.

I wouldn't brine a preprinted bird as it would obviously be too salty.

My question is simple, which one would you choose, or do you have a better option?

Thanks in advance!
JD

[jfmorris]

What you need to do is look at the nutrition label info for the turkey. If it's 200mg or less sodium per serving, you can still do a brine. If it's 300mg or higher, you probably need to skip a dry brine, or go very light.

Now, if its a wet brine you are considering... I think the sodium inside and outside the meat will equalize over time during a wet brine, but I might be mistaken...

Now - all that said - we know the science says that only the SALT penetrates the meat. The other spices and flavors in the brine mix will end up as more of a surface treatment.

[Mosca]

Question: can you do the Butterball brine, and then use a Meat Church salt-free rub, or put together one yourself?

[bbqLuv]

Brine without salt is only a surface treatment, as stated above. So yes, you can if you want to.

[Mosca]

Yeah, I figured. In that case, I’d buy the cheaper ones and apply a rub.

[DavidNorcross]

I don't have much to offer here. I have my own brine mixture that I have used for years. However, I am HUGE fan of Meat Church.

[Oak Smoke]

Just a question or perhaps food for thought. I went to the Butterball web site to check exactly how they brine a turkey. They say the turkeys are pre-brined directly into the breast meat. I’m sure that means injected with a bunch of small needles. Here’s the question, does that create pathways that we can get flavors to go down? I completely understand that only salt will enter through the unbroken surface of the meat, but now there are numerous holes in the meat.

[Purc]

What about possible pathways for flavors in blade tenderized beef sold at big warehouse clubs?

[Oak Smoke]

jjdbike I’m sorry if I just compromised your post.

[Purc]

jjdbike +1

[bbqLuv]

The timing of the question is near perfect as I am thinking about getting a Butter Ball turkey breast to smoke in my Traeger in the near future. I kind of like the idea of pre-brined.

Thanks for asking.

[jjdbike]

What you need to do is look at the nutrition label info for the turkey. If it's 200mg or less sodium per serving, you can still do a brine. If it's 300mg or higher, you probably need to skip a dry brine, or go very light.

Now, if its a wet brine you are considering... I think the sodium inside and outside the meat will equalize over time during a wet brine, but I might be mistaken...

Now - all that said - we know the science says that only the SALT penetrates the meat. The other spices and flavors in the brine mix will end up as more of a surface treatment.

Thanks much everyone!

It doesn’t make sense not to buy the Butterball. The price is good and the quality is consistently
high.
The salt per serving is 400 mg which is a lot.

I’ll skip brining but I will make my own salt free injection. I’ll use unsalted chicken stock, melted butter, apple juice, onion & garlic powder and a pinch of phosphate. Does that sound right to you folks? Any other suggestions for the injection?

Thanks again!
JD

[Murdy]

I'm sure the Meat Church brine is better, but doubt it's $4 per pound better. I suppose this comes down to personal preference, but you can still season and smoke the Butterball and I'm sure it will turn out great.

[jjdbike]

Thanks!

[Finster]

Speaking from experience, it definitely will..

[Dadof3Illinois]

I've never had an issue with my Turkey's being too salty.....I've brined a ton of turkey meat and have never had one come out over salted....actually some have been underseasoned.
Maybe do an experiment using one fresh turkey breast and one already brined. Brine both and see how they cook and taste?

[jjdbike]

Great idea!
Thanks,
JD