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Brining a turkey & other tips
Posted on 11/19/14 at 2:47 pm
Posted on 11/19/14 at 2:47 pm
In charge of the turkey this Thanksgiving, and have never done one. Family members have always cooked, but they have died off or will be out of town.
1) Anyway, im reading about brining, and brining bags...So you put the turkey in a brining bag, and do you include the brine in the bag? Or pour the brine over the turkey while inside the bag?
2)I plan on smoking it. Was probably going to use hickory or maple. Am I on the right path?
3)do you stuff the cavity with anything? If so, what do you use?
4)Ive seen a varying of cook temps. Im going to use my BGE. So things i read, they say 225. Others as high as 350.
Thanks in advance & Happy thanksgiving
1) Anyway, im reading about brining, and brining bags...So you put the turkey in a brining bag, and do you include the brine in the bag? Or pour the brine over the turkey while inside the bag?
2)I plan on smoking it. Was probably going to use hickory or maple. Am I on the right path?
3)do you stuff the cavity with anything? If so, what do you use?
4)Ive seen a varying of cook temps. Im going to use my BGE. So things i read, they say 225. Others as high as 350.
Thanks in advance & Happy thanksgiving
9
Posted on 11/19/14 at 2:54 pm to Lester Earl
I would brine in a cooler.
Posted on 11/19/14 at 3:07 pm to Lester Earl
Blackened Out likes the dry brine better. Have you considered that? Seems much easier than having to deal with a cooler etc...
If you smoke it, I suggest pecan wood. It's terrific for turkey.
If you smoke it, I suggest pecan wood. It's terrific for turkey.
Posted on 11/19/14 at 3:14 pm to Lester Earl
Posted on 11/19/14 at 3:18 pm to Lester Earl
THIS
Great tips in the link above in every step of preparing a perfect bird. After I used the above techniques to smoke, I swore I'd never make a turkey any other way. Some of the stuff they mention seem unconventional, like not letting the bird rest, the higher temp of the smoker, etc, but I'm telling you it turns out fantastic. Click around on that site for other great cooking tips.
Great tips in the link above in every step of preparing a perfect bird. After I used the above techniques to smoke, I swore I'd never make a turkey any other way. Some of the stuff they mention seem unconventional, like not letting the bird rest, the higher temp of the smoker, etc, but I'm telling you it turns out fantastic. Click around on that site for other great cooking tips.
Posted on 11/19/14 at 3:19 pm to Lester Earl
Dry brine.
Stuffing I generally use the a lemon with some holes punched in it and thing of garlic cut in half.
Everything else is debatable.
Stuffing I generally use the a lemon with some holes punched in it and thing of garlic cut in half.
Everything else is debatable.
Posted on 11/19/14 at 3:21 pm to Lester Earl
First: Basic Brine rule of thumb is 1 cup salt, 1 cup sugar per gallon of water. Add anything else you like, peppercorns, citrus peel whatever.
I use a huge bowl and cover and put in outside icebox. Never used a brining bag but this is how you need to do it. Put the turkey in the bag and add water to cover completely. Then remove turkey and pour water in a bowl to measure how much you have. This way you know your measurements to get the ratio right. After 1st gallon I cut back on the salt a bit but keep the sugar.
Turkey should really brine 24 hours and you want to make sure it is completely covered. Then take it out rinse very well several times in cool water. Drain and pat dry inside and out. Then put on a rack and back into the icebox for a few hours up to a day, uncovered to dry really well. Remove, season and cook however you like.
I don't stuff anymore, I do that on the side or actually my wife does.
Use whatever wood you like, just don't overdo it, which I think most people do. Just my taste maybe, but I just prefer a mild smoke.
I'd cook around 300-325 on my Egg but USE A MEAT THERMOMETOR. Buy one if you don't already have one. Don't guess.
Good luck
I use a huge bowl and cover and put in outside icebox. Never used a brining bag but this is how you need to do it. Put the turkey in the bag and add water to cover completely. Then remove turkey and pour water in a bowl to measure how much you have. This way you know your measurements to get the ratio right. After 1st gallon I cut back on the salt a bit but keep the sugar.
Turkey should really brine 24 hours and you want to make sure it is completely covered. Then take it out rinse very well several times in cool water. Drain and pat dry inside and out. Then put on a rack and back into the icebox for a few hours up to a day, uncovered to dry really well. Remove, season and cook however you like.
I don't stuff anymore, I do that on the side or actually my wife does.
Use whatever wood you like, just don't overdo it, which I think most people do. Just my taste maybe, but I just prefer a mild smoke.
I'd cook around 300-325 on my Egg but USE A MEAT THERMOMETOR. Buy one if you don't already have one. Don't guess.
Good luck
Posted on 11/19/14 at 3:29 pm to Lester Earl
Posted on 11/19/14 at 3:30 pm to Lester Earl
I use a 3 gallon version of this. I pitch a little ice in with the bird. Stays cold overnight.
I also use it to hold my brisket when I smoke one to serve elsewhere. This thing gets more use in my kitchen than my Kitchenaid mixer.
This post was edited on 11/19/14 at 3:37 pm
Posted on 11/19/14 at 4:33 pm to Lester Earl
1. Just use an appropriate size ice chest. Brining solution is cheaper than the cost of any special bag for the purpose.
2. Maple or hickory are pretty strong flavors for turkey. I tend to use apple, cherry or pecan when I smoke turkey.
3. Never stuff the cavity of a turkey. It does nothing except increase the amount of heat energy that must be transferred during the cooking process. Since heat transfer occurs where the air meats the surface what is being cooked, and a stuffed cavity reduces the internal surface area available for heat transfer, it makes for substantially longer cooking time for the turkey since all of the heat exchange will be on the external surface.
4. Why not combine the two? Smoke at the lower temp. for about 2 hours to get your desired smoke flavor, and then increase the temperature to cut the cooking time and crisp the skin.
2. Maple or hickory are pretty strong flavors for turkey. I tend to use apple, cherry or pecan when I smoke turkey.
3. Never stuff the cavity of a turkey. It does nothing except increase the amount of heat energy that must be transferred during the cooking process. Since heat transfer occurs where the air meats the surface what is being cooked, and a stuffed cavity reduces the internal surface area available for heat transfer, it makes for substantially longer cooking time for the turkey since all of the heat exchange will be on the external surface.
4. Why not combine the two? Smoke at the lower temp. for about 2 hours to get your desired smoke flavor, and then increase the temperature to cut the cooking time and crisp the skin.
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