Brining

One cup salt and one cup sugar will get you there.

If it will float an egg,you are close.

Go to the search above and input brining.

It should give you more than you want to know. Smokin Okie's Brining Guide

What recipe calls for 80%???

Hi.

Just browsing and came across Cook Shack smoked nuts recipe. It calls for 80% brine solution.

Kate

Thanks Kate.

If that's the recipe RR, that's only to create Salty Nuts, not a regular brine.

Definitely read Brining 101 at the link Tom posted.

Russ

SmokinOkie

RecID=1067 -- Brined Smoked Turkey

"Method
Mix 80% brine solution. . . . . . . . "

Thanks,

I'm not sure what they mean by 80%, since the recipe isn't terribbly clear. That brine is intending to cure the turkey, more than just brining. Since it's recommending time in the "danger zone" of below 140, you need a cure for Food Safety.

I'd just use a regular brine from Brining 101.

If you're wanting to do a turkey, go here, I know this recipe works, since I wrote it:

Turkey 101

Hi.

I know you have a great brine lesson here, but, I have been brining for some years and I have a favorite site that has the same basic ideas on it that I do. I like the plain spoken way the site goes about telling how to do it. They also adhere to my own theory that brine is brine and marinade is another step. But I know that many will disagree with this thought and to each his own.

If you want to take a look, I am not saying this is a better brining recipe or even that different, just put forth in a way that has always amused me and is what I have always found to be very good. These people are poultry growers, which I also do. If you haven't tried pastured chicken or turkey you are missing out. The taste and texture is so much better than what the grocer can supply. If you don't know how they process off farm you should go do a quick search about it. It will inspire you to find a local farmer that does pastured poulty and give it a try.

Are any of you that do contests using a fresh pastured poulty? I wonder if it might give you a real advantage. I am not in to contests, so I know little of your practices. Just a thought!

http://www.websterridge.com/recipes/brining.html

Kate

PS ... It is snowing here and I haven't even thought about starting my chickens for this year yet, so no, I am not advertising here, just making a comment.

Kate,

Appreciate the site, but all that information and a whole lot more is in brining 101, so I'm not sure what you're saying about different, that method of brining is exactly what everyone today is using. Have you looked at Brining 101?

The 80% he's asking about is "old school" and not really used.

101 also have a few more recipes than the 1 cup of salt 1 cup of sugar to 1 gallon of water (or 1/4 cup of each to 1 quart) You can also add a lot of flavor to the brine, not just those three ingredients. The brine solution will "carry" any flavors with it, so changing the water, to say Apple Juice, is okay.

Considering I've researched the subject probably more than anyone on the internet, it's a near and dear topic to me.

Smokin'

Hi SmokinOkie.

Like I said, your Brining Lesson is great, very indepth, very well done. No disrespect meant, sincerely. I do see one difference in our methods and I think I can account for that one. I never brine poultry for more than 8 hours ( my chickens usually go 4 to 6 hours). But, here is the difference, I think, it is because I am using fresh pastured poultry, chicken, guinea fowl, or turkey. I am starting off with a more old fashioned product than most people do. I get very good flavor without adding any extra (besides the plain salt and sugar brine) and I have to say that I totally understand needing to add flavor or even just liking an added flavor is what some, if not most people want. I am just getting what I want from a relatively short brine and no additional flavoring. I admit, I forget what commercial poultry tastes like (actually that is a good thing) so my methods are based on a different experience.

This goes back to a subject covered a few weeks back on how producers are meeting standards required by processors. Chickens raised to market weight quickly on carefully formulated feed don't have the flavor of those old-time barnyard hunt-and-peckers. Nor does pork have the taste appeal it used to, at least for most, without brining. It strikes me that what we hear so often, "it tastes alot like chicken" is because many people have forgotten what real chicken tastes like. Perhaps some younger folks have never tasted good old fashioned chicken, with flavor and texture that is distinctly like "chicken". And in case you are wondering how old I am and too polite to ask I will tell you that I am somewhere between 40 and death! (smile).

My approach to brining is pretty simple. That was my point actually. I tend to go light on salt, and short on brine time, and skip the flavorings. My Grandmothers did it this way and they taught me how to cook. Brining is something I have just always done, and this is the way I was taught to do it. I tried to weave the fresh pastured poultry in, but dropped the ball and didn't explain fully. Sorry.

I still find some of the phaseology in the site I mentioned humorous, " Brining takes no talent, almost no work and no adult supervision. It is not Rocket Science" and "cold (as cold as possible without being stupid about it) water" and one more
"Put the brining poultry in the refrigerator so that you don't grow stuff that is unhealthy - unlikely unless it's warm - but prudence is the better part of survival." I just like the way it was put.

It was not my intent to point to this site as a better or more appropriate lesson in brining. I also did not mean to infer that your Brining Lesson was inadequate in any manner.

And I quote ... "If you want to take a look, I am not saying this is a better brining recipe or even that different, just put forth in a way that has always amused me and is what I have always found to be very good."

I hope that I have explained my meaning more clearly this time. Again, no disrespect or aspersions were intended. Brining is also near and dear to me, a tradition, so I understand how you feel, especially when you have put so much time and effort into creating a very well written, detailed, and exhaustive Instructional Lesson. I for one read and reread your Guides regularly and appreciate them greatly.

Kindest Regards,
Kate

Now worries.

Too bad most of us don't have access to the Good Poultry.

Appreciate the insight.

Smokin'

KAte, are you talking free range birds?

How would someone thats in the city get a hold of these wonder birds ?? say someone in nebraska
hmmmm , grin

Hi Raider Bill.

We free range our laying hens, but our meat birds are kept in hoop houses that are moved two and sometimes thee times daily. With turkeys, we hoop house them with an added fence that allows them access to the "yard", but they are also moved daily. Turkeys are a pain! We have predator issues and broilers are easily confused as to where home is, so we skip these problems and just move the houses. Turkeys are prone to wandering, thus the fence. In general, the birds do well with fresh grass, weed seeds and plenty of tasty bugs to dine on. Of course they do get grains and feed also. Our conversion rates are very good. Wherever the birds have been will show up in the Spring with the greenest grass you could imagine! It is relatively simple to build the hoop houses and care for the birds. It only takes about seven weeks to raise a batch. They are delicious. There are many BIG producers claiming to have pastured or free range birds, but it has been found that they are taking the definition to the limits. Some let the birds out once a day from their housing, for only minutes, but claim they are pastured. Organic is held to a much stiffer definition of standards. I sell only on farm, which keeps my birds out of the chlorine bathes that grocery store chicken regularly steep in. Chicken proccessing is a filfthy excercise in big plants. The soaking process is commonly called "fecal soup" and they add the chlorine to clean it up, but that is what happens. I have met several people that have worked in chicken processing plants and they will not eat chicken. If you have the opportunity to try fresh pastured poultry, I urge you to give it a try. You will taste the difference, I assure you. With the quality of meat being so important to people that do contests, it made me start wondering if anyone was going this route. You will see a difference in skin, texture and taste. Same thing with eggs. I have yolks that are bright deep orange and they taste better than any store bought egg. They get sunshine and fresh greens and protein via bugs. I plan on smoking some hard boiled eggs soon, as I read a post here that says they are great. What I am saying is that it is worth the effort to locate and purchase farm fresh if you possibly can. And, don't forget to brine it!

Kate

link to what a hoop house looks like :
http://www.plamondon.com/hoophouse.html

Wow! We raised chickens along with Cows back when I was a kid. Never seen a hoop house before! Seems simple enough.
Since I saw a documentary on 60 Minutes years ago, my yard pimp consumption has gone way down. I will look for these magical birds today at the store.
Thanks for the great info!

Raider Bill,
Try this link to possibly find a farm near you?

http://www.eatwild.com/products/florida.html

This listing has links to all states also. Not sure what you will find for real pastured poultry in your local stores? Farm markets are a good place to look also, depending on your state. But, you should be able to find a farmer that can point you in the right direction.

Good Luck and Buon Consumo !

Kate

Thank you! Dade City and Bradenton are close.

SmokinOkie, Hi!

No excuses! Try this next time you visit Cook Shack: Biaggi Farms is a small, family-run farm. The animals graze clean pastures that are rotationally grazed in species correct groups. We use no "artificial anything."

Pastured broilers are available from March to October. Eggs from pastured hens and beef from grass-finished cattle are available year round. Free-range turkeys, meat goats, and pork will be offered in the future. The products are sold at the farm, usually by ordering in advance. We will ship if proper arrangements can be made. We also grow to order.

Biaggi Farms, Tera Biaggi, 11605 South Q, Ponca City OK 74601. (580) 628-5061. E-mail: tbiaggi98@yahoo.com

There are others in your state too!

Perhaps this should have moved to a new posting, but it does concern the brining still. If anyone is interested in Pastured poultry you need only do a net search with your state included. There are many, many farms that can provide what you need and would be happy and grateful for the business.

Kate

I cook mostly pastured chickens as well. Very tastey, smoke well, and just plain nice to know where your chicken has been. Last year ours got a little big, 4-5 pounds not exactly a fryer anymore. I smoke them with hickory for about 4-5 hours in my Model 55 to an internal temp of 200. Very tender. Do a search for "pulled chicken" for more discussion. They stay nice and moist. Roger

I should add one more observation to this discussion. I have smoked both brined and un-brined chickens and quite frankly can't tell much of a difference between the two. Turkey on the other hand is a different story. Brining is necessary to add moisture. BTW I learned everyting I know about brining from Smokin's 101. Thanks again for the good info. Roger

Thanks Kate, we have you now for Poultry questions to a producer, and we have MNFarmer for hog production.

I looked over the links in Oklahoma, thanks for the help.

Yup, feel free to start a new "everything you wanted to know about chicken" thread