Turkey Breast Brine

Derek, I put brining 101 into the Google search engine and came up with this active link:
http://www.cookshack.com/barbeque_guide/101/Brining101.htm
Turkey 101 gets me this:
http://www.cookshack.com/barbeque_guide/101/Turkey_101.htm
Good luck! Brian

We cook about 7 lb breasts.

At least six hours,or overnight in a Smokin' Okie type brine.

Just did my first brine. Its cooling as I type. I used a Smokin' Okie. Somewhat. Here it goes.

1 gal water
1 cup kosher salt
1/2 cup brown sugar
3 cloves choped garlic
1/2 choped red onion
1/4 cup of honey
1/2 palm full cloves
2 table spoons black pepper. Wanted to use 2 more but ran out.

Brought water to a boil. Added salt and sugar. Disolved. Took off burner added the rest. Now cooling. Then I will add to the breast. Soak overnight. Do I need to change or do anything?

I have used smokin's holiday turkey brine on duck, chicken, and turkey. Good stuff.

WOW!!!!!!!!! The best. Brine!!!!!!!!!! This is the best Turkey I have ever had. So juice. Brine it!!!!!!!!!!

Derek, I know we're all happy for your success...and enthusiasm! Brining seems to be catching on all across the country now. I 'used' to be the only one I knew with a good tasting T'Day bird! And I 'used' to get blank stares and 'Huh?' when I'd tell people the trick is to brine the turkey, but not so much anymore.

My question is regarding the sugar level in your brine. It 'seems' like 2/3 cup sweetener to one cup salt, per gallon water is pretty high. How did the exterior of the breast do? Did you leave skin on? Did you high-heat roast after smoking? Did the exterior get black, or stay mahogony colored?

Part of the fun of this forum is that we can vicariously experience everybody's successes and failures, and your success we want to share. So, either fill in the details, or else ya gotta send us a hunk or two of the finished product!!

quote:

Originally posted by Thousand Oakie:
... It 'seems' like 2/3 cup sweetener to one cup salt, per gallon water is pretty high.

Part of the fun of this forum is that we can vicariously experience everybody's successes and failures, and your success we want to share. So, either fill in the details, or else ya gotta send us a hunk or two of the finished product!!

Not that I'm something of an expert on brining

For the newbies, start here:

Brining 101

2/3 of a cup is a little low for "most" recipes, basically the traditional brines were a cup of sugar, cup of salt to a gallon of water.

You might be surprised by how MUCH more I add to more brines, for sweetner, in my competition brines, but those are trade secrets (not that I'm winning, but pork is scoring well this year).

So don't be hesitate to add more sugar, you can cut the salt (but I wouldn't be 1/2 or 3/4 cup, then it's not a brine) add flavors, add hot sauce. We came up with the idea here in the forum of adding "crab boil" to a brine to get a Cajun Turkey.

You bet, seeing what others do is fun. Too bad I didn't trademark the brining thing when I first heard about it from a chef. Since I didn't then I'd just as soon share what I learn.

Russ

When Smokin' says he is no expert on brining,that is past modest.

Much of what most of us are able to offer here is "one man's opinion",or sharing a compilation of others' experience.

Other than some writers that have approached it as a chemist,Smokin's writings are the" bible "in the bbq community.

The large bbq forum refers mostly to his work ,and I have referred nunerous top comp cooks to his procedures and they rave.

When we approach the holiday seasons,many of us run to him for the annual gobbler,but there are a lot of other areas to apply his efforts.

Just my $0.02

Can someone please tell me where I can find turkey breasts? I have searched Sam's Club and local (OKC) grocery stores to no avail. Would a butcher have these? We're not talking about the processed loafs that they slice for lunch meat are we?

I've found them at Albertson's.

or

I would contact a Restaurant Supply Service. I buy them by the case from Ben E. Keith Food Service. They have a walk up service. Just call the OKC Warehouse and tell them you're a cash and carry order.

Tell them you want Fresh not Precooked.

Haven't bought from them in a while, hope they still have them? If not, try one of the other Food Service companies.

Thanks for the tips, Somkin'. I live 1 mile from a new Ben E. Keith dist. center. I will try them tomorrow. I'll let you know if they have them.

They have them at wally world in the same type plastic wrap as the whole turkeys, out in the big lockers between aisles.