I shared this brine recipe with JJHacker a couple months back (turns out he's used it also) and thought now a good time to share with the group.
I always brine. Typically, I look for breasts with little or no solution. I smoke a 9 lb breast at 275*, and it takes about 3 hrs. I use the buttered cheesecloth and remove it about 45 minutes before completion.
Here's a brine I tried last time, and it was a big hit:
1 gallon cold water
1 gallon apple juice
2 cups Kosher or coarse salt
1 cup brown sugar
10 teaspoons minced garlic
1 tablespoon pepper
1 tablespoon ground nutmeg
Less sugar is used cause the apple juice sweetnes also helps offset the salt
Preparation:
Pour apple juice into a large pot over a medium heat. Add salt, brown sugar, cloves and nutmeg. Simmer for 15 minutes until salt and sugar are completely dissolved. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Add cold water.
Place poultry in a large plastic container. Pour brine over top. Brine poultry for 24 hours. Rinse thoroughly and let birds air dry in fridge for up to a few hours. You can add typical poultry seasonings like sage, thyme, rosemary.
The brine amount is for 2 turkey breasts, which I typically smoke at one time. It was a big hit, adding moisture and a nice complimentory sweetness to the turkey. Family loved it. Me too.
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