Turkey For Dummies...first time out

markclayMember

I'm not sure what kind of turkey to purchase if I want to brine it. Are turkey growers required to label which birds have been treated or basted and which have not? If I brine a basted bird will it be too salty?

You recommend not to let the cheese cloth dry out during smoking. What's the best method to do this? Do you just pour melted butter over the turkey? Or, do you add new buttered cheese cloth?

12/8/101:09 PM

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pagsMember

If the bird has 15% solution, don't brine. 8% or less, brine it. Brush melted butter over the cheesecloth as it sets on the turkey.

12/8/102:11 PM

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Former Member

Have you read the Turkey 101 PDF?

You might want to have a read there, it covers bird selection and brining. It's a the top of this forum.

12/8/103:24 PM

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cal 2Member

Now,now Pags, I guess we weren't taught by the same person when it comes to Brining. I was under the impression that 15% or less of enhancement was brine able....I'm with you on liking to find a 8% enhanced turkey or less, but sometimes a fella has to make do with what he has, oh well.

12/8/104:52 PM

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chef-boy-arnie"If you can't smoke it, you probably shouldn't eat it!"

Mark, read Turkey 101. Also take a look at "A Tale of 3 Turkeys" in this forum.
I brined 2 8% turkeys and a 15% breast with good results

12/8/106:53 PM

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pagsMember

I make it easy on myself and get a turkey with little or no enhancement.

Anyway, I prefer to do the enhancing figuring I can add some nice flavoring along the way like Smokin's Holiday Brine.

The turkey we got at Thanksgiving had 2%. Like why would they bother?

12/8/1011:10 PM

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markclayMember

Thanks for the advice! I will look for a bird with 0% solution. Wondering now if they are hard to find. My wife has always done the turkey purchasing. A first for me.

12/9/106:39 PM

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pagsMember

I didn't buy my first turkey until I joined this forum either.

12/9/1011:16 PM

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