Who wants to practice?

Cal-
Did you brine for about the same amount of time given that the turkeys were enhanced? Thanks-

Hey Brian,

Smokin' is the one that should be answering the brining questions, cause he is the forums master, in fact, pretty well known on the comp trail for his brining.

The ones that I practiced on last year was done from 24-48 hrs, I've settled on 48 hrs. The amount of salt solution you put in WILL have a bearing on the finished product. I've been much happier when I've went from 1 cup Kosher salt to 2/3 cup of non-iodized table salt...wife likes it also, cause it saves money!

I had one turkey that wasn't quite thawed when I started brining it, a BIG mistake, never again!

If you get a chance, usually they have them on sale right before and after turkeyday, I put a few in the freezer. Cheap eats and good.

quote:

Originally posted by GratefulB:
Cal-
Did you brine for about the same amount of time given that the turkeys were enhanced? Thanks-

I'll have to look up some of my more lengthy writing, but it's okay to brine an enhanced bird if it isn't over 12%. The reason is that brining isn't an Additive effect. It's not adding salt in addition to what's already there.

It's about achieving equilibrium. As you brine, the % solution in the brine and the % of solution in the bird will exchange and attempt to eqalize the balance of the two. Once it's equal it doesn't add more (and thus the myth of brining longer makes it more salty -- it doesn't.

Guess I need to do up a Brining Mythbuster thread

Hey. Good point Smokin. Makes sense once you make us stop to think about it.

quote:

Originally posted by cal:
I just came from Wally World and they had their "Riverside" brand turkeys for .74/lb. They are only 8% enhanced so they will brine good.

I saw some Butterball turkeys at Wally World today for $1.19 per LB. I think that is a good price. I do not know what % they are enhanced.

quote:

Originally posted by SmokinOkie:

quote:

Originally posted by GratefulB:
Cal-
Did you brine for about the same amount of time given that the turkeys were enhanced? Thanks-

I'll have to look up some of my more lengthy writing, but it's okay to brine an enhanced bird if it isn't over 12%. The reason is that brining isn't an Additive effect. It's not adding salt in addition to what's already there.

It's about achieving equilibrium. As you brine, the % solution in the brine and the % of solution in the bird will exchange and attempt to eqalize the balance of the two. Once it's equal it doesn't add more (and thus the myth of brining longer makes it more salty -- it doesn't.

Guess I need to do up a Brining Mythbuster thread

But is it also true that if you have too much salt in your brine it could have an effect of too much salt in the bird? And, if that is true, if we stick to no more than 1 cup Kosher salt per gallon of water, we're good?