Recipe Requested Your favorite turkey brine

[kdizzog6]

Hey all, I always do a simple brine. Per gallon of water, 1 cup salt, 1 cup brown sugar, 1 cup apple cider vinegar, 2 red onions, parsley, thyme, and rosemary. Heat to just under a boil, cool, and drench the bird for 24-30 hours.

I have heard some wild brines, with juices, colas, and a bazillion other ingredients, and curious to know what makes the best bird. Happy turkey day!

 

[Dan-]

Here is Dan’s brine. Usually use this for smoked turkey. This recipe is sufficient for a 12-16 lb bird. An 18qt Cambro holds this nicely.

You have to brine on Tuesday and dry in the fridge on Wednesday for smoking, but an oven-cooked bird wouldn’t need a pellicle. So you could brine on Wednesday if not smoking.

• 1 gal apple cider
• 1 gal water
• 1c brown sugar
• 1.75c salt aka 1lb
• 1/3c old bay
• 1 tsp chinese five spice
• 1 tsp curing salt [optional, makes it taste more like ham]
• juice of 2 lemons plus the juiced pieces
• juice of 3 oranges plus the juiced pieces
• 4 oz ginger
• ice

 

[Dave]

I just use Kinder's brine kit for a wet brine for about 24 hours on Monday into Tuesday, then I spatchcock it and dry-brine for another 24 hours Tuesday into Wednesday, then add a dry rub and stuff compound butter under the skin on Wednesday. I take the bird out of the fridge in the morning and it goes in the oven 3 hours before dinner. Cooks for 2-2.5 hours, then rest for 30 mins - 1 hour. Always comes out great.

edit: lol I just realized this was a brine recipe request, not a turkey recipe request. oops.