turkey brine
Brining cuts of beef and pork go way back in my family dinners but I did not start doing birds until the first time I watched it being done by Alton Brown on Good Eats. Strange how somethings are obvious after you have it explained to you by someone else.
Servings:
1
Preparation Time:
60 minutes
Tools
- 5+ qt. pot w/ lid
- measuring cup
- long wooden spoon
Ingredients
- 4 qt. turkey stock
- 2 c. kosher salt
- 1 c. brown sugar
- 1 head garlic, peeled & bruised
- 5 slices candied ginger
- 4 bay leaves
- 1 stick cinnamon
- 2 star anise
- 1 T. pepper corns
- 1 t. whole cloves
- 1/2 t. whole allspice
- 1/2 t. cumin seeds
Cooking Instructions
- Put the stock, salt, and sugar into the pot and stir until the salt and sugar are dissolved.
- Add the rest of the ingredients, cover and bring to a boil.
- Turn down to a simmer and leave partially covered for 30 minutes.
- Cool and store in the refrigerator until needed.
portlandpiper – Wed, 2007 – 11 – 21 01:58
I still brine birds if I'm going to roast them, but a few years ago I stopped brining if they are going in the smoker. I discovered this one year when I didn't have time to brine, and the turkey turned out moister than any of the turkey's before. When cooking low and slow, brining seems to be counter-productive.
I talked to a few other smoke cookers at school, and several of them have noticed the same thing when it comes to smoking fowl.