Basic turkey brine question ???
- Thread starter Dave S.
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Hey Dave,
Depending on the Brine, you generally bring it to a boil with all of your ingredients and then let it cool fully before putting the bird in. One exception to that I've seen is one of the brine recipies on here that uses honey. I forgot exactly why but you don't want the honey to boil because it breaks down, so you bring everything to a boil and then add the honey as its cooling down.
I did 2 breasts a few weeks ago, one in the honey brine and another one that had apple juice. I let them both soak for 48 hours and they ended up being amazing.
You can't believe how moist and flavorful it is.
Good Luck.
Depending on the Brine, you generally bring it to a boil with all of your ingredients and then let it cool fully before putting the bird in. One exception to that I've seen is one of the brine recipies on here that uses honey. I forgot exactly why but you don't want the honey to boil because it breaks down, so you bring everything to a boil and then add the honey as its cooling down.
I did 2 breasts a few weeks ago, one in the honey brine and another one that had apple juice. I let them both soak for 48 hours and they ended up being amazing.
You can't believe how moist and flavorful it is.
Good Luck.
Dave Lewis
TVWBB Super Fan
Maybe I've been doing it wrong, but if the brine recipe doesn't say "bring to boil" I dont waste the time. I just add cool liquid (whatever that may be), other ingredients, stir and add the bird. (At least thats what I saw Alton Brown do with his duck brine which makes excellent duck by the way)
G
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Hmm, I've never boiled a brine. I just add the salt/ sugar, and spices to tap water, and let it sit for a few hours, stirring from time to time to help to dissolve the salt/sugar. I've never had a problem this way. If you do boil your brine, it would be best let it cool before you add it the bird.
I really don't follow a brine recipe, I just make it up as I go along. If the brine tastes good, the bird will taste good.
Citrus juices in the brine work very well with poultry. You just need to keep the amount low enough as to keep the citric acid from "cooking" the bird.
Just my 2 cents.
I really don't follow a brine recipe, I just make it up as I go along. If the brine tastes good, the bird will taste good.
Citrus juices in the brine work very well with poultry. You just need to keep the amount low enough as to keep the citric acid from "cooking" the bird.
Just my 2 cents.
Tom Chilton
TVWBB Fan
I think you want to at least heat it up, especially if you're using spices - you want to steep the spices so they release their flavors (like tea). Plus, honey dissolves a lot better in hot water than cold. I don't boil the whole thing - if you're making three gallons, figure how much salt, honey, spices, or whatever you'll need and heat it up in a half gallon of water. Let it sit for an hour or so, then add it to 2 1/2 gallons of iced water. Now you got you're 3 gallons of brine ready to go.
Doug D
TVWBB Hall of Fame
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Dave Lewis:
[qb] Maybe I've been doing it wrong, but if the brine recipe doesn't say "bring to boil" I dont waste the time. I just add cool liquid (whatever that may be), other ingredients, stir and add the bird. (At least thats what I saw Alton Brown do with his duck brine which makes excellent duck by the way) [/qb] <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>Yes, but on his "Good Eats Roast Turkey" brine instructions, he boils the brine to dissolve everything. Maybe because it contains candied ginger, allpsice berries and whole peppercorns, it takes a boil to get those flavors into solution. I'd say if you have the time to boil it and cool it back down, do so. I've sped up cooldowns by placing the boiling pot in an ice bath in the kitchen sink.
[qb] Maybe I've been doing it wrong, but if the brine recipe doesn't say "bring to boil" I dont waste the time. I just add cool liquid (whatever that may be), other ingredients, stir and add the bird. (At least thats what I saw Alton Brown do with his duck brine which makes excellent duck by the way) [/qb] <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>Yes, but on his "Good Eats Roast Turkey" brine instructions, he boils the brine to dissolve everything. Maybe because it contains candied ginger, allpsice berries and whole peppercorns, it takes a boil to get those flavors into solution. I'd say if you have the time to boil it and cool it back down, do so. I've sped up cooldowns by placing the boiling pot in an ice bath in the kitchen sink.
Dwain Gleason
TVWBB Fan
When I make poultry brine, I make it in two parts -
1 - Water, Salt, Sugar - all cold, I just stir to dissolve
2 - 1 c. water and all my whole spices
I boil the 1c. water (with the whole spices - garlic, ginger, allspice, cloves, cinnamon, etc. - whatever I've got) into a "tea" then add it to the bulk of the brine. That way I don't have to mess around with boiling the whole thing, then getting it cooled down so I can add the meat. As long as the salt/sugar dissolves, you shouldn't NEED to boil it.
1 - Water, Salt, Sugar - all cold, I just stir to dissolve
2 - 1 c. water and all my whole spices
I boil the 1c. water (with the whole spices - garlic, ginger, allspice, cloves, cinnamon, etc. - whatever I've got) into a "tea" then add it to the bulk of the brine. That way I don't have to mess around with boiling the whole thing, then getting it cooled down so I can add the meat. As long as the salt/sugar dissolves, you shouldn't NEED to boil it.
Dennis Fraley
TVWBB Super Fan
I've made several smoked turkey breasts. I never boil my brine. I tried it once but it really did'nt make a difference IMO.
I use apple juice (or cider), kosher salt, brown sugar, maple syrup, and water. Just mix it all together for about 5 minutes or so. Then let the bird thaw out in the brine for atleast 24 hours. Turns out great. It's almost impossible to overcook the turkey if you brine. And it gives it such a sweet flavor. Everyone loves it when I do it.
I use apple juice (or cider), kosher salt, brown sugar, maple syrup, and water. Just mix it all together for about 5 minutes or so. Then let the bird thaw out in the brine for atleast 24 hours. Turns out great. It's almost impossible to overcook the turkey if you brine. And it gives it such a sweet flavor. Everyone loves it when I do it.
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