First Turkey-First Brine?


 
D

Dan Crafton

TVWBB Member
Been using my WSM for over a year now and am doing my first turkey for Thanksgiving. I've read all the techniques on the main page including the different types of brines. Seems everyone loves the apple brine but I thought for my first turkey I would keep it simple and use the basic brine (brown sugar & salt). Does anyone have any experience using this brine & if so what were the results?

Also been throwing around not brining at all and smoking a regular Butterball self basting. Does brining make a noticeable difference in the turkey?

Thank you for any thoughts,
Dan
 
When I cook a Butterball I don't brine. It turns out moist and tender. But you could with no problem.

When using a fresh turkey I brine. I used the Alton Brown brine. But there are many great brines out there.

Regardless of what you decide have fun and you'll do fine. Remember: 40*F to 140*F in under 4 hours is paramount.
 
If I were doing my first turkey, I'd do a Butterball without brining, just as a baseline, to see how it turns out. You'll really get a feel for how smoking affects the taste of the meat, in a fabulous way!

Good luck!
 
I would do as Chris suggested. No brine this time and then try one brined next time. A good excuse to cook another turkey.
Ray
 
Never have smoked a ButterBall only a basic no frills turkey the cheapest ones in the store as I was just practicing for the big Day..... A straight brine of salt & brown sugar works very well (12 hours or so ) Turkey comes out very moist better than in a oven, to me anyway. I was very surprized.
 
I completely agree with Chris... establish a baseline for your cook, your own preferred method, and then experiment from there. This has helped me when because my new variations don't always turn out good! So Im able to go back to square one and regain confidence again in that particular cook and then on to more variations.

Brining seems to be popular but I didn't find my brined birds any more juicy than my traditional kettle birds... but im a purist and I don't lift the lid. if so, only once to cover the bird in foil and stoke coals at the 2 hour mark (3.5 hour cook on 12lb bird). hope this helps - send pics.

don't lift the lid-
 
Jak Stepan said:
... I also bbq all my poultry breast down... forgot to mention.

don't lift the lid-
Click to expand...
I've never cooked a turkey breast-side down in the WSM, but I have in the oven. It seems like the key factor is to just not overcook the bird. Cook at 325-350*F, until 160*F in the breast, 170*F in the thigh, let rest for 30 minutes before carving, during which time carryover cooking will raise the temp 5*F, to the perfect 165*F breast, 175*F thigh. Moist, juicy turkey every time! :wsm:

Gobble gobble!
 
Thanks all. Picked up a 13lb Butterball and will skip the brine this time. Think I'm all ready. Hope the wind stays away Thursday morning.
 
This is the first I'm hearing of the 40*F to 140*F in under 4 hours. What is the risk if it doesn't reach 140*F in 4 hours? I'm doing an 18 pounder and now I'm concerned.
 
The Butterball website says this rule is necessary for food safety, but no more detail than that. This page on the USDA Food Safety & Inspection Service website provides more info:

"Danger Zone" (40 °F - 140 °F) - Webpage

"Danger Zone" (40 °F - 140 °F) - PDF

Excerpt:

Leaving food out too long at room temperature can cause bacteria (such as Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella Enteritidis, Escherichia coli O157:H7, and Campylobacter) to grow to dangerous levels that can cause illness. Bacteria grow most rapidly in the range of temperatures between 40 °F and 140 °F, doubling in number in as little as 20 minutes. This range of temperatures is often called the "Danger Zone."
Click to expand...

The article mentions a 2 hour maximum time for food to spend within this range, and only 1 hour if the outside temperature is over 90 °F. Some authorities say that after 4 hours max between 40 °F and 140 °F, food should discarded.

When it comes to the turkey, what Butterball is getting at is the idea of someone cooking a turkey so low and so slow that it's moldering away in the 40-140 °F range for so long that it becomes dangerous from a food safety standpoint.
 
I don't use a butterball. I make a brine by dissolving 1 cup of kosher salt in a quart of hot water in a stock pot. I add a cut up onion, 4-5 garlic cloves smashed, a quartered lemon, a rough cut celery stalk, a rough cut carrot. 5 bay leaves, a dozen peppercorns, a few whole cloves, and a cup and a half of maple syrup. I combine the ingredients after the salt dissolves, on medium heat. I turn the heat off and allow everything to steep until it cools down. I add a gallon of fresh water.
I use a cooler and put a giant ziplock in the cooler.
I put the bird in a giant ziplock bag, pour in the brine. I pack ice around it in the cooler for 12-15 hours. I them drain the brine, wash the bird, and smoke it
 
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