My First Dry-Brined Turkey

[Outnumbered]

OK. So my mom has now asked me to smoke the turkey Thursday morning. She has a regular 8% solution turkey and there is no deviating from plan now, so a non-solution turkey is not in the cards.

So, this seems like the dry brine might be the best way to go given the circumstances. No?

[tish]

Originally Posted by Skidder

Always wet brine but the new thing this year seems to be dry brining. I'm doing three this year so one might just have to be done this way. Do you rince after it's brined?

Some sites recommend rinsing, and some specifically recommend against rinsing. Personally, I never do, because by the time the salt has finished drawing the water back into the bird, you won't find any salt on the surface anyway. Then it can be smoked or roasted with all the lovely aromatics still in place on the skin.

[tish]

Originally Posted by Outnumbered

OK. So my mom has now asked me to smoke the turkey Thursday morning. She has a regular 8% solution turkey and there is no deviating from plan now, so a non-solution turkey is not in the cards.

So, this seems like the dry brine might be the best way to go given the circumstances. No?

I would never recommend dry-brining a bird with an 8% solution. I'd be afraid it would be too salty. That's what the solution is... a brine. Brothers and sisters, correct me here if I've misspoken.

*Correction: It could be a brine. Or it could be just water, or something else. I'd suggest asking someone who knows about enhanced birds. I try to use fresh, unenhanced birds, myself.

[tish]

I just looked it up in the archives, and the brethren say you should halve the salt in the brine. Then again, that's with a wet brine. Personally, I've never done it, so I can't attest to how it would come out.

[Al Czervik]

Can't wait to see how it turns out Tish... I'm doing my first wet brine bird this year, and am thinking dry brine will be next.

[tish]

I'm anxious to hear how your wet-brined bird comes out, Al. I'm sure it will be superb. You're a great cook! ;-)

[Swine Spectator]

Originally Posted by tish

I would never recommend dry-brining a bird with an 8% solution. I'd be afraid it would be too salty. That's what the solution is... a brine. Brothers and sisters, correct me here if I've misspoken.

*Correction: It could be a brine. Or it could be just water, or something else. I'd suggest asking someone who knows about enhanced birds. I try to use fresh, unenhanced birds, myself.

Most "Solutions" are actually based on phosphates, not salts. Phosphates are hydrophilic, meaning that they attract water. Salt brines use osmosis to draw water OUT of the meat. HOWEVER, they denature the proteins in the meat and raise the temperature at which the meat gives up its liquid.

I do not know what to tell you about handling a solutioned bird.

I am picking up an organic, free-range, heritage-breed, cruelty-free, cost-too-damn-much bird tomorrow. I think I will try a mild dry brine and then smoke it. I'll post my results afterwards.

David
The Swine Spectator

[tish]

My bird is the same kind, David. If you're going to dry-brine it, guess it depends on which site you want to listen to. I'm following Russ Parson's guidelines. He says you have to give it enough time for the moisture to be drawn out of the bird, and then drawn back in again. Three to four days in a plastic bag in the fridge is what he recommends to allow all this to happen. I got mine in the fridge by 3pm yesterday (Monday). YMMV

[tyotrain]

Thanks for the info can't wait to get that bird on.


Have fun and happy smoking
BBQ UP

[tortaboy]

Thanks Tish. This is much easier than wet brining....

Just picked up my two fresh birds and used your dry brine recipe (Even down to the fresh Rosemary from my backyard).

After the brine......

What are you planning on doing on Thanksgiving? You adding any seasonings on the outside of your bird just before cooking?

[rogwadd]

Good luck, Tish. I've been up in the air about Thanksgiving this year. Since my family's in Savannah and I usually visit them during Christmas, I've got a second family in the DC area that I've shared Thanksgiving the last several years. So it's either that or an orphans' dinner locally for all my transplant friends.

I've got a friend that dropped off a gimongous Turkey yesterday evening. I think she's looking for a seat on Thursday, so I'm trying to set up a little get together.

She tore off the tag and I don't have a clue how much the thing weighs. I take the thing upstairs to the bathroom and step onto the scale. Drop the turkey and then step back on the scale. The thing weighs 18-19 lbs. My last two adventures with turkey involved ones under 14 lbs.

I stumbled over Parson's article and decided to go the dry brine route as well. The bird is a 3%'er, so I went with a little over 3tbs kosher salt, 1 -1 1/2 tbs lemon pepper, some fresh rosemary in the cavity, a tablespoon or two of Italian seasoning, 1 tsp celery seed, and a couple tsp paprika. I wrapped the bird in about 50 feet of plastic wrap and parked in the frig about an hour ago.

I want to air dry the thing for a while before starting my smoke, so I'll have to decide whether to unwrap tomorrow night or early Thurs morning. I'm guessing I'll spend at least 4 hours cooking plus rest means I've got to start by 11am. Guess we'll see how the the standing juices look throughout Wed night. I'm excirted

[midwestsmokeboy]

I have 2 processed birds that I am smoking for a buddy. It has the pop up thingy in the bird. should I remove this before I smoke it? I am not a big turkey fan. I am a prime rib guy.

[5string]

I always thought brining was to add moisture to the protein, what's the difference between a "dry brine" and a "rub"?

[Bludawg]

I use the same recipe from Epicourious.com it make a delicious Bird.http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/fo...Oregano-361729

[buccaneer]

How's it looking tish, any moisture in the bottom of the bag?