I am going to smoke a Butterball pre-enhanced turkey tomorrow (breasts only). Can I still do a lighter brine on it? I would like to do something with apple juice.
Thanks,
John
I "Think" you could but I would lean towards less salt as an additive if the bird has already been treated.
I'd probably choose to inject the apple juice since I can never figure out how well an already enhanced bird absorbs flavors from a brine. Sorry - I'd have a better answer if I'd only paid attention in those chemistry classes that didn't deal with distillates and other recreational substances.
Unless you brine for a long period of time, it will make very little difference.
Pachanga gets good results by using a low salt brine and brining for 3 - 4 days. I believe during that long period, revers osmosis is taking place, and then osmosis. In your case, you don't have to use his recipe, but the method is more important.
Basically osmosis is the movement of a high concentrate solution (such as a brine) through the cell walls to an area of low concentrate solution, when the meat is fully submerge. This process will continues until the concentration of both are the same (equilibrium). Reverse osmosis is the high concentration from the cells moving outward.
Here is the long explanation of omosis: :)
Brining 101 (http://www.cookshack.com/brining-101)
Just make you brine enough to cover your turkey. Get your bird in the brine completely and inject. I have had great results in just a few days. No need for rocket science.
Quote from: NePaSmoKer on October 16, 2011, 10:28:40 AM
Just make you brine enough to cover your turkey. Get your bird in the brine completely and inject. I have had great results in just a few days. No need for rocket science.
;D
Thanks for the answers. You guys are always there for great answers. I ended up doing a an apple juice/poultry rub brine for about 8 hours. Just enough to cover the turkey. I will let you know how it turns out. The bird had a 15% enhanced injection. Sounds kida high to me.
The percentage of solution is not as important as the salinity of the solution. I have picked up some chickens from Price Chopper, a local chain supermarket. They were injected with around 8% water, no other ingredients added. Therefore they will brine the same as non enhanced poultry.