BRADLEY SMOKER | "Taste the Great Outdoors"

Recipe Discussions => Poultry => Topic started by: SnellySmokesEm on November 04, 2011, 07:15:12 PM

Title: Turkey Brine in Texas?
Post by: SnellySmokesEm on November 04, 2011, 07:15:12 PM
Whats a good turkey brine I should tell my dad to get for thanksgiving.  He lives in the Dallas area, Plano to be exact.  Thanks for the recommendations.
Title: Re: Turkey Brine in Texas?
Post by: squirtthecat on November 04, 2011, 07:16:46 PM

There has got to be a John Henry turkey rub/brine..    Or maybe Zach's has something?
Title: Re: Turkey Brine in Texas?
Post by: boxofrain on November 05, 2011, 12:55:22 PM
my basic meat brine is old style
for each qt of water; 1/4 cup salt
                                  1/2 cup sugar (white for white and brown for red meat typically)
                                  1/4 cup cider vinegar
I just drop a frozen bird in a bucket with enough liquid to cover and let it thaw in there for at least 24 hrs.
I have also used frozen fruit juice drinks as a marinade for poultry.
Mango, guava, pineapple, orange etc.
It's all good!
Title: Re: Turkey Brine in Texas?
Post by: pikeman_95 on November 05, 2011, 01:42:23 PM
We used to smoke many turkeys using the below spice blend. We use the turkey seasoning following the below recipe This is a turkey pump the the amounts that are shown will do around a 12-16 pound turkey. The spices are water soluble spices so they migrate through the bird well. We smoke with the breast down so do your pumping from the side,front and back of the bird. Avoid poking holes through the breast skin so that the liquid stays in the bird. Here is a link to the spice blend


http://www.spokanespice.com/products_detail.php?id=366&secid=69

Here is the ration that we used this blend. It has some water, mild wine and butter added. You have to keep it stirred while you load the pumping needle . Make sure you pump the leg and wing muscles and give the bird a good rub down after pumping to spread the spices and cure well.  I might have to give this a try again this Thanksgiving.


Instructions for pumping turkeys

Bring almost to a boil the below ingredients

8 oz. mild wine
4 oz. water
4 oz. butter or margarine
[1 5/8 oz.] or 4 and 1/2 tbs. turkey seasoning
2 tsp  meat cure [this is the minimum amount do not short]

Pump all the above ingredients into a 12 to 16 lb. turkey. Use only turkeys that have had nothing added to them.

Smoke at a temp. of at least 220 deg. Fahrenheit for 6 to 8 hours.
Smoke turkey with the breast facing down.

Title: Re: Turkey Brine in Texas?
Post by: JZ on November 05, 2011, 02:53:14 PM
Hey Pikeman.

Just curious as to why you smoke the Turkey breast down. Does it produce a juicier breast meat that way?

You also note that the breast skin should not be poked. Where do you place the meat thermometer?
Title: Re: Turkey Brine in Texas?
Post by: pikeman_95 on November 05, 2011, 03:55:30 PM
We smoke it with the breast down so that the juices keep the breast meat moist. I put the thermometer  deep in the thigh or into the center of the breast stuck into the breast high and from the side. I pump  the turkey laying on it's breast. I insert the pump from high on the side and I pull the neck skin down and insert the pumping needle from the front and the back. I just avoid puncturing the breast skin. I also pump the legs,thighs, and wings from the upper surface avoiding puncturing any holes where the juices might leak out. To smoke I insert a sausage hanging rod through the body cavity and out of the neck hole. Use s string to tie the legs up by passing the string over the rod and tie it to the other leg this keeps the legs from hanging down and draining the juices out.
Just a warning use a mild wine only. One time we were doing turkeys in the smoker that we used to have at the plant where I work. My boss asked what kind of wine I wanted him to buy, and being a smart ass I said Mad Dog 20-20 and he bought it. The turkey tasted like crap. The cheap wind really came through.

Good luck. We will need pictures.
Kirby