I'm going to smoke a turkey for my first time ever in the BGE. So clearly I need to brine a turkey for the first time ever. I've seen suggestions to brine for 24 hours.

My issue is the timeline. I'm working on thanksgiving day so planned on putting the turkey on the BGE before work around 5 AM. Going to have someone pull the turkey off when it's done, wrap it in foil, put it in a cooler and transport to thanksgiving location.

Here's my question: I can start brining the turkey at 5 PM on Wednesday and therefore brine it for 12 hours, or start brining it after work on Tuesday so it will sit in the brine for around 36 hours.

Oh turkey masters, which do y'all suggest?

don't brine, do a dry salt cure.

"I vastly prefer dry brining. A traditional brine will plump up your turkey with moisture, but that moisture is mainly water, leading to a turkey that tastes watered down. A dry brine, on the other hand, helps a turkey retain its natural moisture without adding any excess liquid, which leads to more intensely flavored results.

Adding baking powder to a dry brine can also improve your turkey skin. Not only does the baking powder work to break down some skin proteins, causing them to crisp and brown more efficiently, it also combines with turkey juices, forming microscopic bubbles that add surface area and crunch to the skin as it roasts."

https://www.seriouseats.com/2014/11/quick-and-dirty-guide-to-brining-turkey-chicken-thanksgiving.html

Above post and go 36 hours for sure.

I second the dry brine suggestion

Dry brine >>>>>>>wet brine

I've done both, several dozen times.

Yes, wet brining adds water. If your cooking method needs water (like low and slow smoking) that's a good thing. If your cooking method doesn't (like frying) that's bad. So wet brine a smoked turkey, but dry brine a fried turkey.

HOWEVER, almost every store bought turkey has already been brine injected. It's very hard to find a turkey in 2019 that hasn't been "injected with a solution of 1% sodium chloride". Read the label and don't consider brining if it's pre-brined.

OP, your cook time seems too long. I smoke my turkeys hot, like 375 to 400. Still results in a good dark skin and smokey flavor, but only takes a 2 hours. Gets the skin crispy too. Stick 2 thermometers in it and as soon as both breasts are 160F, move to a cold oven to rest. It'll coast to 165.

Does the dry brine being superior to wet brining apply to just turkey or do you guys recommend that on chicken thighs and other things as well?

WES2006AG said:

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Does the dry brine being superior to wet brining apply to just turkey or do you guys recommend that on chicken thighs and other things as well?

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everything

WES2006AG said:

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Does the dry brine being superior to wet brining apply to just turkey or do you guys recommend that on chicken thighs and other things as well?

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Anything where the goal is to retain the natural juices as much as possible

This year I'm doing a dry brine. But I followed (mostly) the Alton Brown wet brine for a number of years. I bought a 5 gallon bucket at Home Depot that I only used for food. Most of the water I added was in the form of ice and it went in the garage with a lid on. Usually I did a 12 hour brine, and that was just fine. So I would say for a wet brine your plan of 5PM to 5AM is just fine.

The advantage to this wet brine was saving fridge space. It's also very easy to transport the bird if you are cooking Thanksgiving somewhere other than your kitchen, say College Station before a football game. The meat was very moist, but sometimes almost too gummy. Considering the number of disastrous turkeys that everyone has had, it's perfectly acceptable.

[EDIT] - Rereading your post, I would not do a 36 hour brine. I think that would introduce a number of complications and risks, but since I have not done that before I don't know exactly what problems might arise.

WES2006AG said:

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Does the dry brine being superior to wet brining apply to just turkey or do you guys recommend that on chicken thighs and other things as well?

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When they say everything, they mean EVERYTHING. Beef, pork, chicken, venison, etc.

I've used this recipe for years. Always to rave reviews.

https://www.smoking-meat.com/november-10-2011-smoked-buttermilk-brined-turkey

Is the dry brine even necessary? I'm a big fan of Malcolm Reed and looks like he just banks on the bird being somewhat brined before and putting spices on top of the skin plus injecting before smoking.

schmendeler said:

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don't brine, do a dry salt cure.

"I vastly prefer dry brining. A traditional brine will plump up your turkey with moisture, but that moisture is mainly water, leading to a turkey that tastes watered down. A dry brine, on the other hand, helps a turkey retain its natural moisture without adding any excess liquid, which leads to more intensely flavored results.

Adding baking powder to a dry brine can also improve your turkey skin. Not only does the baking powder work to break down some skin proteins, causing them to crisp and brown more efficiently, it also combines with turkey juices, forming microscopic bubbles that add surface area and crunch to the skin as it roasts."

https://www.seriouseats.com/2014/11/quick-and-dirty-guide-to-brining-turkey-chicken-thanksgiving.html

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So if i did the salt/bp cure, how do recommend I finish prepping it for the Big Easy that I let fido talk me into buying

We did not brine, just coated bird in canola oil and lots of Tony's. Best and juiciest and easiest turkey I've ever cooked. Next year we may inject a little but honestly I don't think it needs it.



The Big Easy is the real deal. Can't wait to try prime rib on it for Christmas.

Tailgate88 said:

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We did not brine, just coated bird in canola oil and lots of Tony's. Best and juiciest and easiest turkey I've ever cooked. Next year we may inject a little but honestly I don't think it needs it.



The Big Easy is the real deal. Can't wait to try prime rib on it for Christmas.

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Is that fried?

Bocephus said:

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Tailgate88 said:

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We did not brine, just coated bird in canola oil and lots of Tony's. Best and juiciest and easiest turkey I've ever cooked. Next year we may inject a little but honestly I don't think it needs it.



The Big Easy is the real deal. Can't wait to try prime rib on it for Christmas.

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Is that fried?

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No, but you'd never know it. No oil, almost zero mess. "Air fried".

https://www.charbroil.com/the-big-easy-oil-less-fryer

I was skeptical and so were my sons, but we are believers now.

I just use a regular ole Lyfetime grill with offset smoke box.

As mentioned above, most Turkeys already have plenty of salt injected, the Butterball I smoked had an 8% solution.

I coat in oil or butter. Smoke upside down, i.e. breast side down. It's not pretty sitting on the table, but is the juiciest, moistest turkey possible I think.

I take off before 160 as measured in the breast.

Works every time.

Bump. Turned out great last year. Gonna do the exact same thing again this year.

Last year I brined for 12 hours then smoked for a little less than 5 at around 275 degrees until Turkey temp was 161 degrees. Wrapped it in foil, put it in a cooler, it was still hot 6 hours later when we ate.

So looking at smoking a turkey on my kettle for the first time. If I get a pre-brined turkey (as mentioned above, it seems everything commercial is already brined before hand), does brining again myself make a difference? Should I inject instead? Or just use the pre-brined bird, season, and call it good. Have a buddy who recommended making a compound butter and slathering under the skin for flavor and fat after spatchcocking the turkey.

hmmm, says do not rinse off the dry brine before cooking. I guess is missed that part in previous years.

HouseDivided06 said:

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So looking at smoking a turkey on my kettle for the first time. If I get a pre-brined turkey (as mentioned above, it seems everything commercial is already brined before hand), does brining again myself make a difference? Should I inject instead? Or just use the pre-brined bird, season, and call it good. Have a buddy who recommended making a compound butter and slathering under the skin for flavor and fat after spatchcocking the turkey.

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If you brine again, you will end up with a over salted bird

Ok just checked and it's only 4%. So if I brine again that'll be over salted?

So, newbie recipe question, that I didn't see in the above posts. Thought I would try the dry brine. Will cook in my kamodo Joe. If it is a pre injected bird do I still use salt in the dry brine?

I would say no.

HouseDivided06 said:

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Ok just checked and it's only 4%. So if I brine again that'll be over salted?

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If you brine with salt, you're running that risk. Just use sugar, garlic cloves, orange peels etc and leave the salt out of the brine.