Brining the Turkey

[BadAxe]

Alton's (Quads) brining recipe calls for 6 hours of brining. Would 10 hours be too much, would it have negative effects? I am just trying to plan everything out, and if I can brine the bird for 10 hours it will allow me to not have to stay up real late, or wake up in the middle of the night to begin the process. But if 10 hours is too long, then i have to adjust my plans.

[syklopz]

Yeah, it should be fine. I did mine overnight last year.

[bigslickwood]

Don't know. I poked around a little bit and didn't see an answer. I decided it didn't matter, since I know other people who brine much longer than that with good results.

I stuck mine in the brine last night (Tuesday night) and won't be cooking it until about noon on Thursday. Hope I didn't kill it...

Also, marinated the brisket Monday night, rubbed it down last night, and will begin the 15 hours of smoking tonight. Made the cranberry dipping sauce and the BBQ sauce for the brisket (the smell of BBQ sauce in the house was literally maddening. can't wait). We decided to skip the cornbread pudding as there will be a lack of cooking space and my mom is already making dressing, my brother is making mashed potatoes, and my sister is making sweet potatoes.

Making the Atomic Buffalo Turds and messing around with the other appetizer recipe today.

[aceinthehole4212]

Good question, I was going to brine for about 12 hours....

Anyone else want to chime in as to a good duration for brining??

[Blake]

I brine for 12 hours, flipping the turkey half way through. You might want to check the recipe again cause I'm pretty sure it calls for an overnight brine. Ahh here it is on food network

If necessary, weigh down the bird to ensure it is fully immersed, cover, and refrigerate or set in cool area for 8 to 16 hours, turning the bird once half way through brining.

So i think you'll be safe with a longer brine ;)

[j p frog]

I do mine 12-14 hrs...then dry it off....put rub on...let sit overnight..then smoking it in the morning....doing a 12# breast and 6 legs and 4 wings.....this is in addition to a 24# oven roasted bird. We love turkey!

[CRAW]

I do mine 12-14 hrs...then dry it off....put rub on...let sit overnight..then smoking it in the morning....doing a 12# breast and 6 legs and 4 wings.....this is in addition to a 24# oven roasted bird. We love turkey!

PM me for my address so you can send me leftovers. :) Sounds delish!

[j p frog]

PM me for my address so you can send me leftovers. :) Sounds delish!

I have bad news sir....there are never any leftovers that survive the first day...the gang eats it all by midnight. sorry!

[bigslickwood]

We love turkey!

Really? I'm just not a fan. Of course, we make one, and we make the best one we can, because it's Thanksgiving and you have to. But really, that's probably the only time all year we have turkey (except from the deli, in sandwiches). Even then, it's more the accessory to the dressing, mashed potatoes, etc. which is what we all REALLY want. It's too bad that something good like a giant ham or a brisket weren't the 'traditional' thanksgiving food.

[Blake]

Love turkey...I probably smoke a turkey breast 3 or 4 times a year during the spring and summer. Best turkey sammich ever...little mayo, some sour dough bread, fresh smoked turkey, lettuce and tomato....slap a little bacon action on it and your MONEY!!

But we always have both turkey and ham for thanksgiving. This year (as shown in my other thread) I smoked 2 17-pound gooblers and a 9 pound ham....so good. I've had turkey and ham sammiches all week.

[Quads]

I don't recall how long I did mine. I think it was over night, IIRC.
If you look / understand what the brining process does, you can't really 'over brine' the bird.

[T]

Really? I'm just not a fan. Of course, we make one, and we make the best one we can, because it's Thanksgiving and you have to. But really, that's probably the only time all year we have turkey (except from the deli, in sandwiches). Even then, it's more the accessory to the dressing, mashed potatoes, etc. which is what we all REALLY want. It's too bad that something good like a giant ham or a brisket weren't the 'traditional' thanksgiving food.

Why get a whole bird if you guys don't like turkey. Just get a breast and cook it up. Its still turkey, just not as much. I say get a ham or a brisket and do that up too. Screw what tradition says. Thats the thing about family traditions, they are yours and yours alone.

A few years down the road when the kids bring their boyfriends/girlfriends over they will be telling them....Hope you don't like turkey on thanksgiving....cause we eat a big ass ham! That is what its all about. Thanksgiving is about being thankful for the things in your life, not cooking up a turkey.

T

[bigslickwood]

Why get a whole bird if you guys don't like turkey. Just get a breast and cook it up. Its still turkey, just not as much. I say get a ham or a brisket and do that up too. Screw what tradition says. Thats the thing about family traditions, they are yours and yours alone.

A few years down the road when the kids bring their boyfriends/girlfriends over they will be telling them....Hope you don't like turkey on thanksgiving....cause we eat a big ass ham! That is what its all about. Thanksgiving is about being thankful for the things in your life, not cooking up a turkey.

T

I've been up all night smoking a big old brisket, and I think the brother's wife's mom will probably bring a ham, so we're covered in the meat department. I can live with turkey once a year because it's tradition, just not my favorite meat by a long ways... In fact, it's time to go pull it out of the brine and start getting it prepped for cooking.

[T]

FWIW, I saw Emeril on Martha Stewart (She tivo'd it, not me) and he kept saying over and over he brines his bird for 48 hours because it keeps it more moist and more of the flavors get in the bird.

Don't think you could go wrong over night. The only thing I would be wary of is all the mositure in the bird could cause a flare up with deep frying.

Emeril also said that brining is the new deep frying for turkeys this year.

T