8% Solution turkey, Brine still?

[jzampier]

Man I haven't been on here in awhile.  Just to add, even though its too late:

First two turkeys:

Washed thoroughly, let soak in a water bath for 24hrs to dilute the solution.

Next I brined for 24 hrs in a concoction of stuff, including apple juice, distilled water and a host of other ingredients.

Smoked one till about 180*, then finished it off in the fryer to 190*  Came out good

Fried one to 190*, came out good.

Third turkey, for more family that came in later.  Did not brine, had the store solution in it.  Made my butter rub with sage, smoked garlic, etc, SAME rub as previous 2.  This one came out GREAT, way better than the other two and much less work.  So much flavor and was very moist throughout the bird.  Wife agreed that the third one was the best. 

 

[mauismoker]

 
Man I haven't been on here in awhile.  Just to add, even though its too late:

First two turkeys:

Washed thoroughly, let soak in a water bath for 24hrs to dilute the solution.

Next I brined for 24 hrs in a concoction of stuff, including apple juice, distilled water and a host of other ingredients.

Smoked one till about 180*, then finished it off in the fryer to 190*  Came out good

Fried one to 190*, came out good.

Third turkey, for more family that came in later.  Did not brine, had the store solution in it.  Made my butter rub with sage, smoked garlic, etc, SAME rub as previous 2.  This one came out GREAT, way better than the other two and much less work.  So much flavor and was very moist throughout the bird.  Wife agreed that the third one was the best. 

How big was the 3rd bird? Was it smoked or fried? 

 

[jzampier]

This was last year but it was same size. 12#'s or so.

 

[mauismoker]

Smoked or fried? Doing a 15# tomorrow and wasn't able to brine first so I'm a little worried. 

 

[jzampier]

I fried the third one. Last yr I smoked 1 then crisped it up in the fryer, then fried an additional two. I don't think you'll notice a whole lot of difference in brining. There is a little but if you don't have time, don't worry about it.

 

[mauismoker]

Cool. Thanks!

 

[thatcho]

Glad i came across this. Dave and Chef you guys have provided some excellent information. I currently have a 10 and a half pound turkey with 8percent salt solution injected, currently using a brine pulled off the forum (Slaughterhouse). Can not wait to smoke it. one question i plan on using some Alder pellets with AMNPS  has anyone used Alder is so how did it come out?

 

[daveomak]

Glad i came across this. Dave and Chef you guys have provided some excellent information. I currently have a 10 and a half pound turkey with 8percent salt solution injected, currently using a brine pulled off the forum (Slaughterhouse). Can not wait to smoke it. one question i plan on using some Alder pellets with AMNPS  has anyone used Alder is so how did it come out?

Alder is good.... I like a mild smoke flavored wood when doing poultry... Doesn't overpower the bird....

Dave

 

[thatcho]

Thank u Dave. Just pulled from brine rinsed and into fridge. Anticipation is gonna kill me yet.

 

[iconoclast hero]

The really cool thing about brine..... What ever is in the turkey will be removed by your brine, mixed with it and re adsorbed into the meat.... So, it will be diluted...... If the turkey has a 10% brine and weighs 10#'s, there will be 1# of brine in it.... If you make 2 gallons of new brine and soak the bird in it, 2 gal = 16+ pounds..... the 1# of the brine in the turkey will mix with the 16+ #'s of your brine and basically negate any of the brine in the bird..... All of that is theoretical ..... but it's hard to argue with physics..... Dave

I know this is an old thread, but I do not think this is right. I think it will make it more salty and here's why:

• if you have equal volumes of brine and bird, one is at 2% v/v salt and one is at 10% v/v salt, they should equilibrate to 6% salt upon diffusion.
• if you then take that 6% v/v salt bird and brine it again in a 10% brine, then you should have an 8% v/v brine and bird after diffusion.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• So you're not going to have a bird that gets above the concentration of the brine being used during the final step, it could be higher than if you only brined it once.

 

[SmokinEdge]

I know this is an old thread, but I do not think this is right. I think it will make it more salty and here's why:

• if you have equal volumes of brine and bird, one is at 2% v/v salt and one is at 10% v/v salt, they should equilibrate to 6% salt upon diffusion.
• if you then take that 6% v/v salt bird and brine it again in a 10% brine, then you should have an 8% v/v brine and bird after diffusion.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• So you're not going to have a bird that gets above the concentration of the brine being used during the final step, it could be higher than if you only brined it once.

This is not true. Brine does not work that way.

Brines are tricky a bit, in that we are assuming the uptake of the brine to meat, this really is not consistent meat piece to meat piece. The best guess is about 4% uptake to meat from brine if not pumped. Time brined is also a big factor. Diffusion is interesting but really it’s all about equalizing so if a piece of meat with a higher salt concentration, from a previous brine or pump, is then brined in a lesser salt concentration brine, this works like a water soak in that the salt inside the meat will diffuse outward toward the lower salt brine. They will want to equalize. High salt moves towards low salt areas always, trying to equalize. A higher salt concentration meat piece placed in a lower concentration salt brine will not become more salty, this does not add like math, rather it tries to balance, and salt will lower, not increase in the meat.