This year marks a decade and a half of smoking turkeys for thanksgiving. In that time I've gone from low and slow to hot and fast. This years first is not doing a whole bird and instead just doing a 6 pound all natural bone on breast. Still haven't spatched a turkey, but I will later after the first of the year with one of the freebie birds that we have in the freezer. Here is where this years bird is so far.
The Brine
1 1/2 gallons apple juice
1 1/2 cup sea salt
1 1/4 cup brown sugar
several oranges halved and squeezed
hand full peppercorns (white, black,red) hand full whole cloves 6 garlic cloves smashed 3 bay leaves 4 Thai chiles
Simmer that all together for 30 minutes, cool completely.
6 pound breast
Used the small bucket no need for the big guy this year!
And begin!
It's cold enough in the garage right now that the bird can live out there while brining. I don't trust that there aren't creature lurking out there that can open bucket lids so into the cooler just for safe keeping!
Buckets a nit tall to get the cooler lid closed, so the cast iron will hold down the fort!
Now for the wait, Shhhhhhhhh!!!
The Brine
1 1/2 gallons apple juice
1 1/2 cup sea salt
1 1/4 cup brown sugar
several oranges halved and squeezed
hand full peppercorns (white, black,red) hand full whole cloves 6 garlic cloves smashed 3 bay leaves 4 Thai chiles
Simmer that all together for 30 minutes, cool completely.
6 pound breast
Used the small bucket no need for the big guy this year!
And begin!
It's cold enough in the garage right now that the bird can live out there while brining. I don't trust that there aren't creature lurking out there that can open bucket lids so into the cooler just for safe keeping!
Buckets a nit tall to get the cooler lid closed, so the cast iron will hold down the fort!
Now for the wait, Shhhhhhhhh!!!
