I like my Creole/Cajun Brine. There are dozens of varieties of Crab/Shrimp Boil. Some are liquid, some are a powder with salt, but my favorite are the Zatarain boiling bags. The bags contain whole seed spices..mustard seed, coriander seed, peppercorns, chunks of cayenne and seed, allspice, bay leaves and dill. They have a regular, and extra spicy. I use the extra spicy, and use three of them. I cut the bags and dump it all out into 1 gal of boiling water. I add 2 cups of salt, 1 cup of brown sugar and 1 white, a lemon-quartered, 2 stalks of celery, cut into 4" pieces, 2 onions cut into quarters, 10 cloves of crushed garlic and about 6 whole cloves. Boil for ten minutes, and then let it cool to room temp. I have a 30 quart cooler. I put 1/4 bag of ice in it, out of the bag and broken up, and then pour the brine over it. I put the turkey in it, and that usually covers it about 3/4 of the way. I will let it brine for 48 hours - putting the 3/4 of the ice in the bag (so it doesn't dilute) on top of the bird, and I usually end up replacing another 1/2-3/4 bag of ice after 12-24 hours depending on the time of the year to keep it cold. I use this brine on hams, briskets, butts, and chickens. I do have other brines..most of the time just a salt/sugar brine, but I do like the zing flavor this brine gives.
