Food Safety and the Brining Bucket. HD / Lowes Might Not be best source

[smokeon]

I've seen a couple of posts here suggesting the use of a 5 gallon utilty bucket from Home Depot or Lowes for brining a bird. That might not be the safest choice as they are not "food grade".

http://www.virtualweberbullet.com/plastics.html

 

[hounds51]

Great Info Thanks

 

[nate_46]

Thank you for your concern, cause I am one of the fellows that use a 5 gal pail from Walmart.

If you do use a 5 gal pail do your homework. On the bottom of the pail should have the manufacture address and phone number (and maybe a lot number). My pail was manufactured by Encore plastics in Byesville, OH. I was curious about the grade quality of my bucket so I searched their website.

Cam across this page: http://www.e-encore.com/FAQpolyethylene.html

Second question down states that my pail (HDPE) is FDA approved.

Some risks are greater than others, but the only risk I have from my pail is my growing waist line. (God I hope it isn't a tumor.....)

 

[coyote-1]

I have an enameled lobster pot; it fits a 20lb turkey with ease.

Even if you're not a fan of giant insects from the sea, those pots still come in handy for many other endeavors.

 

[eman]

Good Post,
I just did a brined turkey, Used a 5 gal.igloo water cooler.
I didn't want to have brine flavored water this summer so i used a trash bag for a liner in the cooler. I searched the box and the website for glad and could find no information that showed that their trash bags had any pesticides impregnated or applied to the plastic so i figure it was as safe as any other plastic bag.
If i could have found food grade bags big enough at the time i would have used them.
The water cooler will hold brine and ice for longer than you want to brine a turkey w/o haveing to take up alot of space in your fridge.
If you brine more than once a year it is a great investment.

 

[txbigred]

Go to one of your local burger joints and ask the manager if they have any empty 5 gal buckets that you could have. They get their pickles and such in them and are food safe..

Dave

 

[travcoman45]

Ya can also go ta yer local mega mart, if they got a bakery, ya can get 2 an 3 gallon buckets what had icin in em. Mine just gave em to me, had nice lids an all. Good washin an been great fer smaller stuff. As TBR said ya can get em at burger joints an delis what had pickles in em.

If it ain't a food grade bucket er bag, I'd shy away from em cause ya don't know what the salt solution is gonna leech out it. Just my two coppers worth.

 

[DanMcG]

Good idea on the little bakery buckets Tip, I'll have to check it out. Thanks.

 

[the virginian]

I mentioned before I have an environmental health background, and Travcoman is right. You put different solutions in buckets, it can draw out chemicals. Just like if your plumbing, you use CPVC pipes as opposed to PVC for water that you shower with and drink. Restaurant supply stores sell food safe buckets as well, but I like the free idea best. I have 12 lbs of turkey in the brine right now in a large stainless bowl.

 

[raceyb]

^^^ I agree with this one.... I've been brining chickens and turkeys in them buckets for years. I shy away from Home Depots simply because of the bright orange bucket and who knows what all else is in there.

Emeril Lagasse has used trash bags to brine turkeys in as well... If it's good enough for the Food Network.... (I'd never advocate using those bags as some have scent or deodorizers embeded in them.

 

[smokin-jim]

A couple of ideas I might add. I get my buckets from a local organic grocery that has a large Deli area. They have always given them to me for free.

For Turkeys I use a cooler, but I use the Turkey sized oven bags. I double bag them for thickness, but I know that they are food safe. I have done 2 14 pounders at a time and still have room for ice.