Thanks for all the advice. You are perfectly right that when I added the
remaining gallon and three quarters, the salt disappeared almost entirely.
No, I was not planning to brine in a 50-50 solution LOL. I was just trying
to try to start the process of dissolving by starting with a small amount of
boiling water. The rest would be cool water, so I could put the turkey in
without having to wait for 2 gallons to cool.

As for my name.... I was once a nice Irish girl with a nice Irish name.