Most recipes that I have read say to use:

2. cups Kosher Salt or 1 cup of regular salt per 2 gallons of water.

Alton Brown adds 1/2 cup of light Brown sugar and 1 cup Kosher salt to 1
gallon of iced water and 1 gallon of vegetable stock.

Martha Stewart says 2 gallons water 2 cups bourbon, 2 cups + 2 TBS. course
salt and 1 cup of sugar.

The questions a

1. What have you used?

2. What else did you add?

3. Would you do this again?

Thanks

Dimitri

"Dimitri" > wrote in message
. com...
> Most recipes that I have read say to use:
>
> 2. cups Kosher Salt or 1 cup of regular salt per 2 gallons of water.
>
> Alton Brown adds 1/2 cup of light Brown sugar and 1 cup Kosher salt to 1
> gallon of iced water and 1 gallon of vegetable stock.
>
> Martha Stewart says 2 gallons water 2 cups bourbon, 2 cups + 2 TBS. course
> salt and 1 cup of sugar.
>
> The questions a
>
> 1. What have you used?
>
> 2. What else did you add?
>
> 3. Would you do this again?
>
> Thanks
>
> Dimitri
>
I follow the Cook's Illustrated article from November/December issue. It was
the best discussion of brining that I've seen. There are a few other sources
online also. I have summarized the CI article at
http://www.gbronline.com/jacke/recbrining.htm . Note 'Notes" #2 and #3. This
seems to be overlooked in all other discussion on brinning. Some say to
brine for 24 hours. Then they complain about the items being too salty. In
following the CI guidelines, we have never had a problem with saltiness but
could easily detect the improved moisture and even texture.

I sometimes go with a straight salt/sugar brine but sometimes change what I
use for sugar (instead of white sugar use brown sugar or a combination of
white/brown and/or molasses). I haven't tried it yet but honey sounds good
too. I also add some herbs/spices at times like bay leaf, crushed black
pepper and/or fresh rosemary, depending on what I'm brining. I haven't tried
anything as fancy as Hound's citrus brine.

With respect to other online sources of info on brinning, check out these:
http://cookshack.com/barbeque_guide/101/Brining101.htm
The BBQ FAQ, but I don't have an URL handy. See alt.food.barbecue.

Good luck.

scubapix

"Dimitri" > wrote in message
. com...
> Most recipes that I have read say to use:
>
> 2. cups Kosher Salt or 1 cup of regular salt per 2 gallons of water.
>
> Alton Brown adds 1/2 cup of light Brown sugar and 1 cup Kosher salt to 1
> gallon of iced water and 1 gallon of vegetable stock.
>
> Martha Stewart says 2 gallons water 2 cups bourbon, 2 cups + 2 TBS. course
> salt and 1 cup of sugar.
>
> The questions a
>
> 1. What have you used?

1 cup kosher salt & 1 cup brown sugar per gallon of water.

>
> 2. What else did you add?

Thyme, squeezed citrus, chiles, garlic, hot sauce. We're talking turkey
here. I add other things for other things.

>
> 3. Would you do this again?

Yes, I like the results I get.

Here's some good info on brining: http://www.bbq-porch.org/brining00.asp

Jack Soaked

On Mon, 24 Nov 2003 18:56:11 GMT, "Dimitri"
> wrote:

>Most recipes that I have read say to use:
>
>2. cups Kosher Salt or 1 cup of regular salt per 2 gallons of water.
>
>Alton Brown adds 1/2 cup of light Brown sugar and 1 cup Kosher salt to 1
>gallon of iced water and 1 gallon of vegetable stock.
>
>Martha Stewart says 2 gallons water 2 cups bourbon, 2 cups + 2 TBS. course
>salt and 1 cup of sugar.
>
>The questions a
>
>1. What have you used?
>
>2. What else did you add?
>
>3. Would you do this again?
>
>Thanks
>
>Dimitri
>
>

Well I use the following for Turkey, Chicken, and pork -

2 gal water
1 cup Kosher salt or 2/3 cup table salt (I dont use iodized)
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 Tbsp = 2 tsp msg (Accent)
1 tsp granulated garlic generous

and I soak smething large like a Turkey for 3 days...Rest
one day wrapped then cook as desired...Have done so for
years- have tried other variations, but keep commin back to
this one...Hag k



As a beauty Im not a star, there are
others more handsome by far, but my
face I dont mind it because Im behind
it, its the folks out front that I jar...

Pull a loraine Bobbit (cut off waynespenis) to reply

On Mon, 24 Nov 2003 18:56:11 GMT, "Dimitri" >
wrote:

>Most recipes that I have read say to use:
>
>2. cups Kosher Salt or 1 cup of regular salt per 2 gallons of water.
>
>Alton Brown adds 1/2 cup of light Brown sugar and 1 cup Kosher salt to 1
>gallon of iced water and 1 gallon of vegetable stock.
>
>Martha Stewart says 2 gallons water 2 cups bourbon, 2 cups + 2 TBS. course
>salt and 1 cup of sugar.

I am probably telling you stuff you already know, but here goes anyway.

2 cups of Diamond kosher salt equals 1 cup of regular salt. So that is
1 cup of kosher salt per gallon of water.

Alton is doing 1 cup of kosher salt per gallon of water. He knows that
the vegetable stock already has lots of salt, in fact he warns against
using low/no salt broths.

Martha is using 1 cup + 1 tbs of coarse salt per gallon + 2 cups of
water. Both kosher salt and pickling salt are coarse salts, so this is
close enough.

"SCUBApix" > wrote in message
...
>
> "Dimitri" > wrote in message
> . com...
> > Most recipes that I have read say to use:
> >
> > 2. cups Kosher Salt or 1 cup of regular salt per 2 gallons of water.
> >
> > Alton Brown adds 1/2 cup of light Brown sugar and 1 cup Kosher salt to 1
> > gallon of iced water and 1 gallon of vegetable stock.
> >
> > Martha Stewart says 2 gallons water 2 cups bourbon, 2 cups + 2 TBS.
course
> > salt and 1 cup of sugar.
> >
> > The questions a
> >
> > 1. What have you used?
> >
> > 2. What else did you add?
> >
> > 3. Would you do this again?
> >
> > Thanks
> >
> > Dimitri
> >
> I follow the Cook's Illustrated article from November/December issue.

what year?

a guy i work with used the brining method alton brown does and i tried the
turkey he maid for a banquet and it was very good.

"Robert Klute" > wrote in message
...
> On Mon, 24 Nov 2003 18:56:11 GMT, "Dimitri" >
> wrote:
>
> >Most recipes that I have read say to use:
> >
> >2. cups Kosher Salt or 1 cup of regular salt per 2 gallons of water.
> >
> >Alton Brown adds 1/2 cup of light Brown sugar and 1 cup Kosher salt to 1
> >gallon of iced water and 1 gallon of vegetable stock.
> >
> >Martha Stewart says 2 gallons water 2 cups bourbon, 2 cups + 2 TBS.
course
> >salt and 1 cup of sugar.
>
> I am probably telling you stuff you already know, but here goes anyway.
>
> 2 cups of Diamond kosher salt equals 1 cup of regular salt. So that is
> 1 cup of kosher salt per gallon of water.
>
> Alton is doing 1 cup of kosher salt per gallon of water. He knows that
> the vegetable stock already has lots of salt, in fact he warns against
> using low/no salt broths.

I part company with him there; I think broths/stocks should be prepared
without salt. In fact, I think salt should be added closer to when the food
will be served.

Jack Saline

"Robert Klute" > wrote in message
...
> On Mon, 24 Nov 2003 18:56:11 GMT, "Dimitri" >
> wrote:
>
> >Most recipes that I have read say to use:
> >
> >2. cups Kosher Salt or 1 cup of regular salt per 2 gallons of water.
> >
> >Alton Brown adds 1/2 cup of light Brown sugar and 1 cup Kosher salt to 1
> >gallon of iced water and 1 gallon of vegetable stock.
> >
> >Martha Stewart says 2 gallons water 2 cups bourbon, 2 cups + 2 TBS.
course
> >salt and 1 cup of sugar.
>
> I am probably telling you stuff you already know, but here goes anyway.
>
> 2 cups of Diamond kosher salt equals 1 cup of regular salt. So that is
> 1 cup of kosher salt per gallon of water.
>
> Alton is doing 1 cup of kosher salt per gallon of water. He knows that
> the vegetable stock already has lots of salt, in fact he warns against
> using low/no salt broths.

That would not have occured to me as I never salt my stocks.

Thanks for the tip.

Dimitri

On Tue, 25 Nov 2003 15:00:13 GMT, "Dimitri" >
wrote:

>
>"Robert Klute" > wrote in message
.. .
>> On Mon, 24 Nov 2003 18:56:11 GMT, "Dimitri" >
>> wrote:
>
>> Alton is doing 1 cup of kosher salt per gallon of water. He knows that
>> the vegetable stock already has lots of salt, in fact he warns against
>> using low/no salt broths.
>
>That would not have occured to me as I never salt my stocks.
>
>Thanks for the tip.

Happened to see the episode where he shows how to make the brine. He
uses commercial vegetable broth. Looks like the foil pack from Trader
Joe's.

Dimitri wrote:
> 1. What have you used?

Preface: I am new to brining. I agree all 'round with the 1:1,
cup:gallon, kosher:water thing. Between the 12-hour and 24-hour camps, I
am presently in the 24-hour camp; be it 25 lb. turkeys or 5 lb. chickens.

> 2. What else did you add?

I don't make or buy vegetable stock, so I add vegetables at the
suggestion of one TomKattt at some BBQ site; usually mirepoix ingredients
and ratio, diced finely.

I always add peppercorns.

I *never* add sugar or brown sugar for the same reason I don't add them
to my rubs -- I don't see the need for extra carmelization and it just
doesn't taste right, IMHO. I add Mace to my rubs in lieu of sugar, but I
haven't tried that with brining. *However*, I have taken to adding honey
to brines (again, credit TKattt) and that's working out for me. I think
the chemical complexity of honey differentiates it from sugars more than
subjectively in this use (and others).

After that it's spice du jour. A handful of whatever's growing/fresh;
thyme, marjoram, parsely, etc.

> 3. Would you do this again?

Every time. I started out in the against/needless column and was forced
to put my money where my mouth was. Thankfully.

Soaking poultry in salt water with raw vegetables and spices seems
counterintuitive to me. However, the amount of flavor imparted to the
meat is unarguable. And, above all other reasons given for brining, that
remains my foremost argument for recommending it.

Hi:
I wondered if you could give me some advice on the brining business.
I have never cooked a turkey before ... let alone brined one.
I have ordered a frozen free range/organic turkey weighing about 15lbs.
I will pick it up on the 18th of December.

My question: It will be frozen solid.
I estimate 3 days thawing in the fridge before I can roast it.
At what point in this sequence does one brine? Are there food safety
concerns?
Do you thaw it for three days then brine over night (Christmas Eve) then
roast the beast in the morning ? ( After rinsing well )

Any wisdom you may impart would be gratefully received, Aileen

"Aileen Sharma" > wrote in message
...
>
> Hi:
> I wondered if you could give me some advice on the brining business.
> I have never cooked a turkey before ... let alone brined one.
> I have ordered a frozen free range/organic turkey weighing about 15lbs.
> I will pick it up on the 18th of December.
>
> My question: It will be frozen solid.
> I estimate 3 days thawing in the fridge before I can roast it.
> At what point in this sequence does one brine? Are there food safety
> concerns?
> Do you thaw it for three days then brine over night (Christmas Eve) then
> roast the beast in the morning ? ( After rinsing well )
>
> Any wisdom you may impart would be gratefully received, Aileen
>

http://www.bbq-porch.org/brining00.asp contains some really good reference
material for you.

Thaw it and yes, brining it overnight is fine.

Jack Soaked

Thanks for this really helpful info. Aileen


>
>
> http://www.bbq-porch.org/brining00.asp contains some really good reference
> material for you.
>
> Thaw it and yes, brining it overnight is fine.
>
> Jack Soaked
>
>

In article >, Aileen Sharma
> writes:

>I wondered if you could give me some advice on the brining business.
>I have never cooked a turkey before ... let alone brined one.
>I have ordered a frozen free range/organic turkey weighing about 15lbs.
>I will pick it up on the 18th of December.
>
>My question: It will be frozen solid.
>I estimate 3 days thawing in the fridge before I can roast it.
>At what point in this sequence does one brine? Are there food safety
>concerns?
>Do you thaw it for three days then brine over night (Christmas Eve) then
>roast the beast in the morning ? ( After rinsing well )
>
>Any wisdom you may impart would be gratefully received, Aileen

You likely paid a premium price for that bird... so why do you want to risk
ruining it and ruining your thanksgiving dinner... are you some kind of
masochist... experiment on a cheaper bird, and one that will not be for any
special occasion.


---= BOYCOTT FRENCH--GERMAN (belgium) =---
---= Move UNITED NATIONS To Paris =---
Sheldon
````````````
"Life would be devoid of all meaning were it without tribulation."

I wrote:
> I *never* add sugar or brown sugar for the same reason I don't add
> them to my rubs -- I don't see the need for extra carmelization and it
> just doesn't taste right, IMHO. I add Mace to my rubs in lieu of
> sugar, but I haven't tried that with brining. *However*, I have taken
> to adding honey to brines (again, credit TKattt) and that's working
> out for me. I think the chemical complexity of honey differentiates it
> from sugars more than subjectively in this use (and others).

Having expended some small, additional thought on this, let me expound a
bit mo

Shirley Corriher states in her _Cookwise_ book that a sugar solution will
also contribute to water-transport across the cell walls into meats. This
should have been obvious, since I am reminded of the junior high
experiment in which molasses is placed in a water-permeable sac and
placed in a water bath. It is shown to draw water through the membrane
towards the molasses. Obviously, the reverse is happening due to the high
solution concentrations inside the cells, thus drawing moisture into the
meat. How this functions quantitatively in a salt/sugar solution versus
just salt or just sugar, I have no idea.

However, my thoughts on adding sugar to the brining solution wrt
carmelizing, etc. are probably mostly nonsense.

But I do like using honey more than sugar... ;-)

-jeffrey