Brine for T-Day Bacon wrapped turkey?

[bird_dog0347]

So I did a bacon wrapped turkey last year and it was excellent, but I keep hearing that if you want the best turkey ever, brine it first... So... I got some brine bags from Williams Sonoma, and have been reading up on many recipes for the brine but haven't decided on one yet.

Also I am trying to decide if I want it to be kinda sweet and use maple cured bacon or smoky and just use either a peppered bacon or just smoked? The bird will be cooked in an oven as I don't have a smoker yet...

Ideas? Favorites?

Last year:

[Silverback]

brine bags? how much did those things cost you?

I use the Ziploc Big Bags Large clothes storage bags, it's like 5 bucks for four of them. Then put that inside of a small ice chest.

I brined mine in a "mexican" brine, that consisted of water, ice, orange juice, brown sugar, white sugar, salt, pepitas, cumin, garlic, mexican oregano, paprika, onion powder, and a few other spices.

I've been told it was the best tasting turkey any of my family had eaten on Thanksgiving. I smoked it over a mix of cherry and pecan woods, but it was moist and pretty outstanding. We had no leftovers, because everyone took some home.

[mstng86]

brine bags?

What the fuck are those?

[bird_dog0347]

There are 4 resealable, double zip bags in the box, 2 large (up to 24lb turkey) and two smaller ones. Supposedly they are washable and reusable, and it was like $16.

[bcoop]

Lol. 5 gallon bucket, you fools!

[ceyko]

Yeah, I just have an extremely large pot for mine that I found.

1. I maybe retarded, but all those toothpick holes for the bacon would make me go loony.

2. I keep it stupid simple with my brine. it's salt/pepper and one other thing, then hickory smoked.

[CJ]

I've always used kitchen trash bags to hold the brine. A few cents.

[CJ]

I'm curious about this bacon wrapped turkey. That's a shitload of bacon, what does it do exactly?

[bird_dog0347]

Sweet... now that we all know what to brine them in (I already had that part covered)... Any other brine recipes besides the mexican one (which sounds really good)?

[bird_dog0347]

I'm curious about this bacon wrapped turkey. That's a shitload of bacon, what does it do exactly?

It tastes good... and the fat helps keep the turkey a little more juicy and tender without getting dried out.

[CJ]

It tastes good... and the fat helps keep the turkey a little more juicy and tender without getting dried out.

That's what I speculated, but it is enough to merit the extra time and bacon cost?

[Wish4svts]

That's what I speculated, but it is enough to merit the extra time and bacon cost?

Are you kidding, you get to eat the BACON!

[bcoop]

It tastes good... and the fat helps keep the turkey a little more juicy and tender without getting dried out.

It actually doesn't do that at all (only moistens the skin), but I bet it tastes great.

Brine depends on what I'm cooking, and what I'm in the mood for. Matt's brine is great, but more of a Christmas spice IMO. The one I use most commonly is OJ, kosher salt, and raw sugar

[BradM]

I use garbage bags for my "brine bags". My brine uses iced tea instead of water equal parts salt/sugar.

[bird_dog0347]

It actually doesn't do that at all (only moistens the skin), but I bet it tastes great.

Brine depends on what I'm cooking, and what I'm in the mood for. Matt's brine is great, but more of a Christmas spice IMO. The one I use most commonly is OJ, kosher salt, and raw sugar

hmmm, might have to try that brine...

Also, what you can't see in the pic is where I cut into the breasts on the top and tucked a piece of bacon in there. So yes, my version did exactly what I said, not just the bacon on the outside.