Brined Bird Results

Lance

I must confirm to my fellow "Eggers" that "after cooking countless chickens, turkeys and roasts on my LG. Egg, brining all poultry is the only way to go"! The meat is so tender and juicy that a "first timer" will be blown away. Also, I believe that it is more difficult to "overcook" a brined bird. Any thoughts?[p]This years brine for a 17 lb. bird:[p]2 gal water
2.5 cups Kosier salt(Mortons)
1 cup Lemon juice
1 cup Molasses
5 minced Galic cloves
1/4 cup fresh Cracked Black Peppercorns
3 Bay leaves[p]Brine was brought to a rolling boil, then chilled to room temp before the bird was added. Bird was brined for 48hrs. After removing from the brine, I let the bird "air dry" for 30 mins before rubbing it entirely with Old Bay seasoning. I then quarterd 1 large yellow onion and 1 red apple and "stuffed my bird". Most of you won't believe the next part. [p]My set-up was a inverted place setter with my bird placed on a V rack in a drip pan place on the grill. I filled my drip pan with water and a touch of white wine. My maintained cooking temp was at 325 and he's the most wonderful part. The bird was done in just under 3 hours!!! No lie. When I removed it, the breast temp was showing 160 and the thigh was showing 187. I let sit covered with towels for 40 mins before carving and it was spectacular![p]I believe that the success of this bird was the extended brining period. I know that there are many "traditionalist Eggers" here that do not brine, but with reduced cooking time and a juicier bird, why not try it?[p]Let me everyone's thoughts.

Unknown

Lance,
Time for just this one post, then I got the get caught up from all that time I spent preparing brine, etc. etc. While I agree with you on all that you said about your results, (I got the same too), I probably won't brine turkey next time. Here's why: I get pretty damn good turkey without it and the brining inside the bird caused us to ruin our much treasured "Ancho Chili Gravy" by being way too salty. I am still considering doing one and leaving off the gravy and if I do your recipe sounds great. Glad to hear of the successful bird.

Lance

Chet,[p]That's only drawback that I can see to cooking a brined turkey. You're right, you can't make gravy with my receipe. However, I never really tried with this particular one, as I have always put water and wine in the drip pan. Thanks for your thoughts!

Unknown

Chet,
I too brined my first turkey and will do it again but I think I made the same mistake as you. I too added wine to my drip pan. As a result it was much harder to maintain the 325* and that may explain why my turkey also finished way ahead of schedule. Once the fluid had evaporated my temperature shot way up and it was a bear to get it back down timely. I'm beginning to think that the fluid keeps the surface temperature down while the top of the dome is much much hotter. My Redi-Chek was showing a grill temperature of 325 while my BGE thermometer at the top of the dome was showing upwards of 500*. So in reality I might have been averaging a temperature closer to 400+*. Marty

mad max beyond eggdome

Lance,
at the risk of pissing off my sister (she is tired of reading my posts about my gravy), to me the key to a great slice of turkey and stuffing on your plate is the gravy. . .and to me, the key to the gravy is great drippings in my roasting pan. . .i'm one of those who doesn't brine, and my bird was really moist regardless. . . now, that being said, my bird (19 pounds) did take almost 7 full hours to roast at 325 in a traditional turkey roasting pan, set over a suspended pan of water to keep it 'indirect' (i couldn't use my plate setter, as it wouldn't fit that way). . .[p]one of these years, i will try brining though. . .i enjoy reading all the 'brining' posts. .. [p]most important thing, is that your birds all turned out well, regardless of method. . .haven't heard a word from the 'smokers' yet. .. wondered how they fared?

Lance

Marty,[p]My temp readings were dead on. I just purchased a new BGE dome temp gauge on Tues and it is calibrated perfectly. I don't think that the wine really has anything to do with the decreased cooking time. I think that it's all related to the salt water brine breaking down the enzymes in the meat. Personally, I love the reduced cooking times! Sorry to hear about your temp experience. Try a new dome gauge. Also, how did the color od your bird come out?