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Do you guys brine a Turkey breast?

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Hic
Hic Posts: 350
in EggHead Forum
Going to do a turkey breast for Thanksgiving and was thinking of brining but I've never brined before. So if you do brine, what's a good recipe?

Large, medium, small and a mini. Egg'n, golfing, beer drinking, camping and following football and baseball.
Atlanta NOTP suburbia.

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  • WC1
    WC1 Posts: 42
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    Yes, the only way I have cooked a turkey. I used the orange/honey brine from the weber bullet site and it turned out great. Also might try foil on the breast when the temp,starts to get close so that you don't overlook.
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  • The Cen-Tex Smoker
    The Cen-Tex Smoker Posts: 22,961
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    Yes. Would never do one without it.

    1 Gallon water
    1 cup kosher (not table) salt
    1/2 cup sugar

    That's all you need but Since its turkey day, spend the extra cash and do this: http://eggheadforum.com/discussion/1145474/the-herbed-poultry-brine-from-charcuterie-the-craft-of-salting-smoking-and-curing#latest
    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
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  • Hic
    Hic Posts: 350
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    Thanks guys

    Large, medium, small and a mini. Egg'n, golfing, beer drinking, camping and following football and baseball.
    Atlanta NOTP suburbia.

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  • tjv
    tjv Posts: 3,830
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    brine only if not already injected with 8-12 percent of god knows what.......

    t
    www.ceramicgrillstore.com ACGP, Inc.
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  • Griffin
    Griffin Posts: 8,200
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    ONly if its not enhanced with "stuff"

    Rowlett, Texas

    Griffin's Grub or you can find me on Facebook

    The Supreme Potentate, Sovereign Commander and Sultan of Wings

     

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  • jlsm
    jlsm Posts: 1,011
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    I also do a dry brine when fridge space is tight: 1T kosher salt per 5 lbs. of turkey rubbed under the skin. Rest for 48 hours. 
    *******
    Owner of a large and a beloved mini in Philadelphia
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  • GQuiz
    GQuiz Posts: 701
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    I cooked one of those 3 lb Butterball turkey breasts Saturday. I slathered with mustard and DD Raging River. Used mesquite chips. Cooked at 350 indirect. Turned into an Alka Seltzer commercial... "I can't believe I ate the whole thing." It was dynamite.

    XL BGE; Schertz TX by way of Stow OH. #egghead4life
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  • HDumptyEsq
    HDumptyEsq Posts: 1,095
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    Start with enough water to dissolve;

    1cup kosher salt, I cup light brown sugar,

    1/4 cup dried sage

    2 tbs dried garlic

    1/2 dried onion powder

    2 tbs whole peppercorns

    6 bay leaves.

    1 tbs paprika.

    Bring to a boil and simmer 10 mins, add to 1 gallon of ice cold water. Put turkey and brine in 2 gallon bag overnight - keeping under 40 degrees F. Air dry in fridge for a couple of hours and proceed with egg, as normal.

    Tony in Brentwood, TN.

    Medium BGE, New Braunfels off-set smoker, 3-burner Charbroiler gasser, mainly used for Eggcessory  storage, old electric upright now used for Amaz-N-Smoker.

    "I like cooking with wine - sometimes I put it in the food." - W. C. Fields

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  • AUdentite
    AUdentite Posts: 7
    edited November 2013
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    I started smoking skin-on, bone-in turkey breasts a couple months ago and have never brined.  All have turned out wonderfully.  I put a tablespoon of softened butter bt the skin and breast (just tease it away) and coat whole thing with Dizzy Pig Raging River.  Put drip pan with apple juice underneath grate on top of plate setter (got that idea from someone on here but not sure who).  One fist sized, soaked pecan chunk on flames and smoke at 300.  Light pink smoke ring and nice smoke flavor.  Very tender and juicy as well, so I haven't found brining necessary though I'm sure it wouldn't hurt.
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  • rholt
    rholt Posts: 392
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    I would say to go ahead and brine even with an 8% solution already enhanced. Did that last weekend and it was perfect. Not too salty. Just cut the salt in half. Definitely made a world of difference with regard to moisture, flavor, and overall goodness.
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  • Hic
    Hic Posts: 350
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    Thanks guys - I've cooked turkey before and have never brined. This will be my first turkey breast on the bge and I'm going to give brining a try and will let you know how it turns out.

    Large, medium, small and a mini. Egg'n, golfing, beer drinking, camping and following football and baseball.
    Atlanta NOTP suburbia.

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  • fletcherfam
    fletcherfam Posts: 935
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    @CenTex, that link you provided, did you use kosher salt or pink salt, couldn't tell from the thread.
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  • Richard Fl
    Richard Fl Posts: 8,297
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    Here is how I like to do them with or without bone.  Brining IMHO yields a very moist breast.

    http://www.greeneggers.com/index.php?option=com_simpleboard&func=view&id=1326737&catid=1

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  • The Cen-Tex Smoker
    The Cen-Tex Smoker Posts: 22,961
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    fletcherfam said:
    @CenTex, that link you provided, did you use kosher salt or pink salt, couldn't tell from the thread.

    Kosher for that one. I use pink for smoked turkey (like low and slow) That's a different recipe and a 24 hour brine. I like this one very much so I rarely do the 24 hr brine for the other. It does get a crazy cool smoke ring though.
    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
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  • dgoldb
    dgoldb Posts: 13
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    Is brining and injecting with cajun butter overkill? I am deep frying one turkey and smoking a breast on the egg. Also, what temp for the breast and how long should a 6 pounder take?
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  • ChuckChampion
    ChuckChampion Posts: 203
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    @dgoldb I think the injection is a bad idea.  It will make mushy spots in the turkey wherever u inject it.  I done my first turkey this week and I loved the brining idea. Def. stick with that
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