Thawing WHILE Brining?

MaskedMarvel · February 22

Heya friends

I have a massive whole turkey I just pulled out of deep freeze to make room for more pork butt, and want thaw it and try it on the rotisserie in the large egg.

What’s the opinion on thawing in a brining solution? Someone once told Me you can’t thaw and brine at the same time…

It’s cold enough outside to stay below the danger line. I just wanna dump this in the brine bucket and leave it outside for a few days lol

thanks!
8-D

U_tarded · February 22

I think the theory is the exterior gets too salty? What about plain water for a day to thaw. Then drain and add brine. Just spitballing here

lkapigian · February 22

I just did a frozen butt yesterday , dry brined partially thawed the surface … I typically brine butts at least a day , this was only about 8 hours… did not do it intentionally it’s just that it was still mostly frozen when I pulled it from the fridge… I don’t think it was the same as a thawed one but still better than not dry brined

Canugghead · February 22

Run an aquarium pump to speed up the thaw
Edit:
https://eggheadforum.com/discussion/1189388/defrosting-frozen-meat-with-aquarium-pump

RRP · February 22

Canugghead said:

Run an aquarium pump to speed up the thaw
Edit:
https://eggheadforum.com/discussion/1189388/defrosting-frozen-meat-with-aquarium-pump

Or if you have a sous vide device that can be far more powerful therefore a quicker thaw. Think of it as a motor on a boat vs just using oars!

Canugghead · February 22

RRP said:

Canugghead said:

Run an aquarium pump to speed up the thaw
Edit:
https://eggheadforum.com/discussion/1189388/defrosting-frozen-meat-with-aquarium-pump

Or if you have a sous vide device that can be far more powerful therefore a quicker thaw. Think of it as a motor on a boat vs just using oars!

Pump size matters.

MaskedMarvel · February 22

RRP said:

Canugghead said:

Run an aquarium pump to speed up the thaw
Edit:
https://eggheadforum.com/discussion/1189388/defrosting-frozen-meat-with-aquarium-pump

Or if you have a sous vide device that can be far more powerful therefore a quicker thaw. Think of it as a motor on a boat vs just using oars!

Fantastic idea I hadn’t considered.

The turkey is literally just sitting outside on a rack. It’s 37° in that part of the deck and the turkey is still solid…

I wonder If I can get the annova into the brining bucket lol. It has that adjustable lid to keep the contents under water. If it works - I just might convert that bucket into my sous vide tank.

GrateEggspectations · February 22

I’ve thought about brining from frozen on a few occasions, but always figured that as long as the the meat is solid, it won’t absorb anything. I always thaw first and then brine.

RRP · February 22

MaskedMarvel said:

RRP said:

Canugghead said:

Run an aquarium pump to speed up the thaw
Edit:
https://eggheadforum.com/discussion/1189388/defrosting-frozen-meat-with-aquarium-pump

Or if you have a sous vide device that can be far more powerful therefore a quicker thaw. Think of it as a motor on a boat vs just using oars!

Fantastic idea I hadn’t considered.

The turkey is literally just sitting outside on a rack. It’s 37° in that part of the deck and the turkey is still solid…

I wonder If I can get the annova into the brining bucket lol. It has that adjustable lid to keep the contents under water. If it works - I just might convert that bucket into my sous vide tank.

I'll take it a step further...I have one of those large orange coolers with the white lids. Know what I mean? Well I sit that cooler some place cold like you are saying your deck is...and then I take a new large plastic bag like a "tall white kitchen trash bag" - you know a big one - and place my frozen raw turkey inside the bag and then the bag and turkey inside the cooler. Then I mix up 2 or 3 gallons of my brine solution and pour it into the plastic bag that has the turkey in it making sure the bird is completely submerged in the brine. Then I place my sous vide machine down into the brine securing it to the edge of my big orange cooler. Plug that baby in with the heating element set to zero if I have lots of time, or setting it to some low temperature if I don't.

Canugghead · February 22

RRP · February 23

Canugghead said:

That certainly works as well - though it will take more brine - that's why I chose my Igloo as being vertical instead of horizontal then the Igloo creates a tighter fit around the bird. Oh and I forgot to add one other step I have used in the past - I tape a meat thermometer probe to the inside of the bag so that I can easily monitor the brine temperature.

lkapigian · February 23

Cooking Frozen

https://eggheadforum.com/discussion/comment/2569957#Comment_2569957?utm_source=community-search&utm_medium=organic-search&utm_term=fvckers+ribs

Canugghead · February 23

RRP said:

Canugghead said:

Run an aquarium pump to speed up the thaw
Edit:
https://eggheadforum.com/discussion/1189388/defrostmining-frozen-meat-with-aquarium-pump

Or if you have a sous vide device that can be far more powerful therefore a quicker thaw. Think of it as a motor on a boat vs just using oars!

Flow rate comparison:
Annova Precision Cooker Pro - 12L/min = 720L/hr
Annova Precision Cooker 3.0 - 8L/min = 480L/hr
Annova Precision Cooker Mini - 6L/min = 360L/hr
My Marineland Penguin 550 submersible pump - 550L/hr

What's the flow rate of your boat motor?

Canugghead · February 23

MaskedMarvel said:

RRP said:

Canugghead said:

Run an aquarium pump to speed up the thaw
Edit:
https://eggheadforum.com/discussion/1189388/defrosting-frozen-meat-with-aquarium-pump

Or if you have a sous vide device that can be far more powerful therefore a quicker thaw. Think of it as a motor on a boat vs just using oars!

Fantastic idea I hadn’t considered.

The turkey is literally just sitting outside on a rack. It’s 37° in that part of the deck and the turkey is still solid…

I wonder If I can get the annova into the brining bucket lol. It has that adjustable lid to keep the contents under water. If it works - I just might convert that bucket into my sous vide tank.

Is this what you have?

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5017260/uploads/editor/cj/ghaek1ai056s.png

Given the tight fit, I doubt my suggestion would work for you. You need way more room (water) to 'extract the cold' from the frozen mass, so to speak.

RRP · February 23

Canugghead said:

RRP said:

Canugghead said:

Run an aquarium pump to speed up the thaw
Edit:
https://eggheadforum.com/discussion/1189388/defrostmining-frozen-meat-with-aquarium-pump

Or if you have a sous vide device that can be far more powerful therefore a quicker thaw. Think of it as a motor on a boat vs just using oars!

Flow rate comparison:
Annova Precision Cooker Pro - 12L/min = 720L/hr
Annova Precision Cooker 3.0 - 8L/min = 480L/hr
Annova Precision Cooker Mini - 6L/min = 360L/hr
My Marineland Penguin 550 submersible pump - 550L/hr

What's the flow rate of your boat motor?

touche'

- I was mistaken recalling the little pumps I've had in my fish aquariums. By comparison your Marineland Penguin 550 submersible pump - 550L/hr would be blowing all the water AND fish out of my little aquariums!

Canugghead · February 23

@MaskedMarvel no matter what contraption/configuration you end up with, please don't brine your Anova for hours!

MaskedMarvel · February 24

Canugghead said:

MaskedMarvel said:

RRP said:

Canugghead said:

Run an aquarium pump to speed up the thaw
Edit:
https://eggheadforum.com/discussion/1189388/defrosting-frozen-meat-with-aquarium-pump

Or if you have a sous vide device that can be far more powerful therefore a quicker thaw. Think of it as a motor on a boat vs just using oars!

Fantastic idea I hadn’t considered.

The turkey is literally just sitting outside on a rack. It’s 37° in that part of the deck and the turkey is still solid…

I wonder If I can get the annova into the brining bucket lol. It has that adjustable lid to keep the contents under water. If it works - I just might convert that bucket into my sous vide tank.

Is this what you have?

Given the tight fit, I doubt my suggestion would work for you. You need way more room (water) to 'extract the cold' from the frozen mass, so to speak.

That’s the one. Got it as an accessory with the Yoder giveaway.

BeanHead · February 26

I brine turkey from frozen all the time with no issues. Just make sure the brine is cool when you add the bird. I usually spatchcock mine while frozen and that also speeds up the thaw. Saw it on an Alton Brown special once I’ll see if I can find a link to his tips.

BeanHead · February 26

https://altonbrown.com/why-i-still-brine-my-thanksgiving-turkey/

Canugghead · February 26

BeanHead said:

I brine turkey from frozen all the time with no issues. Just make sure the brine is cool when you add the bird. I usually spatchcock mine while frozen and that also speeds up the thaw. Saw it on an Alton Brown special once I’ll see if I can find a link to his tips.

Curious how you spatchcock a frozen turkey, do you have access to a butcher bandsaw or hand saw? I'd hate to gross/freak out @botch again with my dirty hack saw

fishlessman · February 26

Canugghead said:

BeanHead said:

I brine turkey from frozen all the time with no issues. Just make sure the brine is cool when you add the bird. I usually spatchcock mine while frozen and that also speeds up the thaw. Saw it on an Alton Brown special once I’ll see if I can find a link to his tips.

Curious how you spatchcock a frozen turkey, do you have access to a butcher bandsaw or hand saw? I'd hate to gross/freak out @botch again with my dirty hack saw

ive got an old wwI surgical amputation saw that would work, its pretty grungy though but works well cutting big marrow bones down

fishlessman · February 26

for the turkey, i would run cold water over it or drop it in a bucket of cold water till its atleast half thawed. then dry brine it for 3 or more days. dry brine works better for me with a turkey and makes for a better crunchy skin

fishlessman · February 26

fishlessman said:

Canugghead said:

BeanHead said:

I brine turkey from frozen all the time with no issues. Just make sure the brine is cool when you add the bird. I usually spatchcock mine while frozen and that also speeds up the thaw. Saw it on an Alton Brown special once I’ll see if I can find a link to his tips.

Curious how you spatchcock a frozen turkey, do you have access to a butcher bandsaw or hand saw? I'd hate to gross/freak out @botch again with my dirty hack saw

ive got an old wwI surgical amputation saw that would work, its pretty grungy though but works well cutting big marrow bones down

looks like this one so maybe 2nd ww.

WWII WW2 Military Medical surgical metal amputation saw - Picture 1 of 11

BeanHead · February 26

Canugghead said:

BeanHead said:

I brine turkey from frozen all the time with no issues. Just make sure the brine is cool when you add the bird. I usually spatchcock mine while frozen and that also speeds up the thaw. Saw it on an Alton Brown special once I’ll see if I can find a link to his tips.

Curious how you spatchcock a frozen turkey, do you have access to a butcher bandsaw or hand saw? I'd hate to gross/freak out @botch again with my dirty hack saw

A saw and some shrub trimmers I only use for snapping bone.

Canugghead · February 26

@BeanHead great idea, thanks for sharing.

Botch · February 27

fishlessman said:
looks like this one so maybe 2nd ww.

The newer Saudi models are collapsible and fit in a briefcase; very convenient.

Thawing WHILE Brining?

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