Williams-Sonoma also carries amazing brines as well as the bags large enough to brine your turkey in.

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I brined my first turkey (that I ever roaster after being a vegetarian for 16 yrs) last year and it was ridiculously delicious. I'm going to use your brining recipe for this year's turkey.
I used a brining bag and brining mix from Whole Foods last year and kept the turkey on ice in my 5-day cooler (keeps things frozen for 5 days). This year my turkey is going on a road trip to my mother's house, brining along the way, (she cannot roast a good turkey and is against brining!) so the cooler will definitely come in handy.

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One nice thing about living in a colder climate (Canada!) is you can use your outdoors (or your garage with a concrete floor) as a refrigerator. I put my turkey in a cooler, pour the brine over it, top with ice cubes, and leave it sit in mother nature's ice-closet. =)

Really handy during the holidays, as we tend to have lots of family over, and fridge space becomes a premium.

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If you are frying your brined turkey, don't forget to drain it well and dry off the surface. If you don't it will be hot splatter city!

Another turkey frying tip to limit splatter, after drying the outside of the bird, rub it with some of the frying oil before dropping it in.

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If you added some crushed apples and onion to that brine recipe and replaced about half of the brown sugar with honey it would look a lot like mine.

Also, I've used a bake-in bag to brine a turkey in to good effect - you just need to use a bit less brining solution than you might otherwise.

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I've always used a brand-new food-grade container (if I use plastic) when brining so that there's no possibility of any contamination. If I'm using glass or ceramic, a good scrubbing is all that's necessary, but plastic is just a little too porous for complete safety.

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An 18qt Cambro tub both holds a turkey nicely for brining and fits in most fridges. Alternatively, most coolers will hold a turkey, brine and a large quantity of ice for keeping it in a garage or basement without benefit of a fridge or electricity.

I have also put my Cambro packed with ice as well as brine outside overnight in Los Angeles at this time of year.

Paying what W-S charges for a jar of kosher salt is my personal definition of nutz. I'm am actually offended at what they have the nerve to charge for that.

Here's the brine from Melinda Lee's LA area radio broadcast that I've been using for years. I really like it:

Brine for Turkey

• 1 1/2 cup kosher salt
• 1 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 10 whole cloves
• 3 teaspoon black peppercorns
• 6 quart apple juice or apple cider
• 1 orange peel, make sure all pith is removed
• 3 teaspoon thyme or sage, or a combination of the two

Combine all the ingredients in a non-reactive pot, bringing the mixture to a boil, lower heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes. Allow brine to cool completely.

Remove giblets from turkey. Put aside. Rinse turkey under running water, inside and out. Pat dry and submerge in cooled brine. Turkey should be completely submerged.

Cover the pot and refrigerate for 8-10 hours or up to 24 hours.

Remove turkey, Pat dry, stuff and roast.

NOTES:
A milder brine may be made. It will have a less flavorful result but, if salt is a concern it's permissable to reduce the amount to 1 cup and still get the chemical effect. Less than 1 cup will negate the chemical exchange. The turkey will absorb 10-15% of the salt present in the brine.

Kosher salt is the ONLY type of salt that can be used to make a brine. It is sweeter and more pure than table salt.

There are two kinds of kosher salt. The most common is flaked salt (e.g. Morton Kosher Salt) which has been pressed into flakes by rollers. The other type is a four-sided crystal (e.g. Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt). The crystal-shape measures differently because of its shape. Use about 25% more crystal salt.

The formula is 1 tablespoon of table salt = 1 1/2 tablespoon of flaked kosher salt = 2 tablespoons crystal kosher salt.

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I just go for a home depot paint bucket scrubbed and lined. Toss in bathtub filled with cold water and ice (and an ice pack or two in ziplock bags). Open bathroom window, let sit overnight.

Of course, that was the last few years in apartments with small-ish fridges. This year might be easier.

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I wanted to give brining a chance again after a really salty turkey on T-G 5 or 6 years ago.So I finally got smart a halved a recipe and am test driving it on a chicken for dinner tonite.Cross your fingers and wish me luck!!!

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Brined flesh that is "salty" wasn't brined enough. I know that's counter-intuitive. I've heard why but, frankly, I didn't understand it and forgot it. But I did get the message that if you don't allow enough time for the process to complete itself, you're going to get "salty".

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I tried brining turkey twice, while the meat was delicious I did not like the consistency of the breast meat... it was too tender and moist. Not exactly mushy, but close. Normal turkey roasting sans brining can produce breast meat that is too dry. While I know brining adds other flavor, I have another trick that I have used ever since... and recommended to others to produce near perfect roasting and great breast meat. For me and those that have tried it -- it works everytime. It is simple. Don't roast the turkey with the breast up. Turn the bird over and roast it breast down. All the fat and moistness from the back of the bird, bastes the breast. The skin still gets crispy so you will not be missing the best part of turkey. I would be interested if anyone else does this.

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I,m an upside-down roaster, too - only I turn the bird right-side up for the last 45 minutes or so to really get the breast skin crackly brown. That is the most nerve-wracking part of T-giving for me, and it usually takes 4 hands, because we usually have 25 lb birds.

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We've been brining for a while, using Alton Brown's turkey brining recipe. We use a five gallon frosting bucket that we purchased from our local bakery for the grand sum of $2. Works great.

One caveat for new briners: a brined turkey will roast much faster than you're used to. We average 12 pound turkeys, and they're usually done in about 2 to 2.5 hours.

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Great trick that works like a charm on any bird, brined or not, is to pre-heat oven to it's highest temp. (500-550) Liberally rub salt and pepper all inside bird, over, in & under the skin wherever you can slide your fingers between flesh and skin.
Freeze in 4 baggies or pieces of cling wrap, 1 or 2 Tblspoons of the basting fat of choice. Try the "highest smoke point fat that is organic coconut oil or peanut oil now proved two of the healthiest vegetable fats (Google it)

You can of course use butter or any oil in the same way. Tuck frozen chunks of oil/butter/both under breast skin at highest point on both sides of breast (DO TAKE THE PLASTIC OFF).

Cover less meaty areas like drumstick ends & wings with foil & moving fast, place bird in oven, shut door fast time for 15 mins. Searing the flesh completely & eliminating loss of juices.

After 15 min. Lower to 350 (325 W/Convection) hold door open until thermostat light on oven comes on then close & continue roasting.

Cook to correct (about 10 degrees below minimal required) inner temp using reliable meat thermometer or probe (Those plastic pop up things are unreliable & usually made to over cook for safety overkill.
If you don't have a thermometer time at 15 minutes per pound.
If you don't have a thermometer that goes in & stays in during cooking...what you have is not a thermometer but a "Juice releaser". Never pierce cooking meat with anything. If something needs to be turned such as steaks or chops you use tongs not a fork!

About 15 minutes before desired temp/end time, remove foil from wings and drums to allow them to catch up in browning.

Combined with the "flash sear" trick this will always produce the juiciest breast meat & the greatest crispy skin you'll ever have. Whether it's a Turkey or Chicken.

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One of our Thanksgiving guests is on a somewhat restricted salt diet- mainly no added salt. Does brining the turkey contribute enough extra salt that we should not do this for his sake, or if the extra amount of salt is very low - does it make any practical difference. Thank you for this info.
Stanrap

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Can a frozen turkey (8% solution added by manufacturer) be brined? Any changes to recipes? Bob

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I'm also wondering whether I can browse my frozen turkey that has 6% injected solution.

Thanks!

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oop! I meant "BRINE" my turkey...not BROWSE!

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Jamie, I honestly don't know about brining a turkey that has already been injected, but I don't imagine that it would do any harm.

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I have brined Processed turkeys for the last two hears and have no problem with the 'extra' liquids. however a 'natural' turkey is still my favorite.

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