Thanks! I'll let you know how it turns out.

Thanks. It's all in the details. This has been a very helpful and informative thread.

Rita

Did a natural turkey breast yesterday, salted (2 T for 6 lb) mixed with some fresh thyme. 28 hours or so. Rubbed with Kevins steak rub made with ground dried mushrooms (as always no salt in the rub and it was one I had on hand). Roasted on the WSM with one large chunk of apple wood, vent 325-350, lump. OMG, perhaps the best turkey I have ever made. Only change is that I will cut back the salt by 25% or so.

But I am hooked on 3 things:
1 - Natural turkeys/chickens
2 - Salting/dry brining
3 - Lump charcoal

Very intriguing thread. I have been interested by brining, but don't have the container or fridge large enough to hold the container big enough for bird+brine, so this sounds like a good alternative.

Bruce,

It is a great alternative. Don't know why it took me so long to try it. Brining not only requires a large container and a lot of liquid, but when you have a 20 plus pound turkey, the container full of liquid is so heavy it is almost impossible to move around.

I will only brine small birds in the future when I want to add a particular flavor.

Ray

I did an 18lb bird recently. The 4-5 gallon jumbo size zip loc bags (the ones they sell for clothes storage)work well. XL or XXL size. I used an XXL for this one. They have double zip locks on them. You put the bag in the pot first, then place the bird or other food item and pour in the brine.

Large 1.25 ft. x 1.25 ft., 5 per box
Xtra Large 2 ft. x 1.7 ft., 4 per box
XXtra Large 2 ft. x 2.7 ft., 3 per box

I don't have a very large fridge either. Using these as a liners inside a standard 10 qt pot allowed me to keep it in the fridge without taking up too much space. I.E., as one of those large plastic buckets would.

Yes the turkey stuck out of the pot a bit, but the pot "shapes" or supports the liner/bag and the liquid is up above the pot as well. Basically the pot serves as a form to keep the bag/turkey vertical and keeps the brine up, around and in the turkey in a space that is relatively smaller than would normally be taken up by a 5 or ten gallon bucket. You really don't need all the volume that those buckets provide.

Just flipped the turkey over end for end a couple times and placed back into the pot. I actually used a double bag, but probably not required unless you have some sharp edges or bones that could cause a leak.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: r benash,

Yet another great suggestion! Thanks!