[gonefirefightin]

Since I got hit up but at least a dozen of my peeps this week, I posted it to my Facebook and figured might as well post it up to this fam as well.

Bone, skin and trim 2-4 FRESH! turkey breasts. (4 breasts will feed around 12-15 peeps) Removing the skin allows the brine to penetrate the dense turkey meat, If you don't skin the breasts the brine wont be as effective.

Put in a 2+ gallon pot
Fill with cold water till the breasts are covered

Add

No more than a ½ cup canning or kosher salt
3 cloves minced fresh garlic
1 tablespoon ground black pepper
1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup brown sugar
Add rosemary/thyme/bay to liking

Mix, cover and refrigerate stirring as much as possible for 2-4 days. I will stir as often as I go into the fridge. The longer the soak the better the flavor and moisture.

On the day of, Preheat smoker to high and add a pan of hot water to the bottom of the smoker to add moisture, let the smoker build to heat then throw in the meats!

Smoke on high for 2-4 hours straight out of the brine until your breasts hit 165 ish degrees at least. Replace chips and hot water every hour. I prefer the fine apple or fine mesquite chips for the turkey. I can Smoke 4 breasts and a small ham in the smoker for 4 hours or less. You can leave the meats in the smoker on low after cooking if you need more time for the rest of the meal prep to finish.

I like to glaze the turkey in the smoker for the last 10-15 min with real maple syrup and crack some fresh pepper over the top since it will resemble a skin.

Carve your breasts on a cutting board sitting inside a large baking sheet with lips or a catch basin of some sort due to the amount of moisture that will leak from the breast. No kidding.

If you don’t have a smoker, any electric cabinet smoker that can get over 250 degrees will do. If you need one in a hurry I use the Electric cabinet smokers from Bimart, but Big R, Coastal, Cabelas, Basspro, Wilco, Tractor supply or such as this will do https://www.amazon.com/Masterbuilt-MES-35B-Electric-Smoker/dp/B07NQLF9WD/ref=sr_1_4?keywords=electric+smoker&qid=1637530861&qsid=130-9015302-4670423&sr=8-4&sres=B07CN38M23,B07NQLF9WD,B07CZCKTJ4,B076CB6665,B079179NY5,B07K14KBVR,B000FJZ150,B09F7TF4DV,B07NQPL117,B0752DN3PB,B08PJWBTL4,B007FFYHM0,B08PH6KYZ6,B003KKLDX0,B000VYAX2U,B002VGE36S&srpt=FOOD_SMOKER

 

[jdcamb]

I also use the brine method for the wild Turkeys I get most years also. My Brine is only salt. Before I put them on the grill I stuff fresh herbs under the skin. I use a Weber and build a hot side and a cold side as I don't have a smoker. I use Apple wood chips mixed in with Lump Charcoal. About halfway I peel the skin off and finish it on the hot side and serve it as a snack. Then baste my birds with apple cider and maple syrup concoction (2:1 Cider to Syrup) and finish them on the cold side. If need be I will finish them in the oven to get to temp once they get brown. The wild birds are lean so the finish is key.

 

[gonefirefightin]

I also use the brine method for the wild Turkeys I get most years also. My Brine is only salt. Before I put them on the grill I stuff fresh herbs under the skin. I use a Weber and build a hot side and a cold side as I don't have a smoker. I use Apple wood chips mixed in with Lump Charcoal. About halfway I peel the skin off and finish it on the hot side and serve it as a snack. Then baste my birds with apple cider and maple syrup concoction (2:1 Cider to Syrup) and finish them on the cold side. If need be I will finish them in the oven to get to temp once they get brown. The wild birds are lean so the finish is key.

I use the cider in the brine for wild birds as well, letting them soak for 4 days takes the enzymes down to a manageable flavor that most peeps are used to. I buy fresh birds from a local outfit since the native (wild) birds are pretty small over here and I wasnt able to hunt this yr.

 

[gonefirefightin]

Crab dip

Recipe can be doubled if needed.

1LB of real crab meat
1 can of Cambells condensed tomato soup
1 cup mayo
1 block of cream cheese
Garlic powder to taste

In a large bowl mix the tomato soup, mayo, and cream cheese, after mixing then add crab then season and stir with garlic powder to taste, cover and let sit overnight in the fridge

Use only original ruffles. Thank me later.

 

[jdcamb]

I use the cider in the brine for wild birds as well, letting them soak for 4 days takes the enzymes down to a manageable flavor that most peeps are used to. I buy fresh birds from a local outfit since the native (wild) birds are pretty small over here and I wasnt able to hunt this yr.

Ours are huge here. Birds that eat wild clover as there primary food source taste the best. Acorns second best. Most Birds here feed on Cow corn like the Deer. Usually you don't know what you got until its done and on the table. We used to add a jar of moonshine to knock down the game flavor. We all decided that the moonshine was more helpful during the wait. Cider and Moonshine Highballs are always good.

 

[gonefirefightin]

Ours are huge here. Birds that eat wild clover as there primary food source taste the best. Acorns second best. Most Birds here feed on Cow corn like the Deer. Usually you don't know what you got until its done and on the table. We used to add a jar of moonshine to knock down the game flavor. We all decided that the moonshine was more helpful during the wait. Cider and Moonshine Highballs are always good.

Our winters are pretty rough out west and the fires have really displaced a ton of birds. My last few from last season were very small and honestly would have been better off buying the birds frozen and probably would have tasted better. Dove, pheasant and waterfowl is a different story though.

 

[jonKranked]

I too love brined turkey. Although I've found the amount of salt to be a bit more dependent on the total amount of water used to get the right salt content. I've also added onions and apples to the brine before too, but I'm not quite sure it made a difference. Be generous with the garlic too.

 

[jdcamb]

Our winters are pretty rough out west and the fires have really displaced a ton of birds. My last few from last season were very small and honestly would have been better off buying the birds frozen and probably would have tasted better. Dove, pheasant and waterfowl is a different story though.

Quail and Pheasant here. Not worth the effort. Game Hens at Costco are good enough for me. I use the Brine method on them too. Kids think they are small chickens. I used to tell them they were Baby Eagles. They figured me out though.

 

[jonKranked]

Quail and Pheasant here. Not worth the effort. Game Hens at Costco are good enough for me. I use the Brine method on them too. Kids think they are small chickens. I used to tell them they were Baby Eagles. They figured me out though.

Brine all the poultry.

 

[stevew]

Our winters are pretty rough out west and the fires have really displaced a ton of birds. My last few from last season were very small and honestly would have been better off buying the birds frozen and probably would have tasted better. Dove, pheasant and waterfowl is a different story though.

the most exotic turkey day i ever had was at the veternarians house who i worked for...the staff was invited over and it consisted of wild turkey...pheasant...and elk that he had hunted...

delicious....

 

[sunringlerider]

Ours are huge here. Birds that eat wild clover as there primary food source taste the best. Acorns second best. Most Birds here feed on Cow corn like the Deer. Usually you don't know what you got until its done and on the table. We used to add a jar of moonshine to knock down the game flavor. We all decided that the moonshine was more helpful during the wait. Cider and Moonshine Highballs are always good.

Drink enough moonshine and the smoker itself would taste good. Humm now I want to break out my still.

 

[jonKranked]

One thanksgiving we skipped family stuff. I rode bikes, smoked a fat blunt, and made carne asada instead.

 

[I Are Baboon]

My favorite recipe has two steps:

1) Wife cooks everything
2) I eat

 

[jonKranked]

My favorite recipe has two steps:

1) Wife cooks everything
2) I eat

No wonder you're so skinny

 

[Pesqueeb]

This is all we've done in our house, if we've been home on Thanksgiving, for well over a decade. All other recipes are interchangeable, this one is not.

https://www.virtualweberbullet.com/whole-turkey-apple-brine/

 

[jdcamb]

Perfect...

 

[SylentK]

One thanksgiving we skipped family stuff. I rode bikes, smoked a fat blunt, and made carne asada instead.

I know peeps who camp and ride at Moab for the holiday. Others, Mexico, Hawaii, etc. I'd say the best unit of freedom is doing whatever the eff you want! Get it while you can!

Also...thanks for the recipes!

One of my family traditions is basically chicken noodle soup smothered over mashed potatoes. Grandma's noodles Def required! Now I'm hungry! Lol

 

[jdcamb]

My Brother is an excellent cook. Especially when it comes to the Holidays. His dinner rolls are so tasty. Real Butter on everything. Great gravy. His vegetables are always great also. So looking forward to it.

 

[I Are Baboon]

 

[Westy]

Who else is confused that GFF's breast recipe doesn't include silicone injections?

 

[jimmydean]

 

[jdcamb]

View attachment 167843

My Mom used to always have a few cans on hand. Not sure why. We never had it for Thanksgiving. Only in the Summer when we would go to Gerard Farms in Marshfield MA. Sometimes before the beach and sometimes after.

 

[scrublover]

We're trying this out this year.

Confit Turkey With Chiles and Garlic

With the texture of duck confit, and extra-rich, deep flavor closer to pork carnitas than your average Thanksgiving bird, these turkey legs beg to fall apart with the push of a fork

www.epicurious.com

Leek and potato gratin. Roast Brussels sprouts with pickled shallots and a honey, red pepper flake/garlic yogurt sauce.

 

[jdcamb]

We're trying this out this year.

Confit Turkey With Chiles and Garlic

With the texture of duck confit, and extra-rich, deep flavor closer to pork carnitas than your average Thanksgiving bird, these turkey legs beg to fall apart with the push of a fork

www.epicurious.com

Leek and potato gratin. Roast Brussels sprouts with pickled shallots and a honey, red pepper flake/garlic yogurt sauce.

Leek and Potato Soup was always my Dads Favorite. I cannot duplicate his even with his recipe. Brussels sprouts are awesome but only I enjoy them and have to eat them as leftovers for a month afterwards. To avoid waste we have decided mutually what to bring.

 

[jimmydean]

My Mom used to always have a few cans on hand. Not sure why. We never had it for Thanksgiving. Only in the Summer when we would go to Gerard Farms in Marshfield MA. Sometimes before the beach and sometimes after.

It's mostly for the turkey sandwiches later. Otto's Kitchen does the Thanksgiving sandwich the best.

 

[scrublover]

1at stage. Sitting like this in the fridge overnight.

 

[scrublover]

 

[Nick]

View attachment 167930View attachment 167931

Cat approved.
That looks great.

 

[scrublover]

Cat approved.
That looks great.

De-boned a bunch and brought in to work/sharing time. Best compliment from several co-workers so far:

who brought in the pork?