Slaughterhouse Poultry Brine

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kryinggame

Smoking Fanatic
Original poster
Nov 16, 2007
543
30
Charlotte, NC
Hello all, 

Over the weekend, I plan on smoking a 6.38lb Shady Farms Turkey Breast. My question is how long should I brine it?

The Slaughterhouse brine method used a 12lbs turkey and brined it for 12 hours.

I fear this will be way to long for my small breast.

Since my breast is approx., 1/2 the size of the turkey used for the slaughterhouse brine, I should keep it brined for 6 hours?

Please, what's your advice?

Thank you!
 
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If you have a bone in breast then I would only brine it for maybe around 4-6 hours and you should be golden. Ready to go and please don't forget the Q-view. Pictures to us out here.
 
Whether it is Parts or Whole Birds, 2 pounds or 20 pounds, I Brine over night and get consistently moist tender Bird...I have read articles by smarter people than me that say anything over 12 hours and birds get Mushy but I have Brined 12 Pound Turkeys 3 Days because, " Stuff Happens " and it was no different than 12 hour birds, in the brine a shorter time because they were purchased late the night before...JJ
 
Whether it is Parts or Whole Birds, 2 pounds or 20 pounds, I Brine over night and get consistently moist tender Bird...I have read articles by smarter people than me that say anything over 12 hours and birds get Mushy but I have Brined 12 Pound Turkeys 3 Days because, " Stuff Happens " and it was no different than 12 hour birds, in the brine a shorter time because they were purchased late the night before...JJ


X2
 
Whether it is Parts or Whole Birds, 2 pounds or 20 pounds, I Brine over night and get consistently moist tender Bird...I have read articles by smarter people than me that say anything over 12 hours and birds get Mushy but I have Brined 12 Pound Turkeys 3 Days because, " Stuff Happens " and it was no different than 12 hour birds, in the brine a shorter time because they were purchased late the night before...JJ
X3 - 
 
Whether it is Parts or Whole Birds, 2 pounds or 20 pounds, I Brine over night and get consistently moist tender Bird...I have read articles by smarter people than me that say anything over 12 hours and birds get Mushy but I have Brined 12 Pound Turkeys 3 Days because, " Stuff Happens " and it was no different than 12 hour birds, in the brine a shorter time because they were purchased late the night before...JJ


I agree but have had a few chickens go mushy on me but they were small birds and over 24 hours in the brine.
 
In a brine, I usually go over night for poultry.

In a marinade that is high in salt and acid, I keep it to 4 hours.

Good luck and good smoking.
 
I have a 5# bird in brine now that will be there for 22 hours.  It's been my experience that the amount of salinity and temperature play a big role in the brining times.

If using a acid ingredient in the brine, the times should be sharply decreased or it will go to mush.

Tom
 
Whether it is Parts or Whole Birds, 2 pounds or 20 pounds, I Brine over night and get consistently moist tender Bird...I have read articles by smarter people than me that say anything over 12 hours and birds get Mushy but I have Brined 12 Pound Turkeys 3 Days because, " Stuff Happens " and it was no different than 12 hour birds, in the brine a shorter time because they were purchased late the night before...JJ
I agree also, and brine with Slauterhouse regularly.

Ecto , did you get a different brand than regular?  OR did you maybe get a heavily enhanced Bird?

Just thinking
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