Buster has placed a total of 33 MasterCook recipes in this file: Basic Brine Basic Meat Brine Beer Drinker's Brine For Fish Brine For Corned Beef Brisket Brine For Fish Smoking Brine For Oily Or Strong Tasting Fish Brine For Salmon Cinnamon And Spice Poultry Brine Curing Hams Curing Pork Virginia Style Dan Gill's Pastrami Brine Dan Gill's Pickled Pork Brine Don Havranek's Brine Don's Brine Recipe Don's Poultry Brine Juicy-Juicy-Juicy Smoked Turkey Maple Flavored Smoked Turkey Maple-Flavored Turkey Brine Mark Peel's Brine Orange-Juice Turkey Brine O'reilly's Smoked And Brined Chicken Richard Schwaninger's Brine Scott's Poultry Brine Scott's Poultry Brine And Mop Smoked And Brined Chicken Smoked Fish Smoked Salmon Smoked Turkey With Brine Smoked, Brined Chicken Sweet Pickle Brine For Meat Wet Brine #1 For Brining Fish Wet Brine #2 For Brining Fish William O'reilly's Brine ----------------------------------------------------------- * Exported from MasterCook Buster * Basic Brine Recipe By : Serving Size : 1 Preparation Time : Categories : None Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method -------- ------------ -------------------------------- 1/2 cup non-iodized salt 1/2 cup white sugar 1 quart water Fill a large container with 1/2 quart of warm water. Add salt and sugar. Mix thoroughly until well dissolved. Add the remaining 1/2 quart of water. Immerse prepared fish chunks, filets or small whole fish completely in brine solution. Refrigerate fish in brine solution. Brine chunks of fish of fish 1" thick for about 5 up to 8 hours, 1/2" thick for about 4 hours, and for thinner filets or pieces 2-3 hours. After brining, always rinse your fish with plenty of fresh water. Pat the fish dry, and allow them to air dry for about 1 hour. This will cause a "pellicle" (a tacky glaze on the fish) to form indicating that it is ready for the drying and smoking process. Posted to the BBQ List by Jeff Lipsitt Cable on Apr 23, 1998. Preparation Time: 0:00 The British Barbecue Pit - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - * Exported from MasterCook Buster * Basic Meat Brine Recipe By : Serving Size : 0 Preparation Time : Categories : None Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method -------- ------------ -------------------------------- 1 quart water 4 tablespoons sugar 3 tablespoons kosher salt 1 tablespoon black pepper 1 teaspoon thyme 2 teaspoons oregano 4 bay leaves -- crumbled (4 to 5) 4 centiliters garlic -- smashed 2 tablespoons vinegar Heat the water and add the remaining ingredients. Bring to a low simmer, stir a few times and remove from the heat. Let cool. That's the brine. How to use it? One very easy way is a gallon freezer bag. Put the meat in the bag and pour the cooled brine over it. Squeeze out much of the air, put the bag in a container and refrigerate. Just in case of leaks. Chicken pieces benefit from the juice of a lemon and a tablespoon of rubbed sage added to the brine. Posted to the BBQ List by "Nutting, Stacey" on Aug 3, 1998. NOTES : This much brine will take care of a 3 or 4 pound piece of pork loin, a chicken (or chicken pieces), a 3 or 4 pound beef, lamb or veal roast. How long to leave the meats in the brine? Depends. For poultry, at least 24 hours. Up to about 36 hours. Roasts benefit from 3 days or more. Preparation Time: 0:00 The British Barbecue Pit - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - * Exported from MasterCook Buster * Beer Drinker's Brine For Fish Recipe By : Serving Size : 1 Preparation Time : Categories : None Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method -------- ------------ -------------------------------- 1 cup non-iodized salt 1 cup brown sugar 1 cup soy sauce 1/2 cup cider vinegar 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 1 tablespoon onion powder 1 T garlic powder 1/2 tablespoon black pepper 1 tablespoon paprika 1 tablespoon chili powder 3 cups water Fill a large container with water. Add ingredients. Mix thoroughly until well dissolved. Immerse prepared fish chunks, filets or small whole fish completely in brine solution. Refrigerate fish in brine solution. Brine chunks of fish of fish 1" thick for about 5 up to 8 hours, 1/2" thick for about 4 hours, and for thinner filets or pieces 2-3 hours. After brining, always rinse your fish with plenty of fresh water. Pat the fish dry, and allow them to air dry for about 1 hour. This will cause a "pellicle" (a tacky glaze on the fish) to form indicating that it is ready for the drying and smoking process. Try using Hickory or Mesquite wood chips with this brine when smoking your fish. Posted to the BBQ List by Jeff Lipsitt Preparation Time: 0:00 The British Barbecue Pit - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - * Exported from MasterCook Buster * Brine For Corned Beef Brisket Recipe By : Serving Size : 1 Preparation Time : Categories : None Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method -------- ------------ -------------------------------- 25 pounds salt 12 ounces rock salt 2 pounds sugar 15 ga water pickling spice -- optional Corned beef brisket is simply a beef brisket, the same cut that is barbecued, that has been brined. A simple brine is: 25 pounds of salt, 12 ounces of rock salt peter, 2 pounds of sugar, and 15 gallons of water. Boil all ingredients except the brisket, skim, and let cool. Once cooled the briskets are placed in the brine and held under with a weight. Cover. The brisket will be ready for use in seven to ten days. I also like to add pickling spices to the brine. Preparation Time: 0:00 The British Barbecue Pit - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - * Exported from MasterCook Buster * Brine For Fish Smoking Recipe By : Serving Size : 1 Preparation Time : Categories : None Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method -------- ------------ -------------------------------- 1 quart cold water 1/3 cup kosher salt 1/4 cup sugar 1 teaspoon black -- red or other -- peppers to taste Mix this together in a glass or enamel bowl; add the fish and submerge the fillets with a weight to hold them under the brine. Brine the fillets in the refrigerator from 2 to 4 hours (longer makes the fish saltier). Remove the fillets and wipe dry with paper towels. Place them, skin side down, on several thicknesses of dry paper towels and let them air dry for several hours. The surface is dry enough when your finger sticks to the flesh. Hot smoke over a 250F wood fire for about 2 hours or until the fillets are firm to the touch (like medium rare steak). Peel off the skin and serve. Preparation Time: 0:00 The British Barbecue Pit - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - * Exported from MasterCook Buster * Brine For Oily Or Strong Tasting Fish Recipe By : Serving Size : 1 Preparation Time : Categories : None Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method -------- ------------ -------------------------------- 1 cup non-iodized salt 1/2 cup brown sugar 1/4 cup lemon juice 1 tablespoon garlic powder 1 tablespoon onion powder 2 quarts water Fill a large container with 1/2 quart of warm water. Add ingredients. Mix thoroughly until well dissolved. Add the remaining 1 1/2 quarts of water. Immerse prepared fish chunks, filets or small whole fish completely in brine solution. Refrigerate fish in brine solution. Brine chunks of fish of fish 1" thick for about 5 up to 8 hours, 1/2" thick for about 4 hours, and for thinner filets or pieces 2-3 hours. After brining, always rinse your fish with plenty of fresh water. Pat the fish dry, and allow them to air dry for about 1 hour. This will cause a "pellicle" (a tacky glaze on the fish) to form indicating that it is ready for the drying and smoking process. Posted to the BBQ List by Jeff Lipsitt Preparation Time: 0:00 The British Barbecue Pit - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - * Exported from MasterCook Buster * Brine For Salmon Recipe By : Serving Size : 1 Preparation Time : Categories : None Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method -------- ------------ -------------------------------- 1/4 cup non-iodized salt 1/2 cup brown sugar 2 cups soy sauce 1 tablespoon onion powder 1 tablespoon garlic powder 1/2 tablespoon black pepper 1/2 tablespoon Tabasco sauce 1 cup dry white wine 1 cup water Fill a large container with water. Add ingredients except white wine. Mix thoroughly until well dissolved. Add the white wine. Mix again. Immerse prepared fish chunks, filets or small whole fish completely in brine solution. Refrigerate fish in brine solution. Brine chunks of fish of fish 1" thick for about 5 up to 8 hours, 1/2" thick for about 4 hours, and for thinner filets or pieces 2-3 hours. After brining, always rinse your fish with plenty of fresh water. Pat the fish dry, and allow them to air dry for about 1 hour. This will cause a "pellicle" (a tacky glaze on the fish) to form indicating that it is ready for the drying and smoking process. When smoking salmon, use alder, or mix different fruit woods such as cherry and apple. Posted to the BBQ List by Jeff Lipsitt Preparation Time: 0:00 The British Barbecue Pit - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - * Exported from MasterCook Buster * Cinnamon And Spice Poultry Brine Recipe By : Serving Size : 1 Preparation Time : Categories : None Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method -------- ------------ -------------------------------- 1 tablespoon allspice 1 tablespoon mustard seed 1 tablespoon coriander seed 3 bay leaves or 4 1 tablespoon cayenne 1 tablespoon cloves 1 tablespoon black pepper 1 tablespoon mace 1 tablespoon cardamom 5 cinnamon sticks 1 cup brown sugar -- (packed) 1/2 cup kosher salt 3 cups cider vinegar 3 cups water Bring the whole mixture to a boil on the stovetop, then let cool to room tempter. Put your poultry in, and marinate in the fridge for at least 24 hours, but a few days is even better. remove the bird and smoke it. Last winter I did a turkey like this, but because of bad weather was unable to cook it outside, so I just baked the thing in the oven. It was one of the best turkeys I ever had. Posted to the BBQ List on July 23, 1998 by Catherine Goldman Preparation Time: 0:00 The British Barbecue Pit - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - * Exported from MasterCook Buster * Curing Hams Recipe By : Serving Size : 1 Preparation Time : Categories : None Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method -------- ------------ -------------------------------- 1 500 pound ham -- uncooked 1 pe and 1 1/2 gallons fine Liverpool sa 1 3/4 pounds saltpeter 1 quart hickory ashes -- well sifted 1 quart molasses 2 te cayenne pepper 1 te black pepper Mix these ingredients well together in a large tub, rub it into each ham with a brick, or something rough to get it in well. Pack in a tight, clean tub and weigh down. Let the hams remain six weeks: then take them out and rub each one on the fleshy side with one tablespoonful black pepper to avoid skippers. Hang in the meat house, and smoke with green hickory for from ten to twelve hours a day for six weeks, not suffering the wood to blaze. On the 1st of April, take them down and pack in any coal ashes or pine ashes well slaked. Strong ashes will rot into the meat. I wonder what it tasted like? Now, I can drive down hill to my local Safeway and *buy* fresh meat government inspected. I wonder though, are we missing something? A lot of work, that is for sure. NOTES : For curing 500 pounds of ham. Preparation Time: 0:00 The British Barbecue Pit - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - * Exported from MasterCook Buster * Curing Pork Virginia Style Recipe By : Serving Size : 1 Preparation Time : Categories : None Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method -------- ------------ -------------------------------- ***See Directions*** Good cures start with good meat. We raise our own hogs and fatten them on a corn based ration supplemented by whatever is available - stale bakery products, household garbage, etc. Garbage should not dominate the ration as the fat will be soft. Top hogs weigh 220 pounds and yield about a 16 pound ham. We like to cure hams between 20 and 30 pounds. Large hams with adequate fat layers age better and don't dry out as much during extended storage. Country cured hams will keep indefinitely but achieve their full flavor after about one year when "white flecks" appear in the muscle. We feed our hogs to 300 pounds or better but don't let them get too fat.. Some cuts may be slightly tougher with heavy hogs. Hams, shoulders and bellies may be bought from packing houses and can be ordered by butchers if you are not in position to grow your own. You may have to buy box lots but make absolutely sure that the meat is fresh and quickly chilled. Pork should be put in cure as soon as possible after chilling and trimming but, properly handled, it can be a couple of days old. I once bought ten, 25 pound hams that had been two days in transit to the butcher and then were left in his cooler over the weekend. I lost the whole batch! Those hams had also been trimmed excessively leaving little skin and fat covering. As a result, I have gone back to raising my own so I know what I have to work with. I am supposed to talk about curing bacon and I will get around to it. As hams (and shoulders) are more valuable, demanding and risky, the entire process is keyed to the larger cuts. Curing and smoking facilities vary greatly. Traditional farm hamhouses / smokehouses are windowless wood frame buildings about ten feet square with a dirt floor. Wooden plank benches provide work areas for mixing the cure and salting down meat. Joists are within reach and studded with 20 penny nails for hanging meat. The dirt floor allows a higher humidity in winter and allows a smoldering fire to be built inside - both for smoking and to keep meat from freezing during extreme cold. Some hamhouses have external smoke generators - simply a firebox with a stovepipe stuck through the wall. This arrangement makes it easier to cold smoke for several days (or weeks) in the spring without exceeding 100F. and is essential if the smokehouse is made of wood and insulated. Either the eaves are loosely fitted or there are operable vents to allow for air exchange, especially during smoking, so that there is adequate fresh air and the smoke does not become stale and acrid. Openings are covered by fine screen mesh and the interior is kept dark to discourage skippers (larvae of a small black fly which also likes pork). My smokehouse follows the tradition except that the walls are poured concrete and the roof is metal. The thick walls store a lot of heat and smooth out daily temperature fluctuations. I have no smoke generator or operable vents but there is plenty of air exchange at the eaves. In places where conditions are not favorable, curing and smoking chambers with temperature and humidity controls and a smoke generator can be easily fabricated or small cuts may be cured in the refrigerator. My dry cure is mixed by the "pour 'til it looks right" method. My daddy showed me how. There was a request from a pork eater in Israel to provide metric measurements. Unfortunately, I don't know how to convert the SAH (Standard American Handful)! I buy plain (not iodized) dairy salt in 50 Lb. bags from a farm supply co-op and other ingredients from one of the warehouse retailers. To each 50 lbs. of salt, mix about 1 gal. of molasses (blackstrap if you have it), about 2 pounds of ground black pepper, about 8 oz. of paprika and 1 SAH (about 4 oz.) of red pepper or cayenne. I use molasses rather than brown sugar so that the mixture can be packed around the meat. Color should be light brown and texture should be friable: it should pack when squeezed in the hand but crumble easily; like good loam soil ready to be plowed. Proportions are not critical and you canGood cures start with good meat. We raise our own hogs and fattepped Spread a 1/2 inch layer of cure on the bench, place meat skin side down and cover all surfaces with about 1/2 inch of cure. Force cure into the cut shank ends of hams and shoulders. I prefer laying all of the pieces out separately so I can see when cure gets thin, but you can pile it all up and overhaul more often. During the phase of rapid cure uptake, a lot of fluid is drawn from the meat. That is why you use rough wooden benches with the planks not too tight - dirt floors help too. Of coarse, never use treated wood in contact with food. Check the meat every few days at first then not as often as salt absorption decreases. Overhaul several times by moving the pieces around, making sure they are covered with cure (it won't stick to the dry skin on hams so don't worry about it). Bacon, at last! As a rule of thumb, smaller pieces such as bacon should stay in cure for 1.5 days per pound. This usually coincides with the time that the fresh sausage runs out. At this point I usually slice some to try. It should be salty but not too salty to eat without soaking. When you are satisfied with the cure, brush the salt off and hang. I like to let them hang for a couple of days before smoking but it is not necessary. Use cold smoke (less than 100F.) unless you plan to use it or freeze it within a few days. I use 2 fairly green hickory logs about 12" in diameter. Once burning on the dirt floor I adjust the distance between the logs so that they smolder actively but don't flame. Hickory will keep going like this for a day or so with minimal tending. I just check it every few hours and make adjustments. Smoke does not need to be thick and heavy to flavor meat and adequate air volume is important when using green wood. I believe that smoke should enhance flavor rather than dominate. It is not necessary to smoke bacon for preserving so an alternative would be to smoke pieces at a higher temp. before use. Bacon should be frozen or eaten before summer as it starts to get rancid if hung too long. If frozen it should be eaten prior to the next hog killin' as it will get rancid in the freezer too. When to skin: Some folks leave the skin on if they have a slicer that will handle it. I take it off toward the end of the curing time when it is still supple and fairly easy to remove. It can be removed before curing but the bacon may get too salty. When you are ready for some home cured bacon, cut a slab in half and trim to the desired size. Save the trimmings for a pot of beans (you can render a lot of the grease out in a frying pan before adding to your bean pot). Soak for several hours if too salty and chill for easier slicing. If you don't have a slicer, you can do a pretty good job with a sharp knife. Bacon is relatively easy and safe to cure as the mixture penetrates the thin slabs quickly. I would have no qualms about trying it in the refrigerator and would be interested in hearing about experiences and experiments. Hams and shoulders are more risky because of the size. The cure has to penetrate completely before warm weather or they will start to taint around the bone. A common practice is to pump some liquid cure around the bone so that it can start curing from the inside too. The addition of salt peter also helps. Hams and shoulders stay in cure for about 2 days per pound. After the curing period, I just brush off the salt leaving a thin coating of attached spices and hang. Contrary to many recommendations, I never wash or wrap meat which I am going to hang. I has been my experience that wrappings keep moisture in promoting excessive mold and spoilage but I also live in a humid area. Some mold is desirable and does not indicate problems. There are a lot of things that can go wrong in curing hams. I remember going with my father to buy country hams as a young boy back in the fifties (before the meat inspection laws robbed us of our heritage). Country stores would buy locally cured hams for resale. After discussing curing methods and inspecting the hams, the storekeeper would pull out a thin bladed pocket knife and insert it into the face of the ham right next to the bone (the most likely place to find spoilage and skippers). The aroma of that blade drawn from a properly cured ham is unforgettable (it is pretty hard to forget the smell of a bad one too!). Point being that encountering bad hams was enough of a problem to warrant precautions. Shoulders don't age as well as hams and should be used within six months or so. Hams only get better with age but small ones tend to dry out. I have some forty pounders that should be about prime by the turn of the century! Preparation Time: 0:00 The British Barbecue Pit - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - * Exported from MasterCook Buster * Dan Gill's Pastrami Brine Recipe By : Serving Size : 1 Preparation Time : Categories : None Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method -------- ------------ -------------------------------- 4 quarts cold water 1 1/4 pounds kosher or pickling salt 1/4 pound brown sugar or 1/4 cup molasses 1 teaspoon Prague powder 2 tablespoons pickling spice 1 tablespoon garlic -- (juice, minced, or -- crushed) Preparation Time: 0:00 The British Barbecue Pit - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - * Exported from MasterCook Buster * Dan Gill's Pickled Pork Brine Recipe By : Serving Size : 1 Preparation Time : Categories : None Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method -------- ------------ -------------------------------- NONE Pickle is a generic term for brine and/or vinegar solutions used to preserve meat and vegetables. There is no standard recipe for curing meats with dry cures or brines as every region (and family) had their own way of formulating their cures. Some just used salt, others added pepper and spices, most added sugar of some kind to moderate the saltiness and keep the meat soft and many used saltpeter or Prague powders to facilitate the cure, combat botulism and turn the meat pink. I use salt, pepper, molasses, red pepper, and paprika with pork. The easy way to pickle is to get some Morton's sugar cure or Tender-Quick and mix with water according to the instructions. These formulations contain salt, dextrose and nitrate cure in the proper proportions. You will need a ceramic or food grade plastic container and sufficient room in your refrigerator (unless it is winter where you are). To make your own, mix up a salt brine that will float an egg (generally around 1.5 cups salt per gallon of water). Use plain salt - not iodized table salt. Add about 1/4 as much sugar (brown, white, molasses, corn syrup etc.) as salt. About 1/2 as much ground black pepper as sugar and some red pepper and paprika as you wish. I don't use nitrates in most of my cures but it is recommended. You can buy saltpeter at a drug store or Prague powder from a sausage makers supply house. Leave bacon and side meat in cure about 2 days per pound or 2-3 weeks overhauling (moving the pieces around) every few days. For more information, see my curing and smokehouse page: http://members.tripod.com/~DanGill/Curing.HTML Posted to the BBQ List on June 7, 1998 by Dan Gill Preparation Time: 0:00 The British Barbecue Pit - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - * Exported from MasterCook Buster * Don Havranek's Brine Recipe By : Serving Size : 0 Preparation Time : Categories : None Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method -------- ------------ -------------------------------- 1 ga water 1/4 cup Vinegar -- (white) 1 tablespoon Pickling spice 1/2 teaspoon allspice 1 teaspoon black pepper 1 teaspoon garlic powder 1 teaspoon onion powder 1 teaspoon celery salt 1/4 cup brown sugar 1 teaspoon maple extract 1 1/2 cups salt you can not go wrong with this brine. MC Formatted by Kurt Lucas Submitted to the AZstarnet BBQ Mailing List by Don Havranek on Aug 01, 1998, converted by MC_Buster. Preparation Time: 0:00 The British Barbecue Pit - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - * Exported from MasterCook Buster * Don's Brine Recipe Recipe By : Serving Size : 1 Preparation Time : Categories : None Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method -------- ------------ -------------------------------- ***TO ONE GALLON WATER*** 1/4 cup vinegar -- (white) 1 tablespoon pickling spice 1/2 teaspoon allspice 1 teaspoon black pepper 1 teaspoon garlic powder 1 teaspoon onion powder 1 teaspoon celery salt 1/4 cup brown sugar 1 teaspoon maple extract 1 1/2 cups salt Posted to the BBQ list on July 30, 1998 by Don Havranek The British Barbecue Pit - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - * Exported from MasterCook Buster * Don's Poultry Brine Recipe By : Serving Size : 1 Preparation Time : Categories : None Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method -------- ------------ -------------------------------- 1 ga water 1/4 cup vinegar -- (white) 1 tablespoon pickling spice 1/2 teaspoon allspice 1 teaspoon black pepper 1 teaspoon garlic powder 1 teaspoon onion powder 1 teaspoon celery salt 1 1/2 cups salt 1/4 cup brown sugar 1 tablespoon maple extract 1 teaspoon Liquid Smoke To make brine: Dissolve the sugar and salt in the cold water. Add spices to the vinegar, bring to a boil and let cool. Add vinegar and spices to brine. Next, add maple extract and Liquid Smoke to the brine. Editor-- Don's brine recipe can also be used for brining breasts, quarters or whole chickens. Preparation Time: 0:00 The British Barbecue Pit - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - * Exported from MasterCook Buster * Juicy-Juicy-Juicy Smoked Turkey Recipe By : Serving Size : 1 Preparation Time : Categories : None Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method -------- ------------ -------------------------------- ***TO ONE GALLON OF WATER*** 1/4 cup vinegar -- (white) 1 tablespoon pickling spice 1/2 teaspoon allspice 1 teaspoon pepper 1 teaspoon garlic powder 1 teaspoon onion powder 1 teaspoon celery salt 1 1/2 cups salt 1 teaspoon liquid smoke 1/4 cup brown sugar 1 tablespoon maple extract Make up enough brine to totally submerge bird. Let sit in brine for 48 to 55 hours. Smoke low and slow to 165-170F internal. Juicy-Juicy-Juicy Posted to BBQ List by Don Havranek on Sep 16, 1997 NOTES : Recipe Editor: This brine will be good for chicken as well as turkey. Preparation Time: 0:00 The British Barbecue Pit - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - * Exported from MasterCook Buster * Maple Flavored Smoked Turkey Recipe By : Serving Size : 1 Preparation Time : Categories : None Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method -------- ------------ -------------------------------- ***BRINE*** 1/2 cup salt 1/3 cup sugar brown 1/2 teaspoon maple flavoring 1 teaspoon onion powder 1 teaspoon celery salt 1 cup white wine 1 tablespoon pepper 3 cups water Place turkey in brine for 8 to 12 hours. Remove from brine. Rinse and air dry for at least one hour. Open upper and lower body cavities to expose to smoke. Place in smoker and smoke with your favorite fuel. Smoke for 30 minutes per pound approximately. i.e. 10 lbs. = 5 hours Remove from smoker and bake in the oven at 300F for about 15 minutes per pound. You may also use your smoker, if it is a convertible model, in a roast mode to cook the turkey. Turkey is done when joints separate easily from the body and if the meat is pierced with a toothpick the juices are clear. Watch the bird closely during the roasting phase as different birds will require greatly differing time for cooking depending upon the temperature of the smoker. NOTE: If desired the brown sugar may be replaced with maple syrup giving the bird a more maple flavor. Posted to the BBQ List by Carey Starzinger on Apr 17, 1996. Preparation Time: 0:00 The British Barbecue Pit - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - * Exported from MasterCook Buster * Maple-Flavored Turkey Brine Recipe By : Serving Size : 1 Preparation Time : Categories : None Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method -------- ------------ -------------------------------- 2 cups brown sugar 1 cup maple syrup 3/4 cup kosher salt 2 tablespoons garlic powder 6 large bay leaves 3 tablespoons ginger 3 tablespoons black pepper 6 cloves 1 1/2 cups soy sauce 1 tablespoon allspice 2 teaspoons dried thyme 3 quarts water Here's one I used last year with GREAT results: This recipe is enough for a 12-to 14-pound turkey. The spicing is very faint, mostly you taste the salt and a bit of the sugar. It's a bit like a very elegant version of commercial smoked turkey, only without the smoke. Double the recipe for a 24-28 lb. turkey. Check your container's (crock) volume. Combine spices in saucepan. Add 1 quart water and bring to boil. Simmer 5 minutes, then add to remaining 2 quarts of cold water. Chill thoroughly before using brine. Makes 3 quarts (enough for 12- to 14-pound turkey). Brine for 2 to 4 days, turning the bird twice a day. Cook turkey 12 minutes per pound: 450F for 30 minutes, then, 375F for remainder of time. Inner thigh temp probe; done at 175 - 180F Posted to the BBQ List in Nov. 1998 Preparation Time: 0:00 The British Barbecue Pit - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - * Exported from MasterCook Buster * Mark Peel's Brine Recipe By : Serving Size : 1 Preparation Time : Categories : None Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method -------- ------------ -------------------------------- 2/3 cup salt 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar 1/2 cup black pepper -- cracked 1 pinch dried thyme 13 cloves 13 allspice -- cracked 3 bay leaves 13 juniper berries -- crushed 1 ga water Combine salt, sugar, pepper, thyme, cloves, allspice, bay leaves and juniper berries in saucepan. Add 1 quart water and bring to boil. Simmer 5 minutes, then add to 1 gallon cold water. Chill thoroughly before using brine. This recipe, inspired by one of Jeremiah Towers', is enough for a 12- to 14-pound turkey. The spicing is very faint, mostly you taste the salt and a bit of the sugar. It's a bit like a very elegant version of commercial smoked turkey, only without the smoke. Peel also uses this recipe for roast pork and smoked fish. For a pork loin, cut all of the amounts by half; for fish or chops, cut them into quarters. Preparation Time: 0:00 The British Barbecue Pit - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - * Exported from MasterCook Buster * Orange-Juice Turkey Brine Recipe By : Serving Size : 1 Preparation Time : Categories : None Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method -------- ------------ -------------------------------- 1 ga orange juice 2 cups rice wine vinegar 2 cups apple cider vinegar 1 cup dark brown sugar 6 centiliters crushed garlic 1/4 cup peeled fresh sliced ginger 1 bunch green onion -- sliced 2 bunches chopped cilantro 12 wh star anise 2 crushed cinnamon sticks 2 tablespoons red pepper flakes 1 tablespoon whole cloves 2 tablespoons whole black peppercorns 1 cup kosher salt This was in the local paper, and sounds interesting: Four days before smoking the turkey, start with a thawed turkey and this marinade/brine: and of course one turkey--about 15 pounds. Combine marinade ingredients in large pan. Bring to boil, reduce heat to low and simmer for 45 minutes. Let cool. Thoroughly rinse and dry the turkey, inside and out. Place in large plastic, glass or earthenware container that is not much wider than the turkey and deep enough so the marinade/brine will cover the bird completely. Pour in the brine, make sure it covers the turkey. Cover and refrigerate for at least three days. If brine does not completely cover the bird, turn it every 12 hours. Remove turkey from brine and pat dry before smoking it. They recommend lightly rubbing it with olive oil, salt and pepper, and placing a drip pan to catch any drippings. Smoke in your favorite way. Author states that is particularly good with orange wood, wine barrel chips, grapevine cuttings, etc... but your favorite wood for smoke is fine. Posted to the BBQ List in Nov. 1998 by Leanne Preparation Time: 0:00 The British Barbecue Pit - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - * Exported from MasterCook Buster * O'reilly's Smoked And Brined Chicken Recipe By : Serving Size : 1 Preparation Time : Categories : None Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method -------- ------------ -------------------------------- 2 wh chickens -- (3 1/2 lb. each) 1 ga water 3/4 cup salt 2/3 cup sugar 3/4 cup soy sauce 1 teaspoon each dried tarragon -- thyme, and black -- pepper 1/4 cup olive oil Wash birds inside and out. Put water in a large non-aluminum container, add salt and sugar and stir to dissolve. Add soy sauce, tarragon, thyme and pepper. Submerge birds in brine and weigh them down with a heavy plate so that they stay submerged. Refrigerate overnight. Remove birds from brine and wash inside and out. Pat dry. Reserve brine. Start smoker, fill water pan with water and half of reserved brine. Place chickens, breast side up, on top rack of smoker. Cover and smoke at 200 to 250F for approximately four hours, until internal temperature of the thickest part of the thigh reaches 170F. Baste with olive oil after two hours. Preparation Time: 0:00 The British Barbecue Pit - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - * Exported from MasterCook Buster * Richard Schwaninger's Brine Recipe By : Serving Size : 0 Preparation Time : Categories : None Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method -------- ------------ -------------------------------- 3/4 cup salt 1/2 cup sugar 1/4 cup brown sugar 2 tablespoons paprika 1 tablespoon garlic powder 1 tablespoon onion powder After the brine, I washed them out and rubbed on a nice coat of Paprika and ground black pepper. They were then finished on the Weber rotisserie at about 350F for around 2 hours, until I read 155 to 160F internal. Took them off and let them sit around (covered) for 20 minutes and ate. Posted to the BBQ List by "Richard Schwaninger" on Aug 7, 1998. Preparation Time: 0:00 The British Barbecue Pit - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - * Exported from MasterCook Buster * Scott's Poultry Brine Recipe By : Serving Size : 1 Preparation Time : Categories : None Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method -------- ------------ -------------------------------- 1 ga water 3/4 cup salt -- (kosher) 3/4 cup granulated sugar 1/4 cup soy sauce 1/4 cup molasses 2 tablespoons black pepper 1 tablespoon thyme 1 tablespoon oregano Mix all in large container. Trim and prep chicken as desired (I like to split the birds in half. They lay on the cooking surface better and are easier to handle). Immerse in brine and soak for 4 - 24 hours. Remove from brine, rinse briefly, rub (if desired), and cook until internal breast temp hits 165 - 170. I like to remove them, place them in a disposable aluminum pan (covered) and let them "rest" for approx. 15 minutes. The only trouble with this is the skin gets somewhat "leathery" using this method, and you need to slap them on a grill (direct heat) for a few minutes to crisp the skin back up. You can, if you desire, apply a thin coating of barbecue sauce during the crisping phase. Posted to the BBQ List in Nov. 1998 by Scott in South Carolina Preparation Time: 0:00 The British Barbecue Pit - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - * Exported from MasterCook Buster * Scott's Poultry Brine And Mop Recipe By : Serving Size : 1 Preparation Time : Categories : None Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method -------- ------------ -------------------------------- ***BRINE*** 1 ga water 3/4 cup salt -- (kosher) 3/4 cup granulated sugar 1/4 cup soy sauce 1/4 cup molasses 2 tablespoons black pepper 1 tablespoon thyme 1 tablespoon oregano ***MOP*** 1 cup vinegar 1 cup water 1 tablespoon salt 1 tablespoon pepper 1/4 cup margarine Mix all the brine ingredients in a large container. Trim and prepare the chicken as desired (I like to split the birds in half--they lay on the cooking surface better and are easier to handle). Immerse chicken in brine and soak for 4 - 24 hours. Remove from brine, rinse briefly, rub (if desired), and cook until internal breast temp hits 165 - 170F. I like to remove them, place them in a disposable aluminum pan (covered) and let them "rest" for approx. 15 minutes. The only trouble with this is the skin gets somewhat "leathery" using this method, and you need to slap them on a grill (direct heat) for a few minutes to crisp the skin back up. You can, if you desire, apply a thin coating of barbecue sauce during the crisping phase. You may want to mop/baste the birds while cooking. Put mop ingredients in sauce pan and bring to a boil. I baste them once or twice during the process, then finish them off with a honey/butter glaze (instead of barbecue sauce). Mix 3 parts butter/margarine with 1 part honey and coat birds thoroughly during the last few moments of the crisping phase. Posted to the BBQ List on July 23, 1998 by Scott McDaniel Preparation Time: 0:00 The British Barbecue Pit - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - * Exported from MasterCook Buster * Smoked And Brined Chicken Recipe By : Serving Size : 1 Preparation Time : Categories : None Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method -------- ------------ -------------------------------- 2 chickens -- (3 1/2 lb. each) 1 ga water 3/4 cup salt 2/3 cup sugar 3/4 cup soy sauce 1 teaspoon each dried tarragon -- thyme, black p 1/4 cup olive oil Wash birds inside and out., Put water in a large non- aluminum container, add salt and sugar and stir to dissolve. Add soy sauce, tarragon, thyme and pepper. Submerge birds in brine and weigh them down with a heavy plate so that they stay submerged. Refrigerate overnight. Remove birds from brine and wash inside and out. Pat dry. Reserve brine. Start smoker, fill water pan with water and half of reserved brine. Place chickens, breast side up, on top rack of smoker. Cover and smoke at 200 to 250F for approximately four hours, until internal temperature of the thickest part of the thigh reaches 170F. Baste with olive oil after two hours. Posted to the BBQ List on June 26, 1998 by David Klose Preparation Time: 0:00 The British Barbecue Pit - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - * Exported from MasterCook Buster * Smoked Fish Recipe By : Serving Size : 1 Preparation Time : Categories : None Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method -------- ------------ -------------------------------- ***BRINE*** 1 quart cold water 1/3 cup kosher salt 1/4 cup sugar 1 teaspoon black or red pepper to taste other spices to taste -- (optional) Along the East coast where I live there's always an abundant supply of fresh fish. In the Spring there's fresh mackerel, and the Bluefish in the Fall, are my favorites for smoking. This recipe will work with Mackerel, Bluefish, Salmon, and even Cod. If you catch the fish yourself, cut through their throat to bleed them while they're still alive. Put them head down in a bucket so they'll pump out as much blood as possible. Wash and chill the whole fish until you can fillet them. Mix brine until fully dissolved. Early in the morning of the day you're going to smoke, wash 4 to 6 fillets and place them in the brine. Mix this together in a glass or enamel bowl add the fish and submerge the fillets with a weight to hold them under the brine. Brine the fillets in the refrigerator from 2 to 4 hours (longer makes the fish saltier). Remove the fillets and wipe dry with paper towels. Place them, skin side down, on several thicknesses of dry paper towels and let them air dry for several hours. The surface is dry enough when your finger sticks to the flesh. Hot smoke over a 250F wood fire for about 2 hours or until the fillets are firm to the touch (like medium rare steak). Peel off the skin and enjoy. Preparation Time: 0:00 The British Barbecue Pit - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - * Exported from MasterCook Buster * Smoked Salmon Recipe By : Serving Size : 1 Preparation Time : Categories : None Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method -------- ------------ -------------------------------- 1 cup sugar 1 cup brown sugar 1/4 cup salt 1 teaspoon garlic powder 1 quart hot water 1 quart cold water 3 pounds fresh salmon Mix the first five ingredients and then add cold water. Put salmon in brine mixture and leave for 8 hrs in refrigerator. Remove salmon, run water over to rinse off then towel dry. Put the salmon on a cooking rack at room temperature and allow a glaze to form on the outside of the fish--about 1hr. Put in smoker for 6 to 10 hrs. (cooking time may very due to the outside temperature. The hotter the weather the less cooking time needed.) Use 3 to 4 loads of wood chips (apple, alder, cherry) or (1 to 2 if hickory.) NOTES : Here is a really good smoked salmon recipe that my uncle gave us. We use a Little Chief smoker and it works fine. Enjoy. Preparation Time: 0:00 The British Barbecue Pit - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - * Exported from MasterCook Buster * Smoked Turkey With Brine Recipe By : Serving Size : 1 Preparation Time : Categories : None Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method -------- ------------ -------------------------------- ***BRINE*** water to cover 2/3 cup kosher salt per gallon of water 1 1/2 cups black pepper 1/2 cup Texas Pete hot sauce 1/2 cup onion powder 1/4 cup garlic powder Tuesday night: Brine: set the turkey (completely covered in brine) in the fridge over night (about 7 hours). Wed: Removed on Wed morning and rinsed well. Covered with peanut oil and placed in fridge till I got home from work (uncovered). After work (it was an early day, played 2 hours racquetball before coming home and was still home by 1230) I injected with butter, garlic powder, onion powder, hot sauce, and black pepper. Don't know how much cause I just kept making it until I had injected every few inches. Rubbed down with oil again, sprinkled with black pepper, some poultry seasoning, and garlic powder and returned to fridge. Thurs.: (reminder, my wife had to work so we planned on eating late): Removed from fridge to allow to warm to room temp. Started fire about 11a. Injected one last time with same stuff as before. Stuffed the body cavity with onion chopped into quarters, and half an onion in the neck cavity. A friend had given me some blackberry wine that was to dry for me so I poured some into the body cavity and mixed with oil for the final rub down. Sprinkled more pepper on it. Rest of wine went into water bowl. Quartered several more onions to be put into the fire pan with the oak, hickory, and blackjack oak. Used heavy smoke and high heat for the first hour, then let the heat drop down to 275 and the smoke to light for the rest of the cooking time. Bird went in at noon and off at 8p. (21.45 lb. bird) Done to perfection. Wife and kids claimed best ever (been doin birds for 16 years, only been brining and oiling for the last year or so. The oiling tip came from this list (thanks Danny). In the past I just wrote the blackened skin off and peeled it off while carving. The blackberry wine added a slight fruitiness to the overall taste. I also placed some foil pans in the bottom rack to catch all the drippings. Used this to make gravy and to add to my cornbread stuffing. I was afraid that the juices would make the gravy to Smokey to eat, but it was just a strong hint, with no gravy left. Kids loved it on the dressing and potatoes. Most of one breast was eaten last night, the rest of that one will be gone today. The other side will be sandwiches for the week. The dark meat will become chili this weekend, or I may freeze it till some cold weekend. Might use some to make some of the soups in this months On The Grill. My first cheesecake turned out great! Posted to BBQ List by "Fergy" on Nov 28, 1997 Preparation Time: 0:00 The British Barbecue Pit - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - * Exported from MasterCook Buster * Smoked, Brined Chicken Recipe By : Serving Size : 1 Preparation Time : Categories : None Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method -------- ------------ -------------------------------- 2 Chickens -- (3 1/2 Lb. each) 1 ga water 3/4 cup salt 2/3 cup sugar 3/4 cup soy sauce 1 teaspoon dried tarragon -- thyme, and black pe 1/4 cup olive oil Wash birds inside and out. Put water in a large non- aluminum container, add salt and sugar and stir to dissolve. Add soy sauce, tarragon, thyme and pepper. Submerge birds in brine and weigh them down with a heavy plate so that they stay submerged. Refrigerate overnight. Remove birds from brine and wash inside and out. Pat dry. Reserve brine. Start smoker, fill water pan with water and half of reserved brine. Place chickens, breast side up, on top rack of smoker. Cover and smoke at 200 to 250F for approximately four hours, until internal temperature of the thickest part of the thigh reaches 170F. Baste with olive oil after two hours. Posted to the BBQ List by "Armando Perez" on Aug 04, 1998. Preparation Time: 0:00 The British Barbecue Pit - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - * Exported from MasterCook Buster * Sweet Pickle Brine For Meat Recipe By : Serving Size : 1 Preparation Time : Categories : None Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method -------- ------------ -------------------------------- 5 ga water 5 pounds salt 1 pound sugar 1 ounce saltpeter 6 centiliters garlic -- crushed 4 ounces pickling spices -- optional The sweet pickle cure is used for large and small cuts of meat. For shoulders and hams the pickle is often injected around the bones with a special syringe that pumps the fluid through a hollow needle. The curing may then be completed by immersion in brine, or by application of a dry cure. The salinometer reading should be about 60F. The quantity of pickling spices may be increased if a spicier flavor is desired. And some other notes: Prepare the spices by boiling them slowly in half a pint of water. Keep the meat completely submerged in this solution for a time depending on the size of the pieces--from 10 days if the pieces weigh about 2 to 4 lbs. each, up to 16 days if they weigh 7 to 8 lbs. Overhaul every third day. Inspect daily. If the pickle is kept at 35F there should be little risk of deterioration. But if the brine begins to change color noticeably, and to smell sour, pour it away at once, wash the meat in clean water, wash out the crock and sterilize it with boiling water. Then make a fresh batch of brine. Many tough cuts of meat can be made tender and palatable by curing--for example, the brisket from which corned beef is made. Bear, elk, venison, moose, etc. that is too tough to cook by ordinary methods can be turned into a real delicacy by sweet pickle curing. NOTES : From the Home book of Smoke Cooking. ISBN 0-8117-0803-9 Preparation Time: 0:00 The British Barbecue Pit - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - * Exported from MasterCook Buster * Wet Brine #1 For Brining Fish Recipe By : Serving Size : 1 Preparation Time : Categories : None Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method -------- ------------ -------------------------------- 4 ga water 5 pounds uniodized salt 2 1/2 pounds brown sugar 1 cup lemon juice 2 tablespoons liquid garlic 2 tablespoons liquid onion Add flavoring ingredients to enhance the flavor of the finished product. Experiment with dill, dry white wine, ginger, allspice, black pepper, crushed bay leaves, fruit juices, flavored vinegars, soy sauce, etc. Soak the fish or shellfish in the brine solution in a non-metallic container. Brining time varies from 30 minutes for small shellfish, to 18hours for large, whole fish. As a general rule, soak product in brine one hour per pound. Remove from brine, rinse lightly, and allow to dry thoroughly in refrigerator, for several hours. Posted to the BBQ List by Carey Starzinger on Mar 27, 1996. Preparation Time: 0:00 The British Barbecue Pit - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - * Exported from MasterCook Buster * Wet Brine #2 For Brining Fish Recipe By : Serving Size : 1 Preparation Time : Categories : None Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method -------- ------------ -------------------------------- kosher salt 1 large egg sugar OR brown sugar OR honey 10 pounds meat -- poultry, fish or -- shellfish, up to 12 TO PREPARE: Pour 1 gallon cold water into a nonmetallic kettle or bucket. Stir in 2 cups kosher salt. Add the egg in its shell to the salted water. If egg does not float, add additional salt, 1 tbs. at a time (keeping track of how much salt you add), until egg floats to the surface. Remove egg, then add enough sugar to equal the amount of salt you have already added; stir to dissolve. Add meat, poultry, fish or shellfish of choice, making sure that the food is submerged. Transfer kettle to the refrigerator and let stand for Brining time specified in Guide to Brining and Smoking, page 61 Remove meat of fish from brine; reserve and refrigerate brine for another use another time. Let meat or fish stand at room temp until a translucent glaze or pellicle forms on its surface, about 1 hour. Then smoke for period specified in Guide to Brining and Smoking, page 61 Makes 1 gallon. This brine can be stored in the refrigerator and reused 3 times, as long as each time, it is used to brine only the same food. Posted to the BBQ List by Carey Starzinger on Mar 27, 1996. Preparation Time: 0:00 The British Barbecue Pit - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - * Exported from MasterCook Buster * William O'reilly's Brine Recipe By : Serving Size : 1 Preparation Time : Categories : None Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method -------- ------------ -------------------------------- 1 ga water 3/4 cup salt 2/3 cup soy sauce 3/4 cup sugar 1 teaspoon dried oregano 1 teaspoon thyme 1 teaspoon black pepper I just pulled my first brined turkey of the smoker. I have always rubbed with kosher salt. Used William O'Reilly's brine for 16 hours. The skin is salty and crisp. I should have taken it off at 170 and let it rise but I didn't. Took it off at 180. The meat is tender, moist and not salty. The texture of the meat was affected much deeper than with a rub. If you don't want salt, don't eat the skin. I used brown sugar and will try Tamari sauce instead of soy next time. Posted to BBQ List by Kit Anderson on Dec 11, 1997 Preparation Time: 0:00 The British Barbecue Pit - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -