A brine recipe for smoking turkey is a mixture of components used to soak a turkey earlier than smoking it. The brine helps to taste the turkey, hold it moist, and make the pores and skin crispy. Frequent components in a brine recipe for smoking turkey embody water, salt, sugar, herbs, and spices. The turkey is usually brined for 12-24 hours earlier than smoking.
Brining a turkey earlier than smoking it has a number of advantages. First, it helps to taste the turkey all through. The salt within the brine attracts moisture out of the turkey, which permits the flavors of the brine to penetrate the meat. Second, brining helps to maintain the turkey moist throughout smoking. The salt within the brine helps to denature the proteins within the turkey, which prevents them from shrinking and toughening throughout cooking. Third, brining helps to make the pores and skin of the turkey crispy. The salt within the brine attracts moisture out of the pores and skin, which permits it to crisp up throughout smoking.