Dimitri wrote:
> 1. What have you used?

Preface: I am new to brining. I agree all 'round with the 1:1,
cup:gallon, kosher:water thing. Between the 12-hour and 24-hour camps, I
am presently in the 24-hour camp; be it 25 lb. turkeys or 5 lb. chickens.

> 2. What else did you add?

I don't make or buy vegetable stock, so I add vegetables at the
suggestion of one TomKattt at some BBQ site; usually mirepoix ingredients
and ratio, diced finely.

I always add peppercorns.

I *never* add sugar or brown sugar for the same reason I don't add them
to my rubs -- I don't see the need for extra carmelization and it just
doesn't taste right, IMHO. I add Mace to my rubs in lieu of sugar, but I
haven't tried that with brining. *However*, I have taken to adding honey
to brines (again, credit TKattt) and that's working out for me. I think
the chemical complexity of honey differentiates it from sugars more than
subjectively in this use (and others).

After that it's spice du jour. A handful of whatever's growing/fresh;
thyme, marjoram, parsely, etc.

> 3. Would you do this again?

Every time. I started out in the against/needless column and was forced
to put my money where my mouth was. Thankfully.

Soaking poultry in salt water with raw vegetables and spices seems
counterintuitive to me. However, the amount of flavor imparted to the
meat is unarguable. And, above all other reasons given for brining, that
remains my foremost argument for recommending it.