In another post I asked about how salty brining would make a turkey.
Someone suggested sacrificing a chicken. I plan on doing this tomorrow
but went to the store to get kosher salt for the brine. All they had
was regular table salt, tender quick (already know this is not right)
and sea salt.

Will the sea salt work? None of the grocery stores in my area carry
other types of salt.

Suggestions?

"Bob" wrote in message
...
In another post I asked about how salty brining would make a turkey.
Someone suggested sacrificing a chicken. I plan on doing this tomorrow
but went to the store to get kosher salt for the brine. All they had
was regular table salt, tender quick (already know this is not right)
and sea salt.

Will the sea salt work? None of the grocery stores in my area carry
other types of salt.

Suggestions?

Use what you have. Kosher salt dissolves easier. Diamond brand has not
additives for anti-caking, table salt may or may not be iodized. Once
dissolved in the water, salt is salt.

"Edwin Pawlowski" wrote:
Use what you have. Kosher salt dissolves easier. Diamond brand has not
additives for anti-caking, table salt may or may not be iodized. Once
dissolved in the water, salt is salt.

From the Virtual Weber Bullet site...

Table salt and kosher salt do not have the same saltiness in a flavor brine
when measured by volume--but they do when measured by weight.

Table salt weighs about 10 ounces per cup, while kosher salt weighs 5-8
ounces per cup, depending on the brand. If using kosher salt in a brine, you
must use more than a cup to achieve the same salt flavor you would get from
a cup of table salt.

The chart below shows equivalent amounts of table salt and the two most
popular brands of kosher salt.

Ordinary Table Salt 1 cup
Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt 2 cups
Morton Kosher Salt 1-1/2 cups

Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt weighs about 5 ounces per cup, making it half as
strong as table salt. Morton Kosher Salt weighs about 7.7 ounces per cup,
making it three-fourths as strong as table salt.

For sea salts and other brands of kosher salt, use a kitchen scale to
measure 10 ounces of salt. That measure will be equivalent to 1 cup of table
salt in terms of its saltiness.

"Edwin Pawlowski" wrote:
Use what you have. Kosher salt dissolves easier. Diamond brand has not
additives for anti-caking, table salt may or may not be iodized. Once
dissolved in the water, salt is salt.

From the Virtual Weber Bullet site...

Table salt and kosher salt do not have the same saltiness in a flavor brine
when measured by volume--but they do when measured by weight.

Table salt weighs about 10 ounces per cup, while kosher salt weighs 5-8
ounces per cup, depending on the brand. If using kosher salt in a brine, you
must use more than a cup to achieve the same salt flavor you would get from
a cup of table salt.

The chart below shows equivalent amounts of table salt and the two most
popular brands of kosher salt.

Ordinary Table Salt 1 cup
Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt 2 cups
Morton Kosher Salt 1-1/2 cups

Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt weighs about 5 ounces per cup, making it half as
strong as table salt. Morton Kosher Salt weighs about 7.7 ounces per cup,
making it three-fourths as strong as table salt.

For sea salts and other brands of kosher salt, use a kitchen scale to
measure 10 ounces of salt. That measure will be equivalent to 1 cup of table
salt in terms of its saltiness.

Bob wrote:
In another post I asked about how salty brining would make a turkey.
Someone suggested sacrificing a chicken. I plan on doing this tomorrow
but went to the store to get kosher salt for the brine. All they had
was regular table salt, tender quick (already know this is not right)
and sea salt.

Will the sea salt work? None of the grocery stores in my area carry
other types of salt.

Suggestions?


Any salt will work.

Try a butterball chicken. *******s stole my brine recipe.


TFM®

The last 2 THanksgivings I have brined a turkey in kosher salt, water, brown
sugar, maple syrup and spices. After roasting, deep frying, smoking and
countless other methods, I don't think I will ever do a whole Turkey another
way again. Superb flavor and tenderness, and no prevalent saltiness.

Bob in RSM, CA

"Bob" wrote in message
...
In another post I asked about how salty brining would make a turkey.
Someone suggested sacrificing a chicken. I plan on doing this tomorrow
but went to the store to get kosher salt for the brine. All they had
was regular table salt, tender quick (already know this is not right)
and sea salt.

Will the sea salt work? None of the grocery stores in my area carry
other types of salt.

Suggestions?

Bob Hayden wrote:
The last 2 THanksgivings I have brined a turkey in kosher salt,
water, brown sugar, maple syrup and spices. After roasting, deep
frying, smoking and countless other methods, I don't think I will
ever do a whole Turkey another way again. Superb flavor and
tenderness, and no prevalent saltiness.


When I first concocted my brine recipe, I liked food a bit saltier than most
folks.

I've since learned that it's not so much the amount of salt in the brine,
but a combination of time multiplied by the salt factor.

Maybe a cup of salt per gallon of water will do ya if you're gonna brine a
long time. My original recipe called for an outrageous 3 cups per gallon
and a 3 day brine time.

That's a bit extreme to my own tastes now.

Seems to me now that 3 cups to a gallon should be good for a 2 or 3 hour
brine.


TFM®

When I first concocted my brine recipe, I liked food a bit saltier than most
folks.

I've since learned that it's not so much the amount of salt in the brine,
but a combination of time multiplied by the salt factor.

Maybe a cup of salt per gallon of water will do ya if you're gonna brine a
long time. My original recipe called for an outrageous 3 cups per gallon
and a 3 day brine time.

That's a bit extreme to my own tastes now.

Seems to me now that 3 cups to a gallon should be good for a 2 or 3 hour
brine.


TFM®

I just finished cooking two chickens using your brine recipe.
Unfortunately I did not get the results I was hoping for. The birds
were VERY juicy, pink in color but not bloody. clear fuids coming from
punctures when testing the thigh temp.

I put bacon on the skin during cooking except for about the last 30
minutes. I used mesquite wood in the smoker. I cooked at about 350 for
two hours and the thigh meat was at 180 degrees when I removed them.

I am not sure what it is I do not like. The bacon might be what threw
things off but the chickens were not right. I should have just used
the brine and not the bacon but I really like crispy skin and saw
somewhere that said to put bacon on it.

My biggest fear, too salty was not an issue. It was not salty at all,
just a hint.


I guess I need to try again with brine only.

Bob

When I first concocted my brine recipe, I liked food a bit saltier than most
folks.

I've since learned that it's not so much the amount of salt in the brine,
but a combination of time multiplied by the salt factor.

Maybe a cup of salt per gallon of water will do ya if you're gonna brine a
long time. My original recipe called for an outrageous 3 cups per gallon
and a 3 day brine time.

That's a bit extreme to my own tastes now.

Seems to me now that 3 cups to a gallon should be good for a 2 or 3 hour
brine.


TFM®

I just finished cooking two chickens using your brine recipe.
Unfortunately I did not get the results I was hoping for. The birds
were VERY juicy, pink in color but not bloody. clear fuids coming from
punctures when testing the thigh temp.

I put bacon on the skin during cooking except for about the last 30
minutes. I used mesquite wood in the smoker. I cooked at about 350 for
two hours and the thigh meat was at 180 degrees when I removed them.

I am not sure what it is I do not like. The bacon might be what threw
things off but the chickens were not right. I should have just used
the brine and not the bacon but I really like crispy skin and saw
somewhere that said to put bacon on it.

My biggest fear, too salty was not an issue. It was not salty at all,
just a hint.


I guess I need to try again with brine only.

Bob

Bob wrote:
When I first concocted my brine recipe, I liked food a bit saltier
than most folks.

I've since learned that it's not so much the amount of salt in the
brine, but a combination of time multiplied by the salt factor.

Maybe a cup of salt per gallon of water will do ya if you're gonna
brine a long time. My original recipe called for an outrageous 3
cups per gallon and a 3 day brine time.

That's a bit extreme to my own tastes now.

Seems to me now that 3 cups to a gallon should be good for a 2 or 3
hour brine.


TFM®

I just finished cooking two chickens using your brine recipe.
Unfortunately I did not get the results I was hoping for. The birds
were VERY juicy, pink in color but not bloody. clear fuids coming from
punctures when testing the thigh temp.

I put bacon on the skin during cooking except for about the last 30
minutes. I used mesquite wood in the smoker. I cooked at about 350 for
two hours and the thigh meat was at 180 degrees when I removed them.

I am not sure what it is I do not like. The bacon might be what threw
things off but the chickens were not right. I should have just used
the brine and not the bacon but I really like crispy skin and saw
somewhere that said to put bacon on it.

My biggest fear, too salty was not an issue. It was not salty at all,
just a hint.


I guess I need to try again with brine only.

Bob


Just my not so humble opinion, but mesquite and chicken DO NOT mix.

Mesquite's a grilling wood. I can appreciate what it would do to a steak
for about 8 minutes. Smoking anything is just out of the question. Way too
overpowering.

TFM®

Just my not so humble opinion, but mesquite and chicken DO NOT mix.

Mesquite's a grilling wood. I can appreciate what it would do to a steak
for about 8 minutes. Smoking anything is just out of the question. Way too
overpowering.

TFM®


Maybe that is what is wrong. I thought it was milder than hicory so I
used it. What would be a good chicken (and Turkey) wood to use. That
may make all the difference in the world.

Bob

Just my not so humble opinion, but mesquite and chicken DO NOT mix.

Mesquite's a grilling wood. I can appreciate what it would do to a steak
for about 8 minutes. Smoking anything is just out of the question. Way too
overpowering.

TFM®


Maybe that is what is wrong. I thought it was milder than hicory so I
used it. What would be a good chicken (and Turkey) wood to use. That
may make all the difference in the world.

Bob

Bob wrote:
Just my not so humble opinion, but mesquite and chicken DO NOT mix.

Mesquite's a grilling wood. I can appreciate what it would do to a
steak for about 8 minutes. Smoking anything is just out of the
question. Way too overpowering.

TFM®


Maybe that is what is wrong. I thought it was milder than hicory so I
used it. What would be a good chicken (and Turkey) wood to use. That
may make all the difference in the world.

Bob


White oak, red oak, ash, cherry, dogwood or any combination of the above.

Easy on the oaks as they're strong. Cherry and Ash are mild. Dogwood just
plain smells good when you're cooking.


Love the ash,
TFM®

Bob wrote:
Just my not so humble opinion, but mesquite and chicken DO NOT mix.

Mesquite's a grilling wood. I can appreciate what it would do to a
steak for about 8 minutes. Smoking anything is just out of the
question. Way too overpowering.

TFM®


Maybe that is what is wrong. I thought it was milder than hicory so I
used it. What would be a good chicken (and Turkey) wood to use. That
may make all the difference in the world.

Bob


White oak, red oak, ash, cherry, dogwood or any combination of the above.

Easy on the oaks as they're strong. Cherry and Ash are mild. Dogwood just
plain smells good when you're cooking.


Love the ash,
TFM®

On Mon, 02 Aug 2004 23:26:42 -0500, Bob wrote:

What would be a good chicken (and Turkey) wood to use.

Fruitwood (cherry, apple, peach, pear, etc.)

I've also used crabapple and lilac with good results.

--
Kevin S. Wilson
Tech Writer at a University Somewhere in Idaho
"Anything, when cooked in large enough batches, will be vile."
--Dag Right-square-bracket-gren, in alt.religion.kibology