Word of caution.... Trash bags are not food-grade and considered unsafe to use for food preparation or food storage. Same goes for brown paper bags. Chemicals in them can leach into your food.

I use a large food-grade plastic storage container (with a tight-fitting lid) I purchased from a restaurant supply store. I have a number of these large containers I use for bulk home food storage.

The new "in" way to prepare turkey this year is a dry brine.

-Grainlady

Here is a link that might be useful: Thanksgiving turkey worth it's salt...

I just clean the cooler well and stick everything right in. no bag at all.

Elery did his in one of those Coleman beverage coolers, the tall 5 or 6 gallon ones with a spout...

Annie

I'm a plain cooler type as well.

If its good enough for my beer all summer, its good enough for my turkey too!

(10-1 water/bleach mixture before and after is my friend.)

I use to brine until I found out about Judy Roger's presalting method. I've been using the presalting method for the last five years or so and for me, I find it superior to brining. And it certainly is much easier.

Home Cookin Chapter: Recipes From Thibeault's Table

Pre-Salting
===========
Judy Rogers' Zuni Cafe
Method

Servings: 11 to 15

Note: This is more a technique than a recipe. It makes a bird that has concentrated turkey flavor and fine, firm flesh and that is delicious as it is. But you can add other flavors as you wish. Minced rosemary would be a nice finishing addition. Or brush the bird lightly with butter before roasting.

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1 (12- to 16-pound) turkey

Kosher salt

1 Wash the turkey inside and out, pat it dry and weigh it. Measure 1 tablespoon of salt into a bowl for every 5 pounds the turkey weighs (for a 15-pound turkey, you'd have 3 tablespoons).

2 Sprinkle the inside of the turkey lightly with salt. Place the turkey on its back and salt the breasts, concentrating the salt in the center, where the meat is thickest. You'll probably use a little more than a tablespoon. It should look liberally seasoned, but not over-salted.

3 Turn the turkey on one side and sprinkle the entire side with salt, concentrating on the thigh. You should use a little less than a tablespoon. Flip the turkey over and do the same with the opposite side.

4 Place the turkey in a 2 1/2 -gallon sealable plastic bag, press out the air and seal tightly. Place the turkey breast-side up in the refrigerator. Chill for 3 days, turning it onto its breast for the last day.

5 Remove the turkey from the bag. There should be no salt visible on the surface and the skin should be moist but not wet. Place the turkey breast-side up on a plate and refrigerate uncovered for at least 8 hours.

6 On the day it is to be cooked, remove the turkey from the refrigerator and leave it at room temperature at least 1 hour. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

7 Place the turkey breast-side down on a roasting rack in a roasting pan; put it in the oven. After 30 minutes, remove the pan from the oven and carefully turn the turkey over so the breast is facing up (it's easiest to do this by hand, using kitchen towels or oven mitts).

8 Reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees, return the turkey to the oven and roast until a thermometer inserted in the deepest part of the thigh, but not touching the bone, reads 165 degrees, about 2 3/4 hours total roasting.

9 Remove the turkey from the oven, transfer it to a warm platter or carving board; tent loosely with foil. Let stand at least 30 minutes to let the juices redistribute through the meat. Carve and serve.

My NOtes:
This same method can be used for chicken, chicken pieces, pork roasts,
ribs, chops, etc..

With the smaller cuts just pre-salt 4 or five hours in advance. Even this short period of presalting makes an amazing difference.

Don't cover, just refrigerate and then remove from the fridge in time for the meat to come to room temperature before cooking.

Ann, are the turkey drippings salty? We tried brining once, but it ruined the drippings for gravy. We've been using a simple high-heat method for a number of years, with good results, no bring or pre-salting. I am hesitant to try pre-salting because of our previous experience, which rendered us gravy-less. Which is a disaster. ;-(

I wouldn't think 3 tablespoons of salt over a 15 pound turkey would make anything salty.

That certainly is way less salt than you'd dissolve in a brine.

Helene, no the drippings are not salty at all.

Ann

I use the ziploc x-large or xx-large big bags that are sold in the closet supplies section of those all-in-one stores. They are food-safe and exponentially cheaper than the "brine bags" sold at Williams-Sonoma.

Then it's into the fridge or an ice-filled canister (if it's cold outdoors as it is now) or a cooler, depending. Regardless, the bag contains the mess.

Carol

We use a large sized cooler also. It so easy to do. We have a 20lb turkey in it now. Water, kosher salt, brown sugar, worcestershire sauce, garlic, thyme, sage, rosemary, pepper, and ice. That's it. It's out in the garage where it is the coldest temp. NancyLouise

Alton Brown says use a cooler, sanitize it with bleach before and after as mentioned and use one with a drain if possible. He uses a garden hose but I doubt it's a camping one that's "drinking safe". Course I've been drinking from garden hoses all my life too, which maybe explains a lot!.

I've never brined a bird or tried the salting method. I've got some things to do before I die! :)

Happy bird day Americans, and belated to the northern neighbors.