Basically you want to use the smallest container possible, however... all I have is a big 5-gallon bucket from Home Depot so I have been using that and it works well. I purchased a turkey with no additives, basting, or injections and labeled as "minimally Processed". I removed all of the giblets, neck, etc. and washed it real good under cool water. I then laid it on the counter for a few minutes while I mixed the brine. I estimated it would take 2 gallons of water to cover my turkey and I was correct. I added 2 cups of kosher salt and 2 cups of sugar to the mix and I stirred it for about 5 minutes to make sure everything was dissolved. I added 3 TBS of Zattarains shrimp and crab boil which is basically oil from thyme, margoram, bay, and several other spices. As I said before, I will double the crab boil next time since I could barely tell it was there during eating it. I then submerged the turkey into the brine mix and put a heavy plate on top of the turkey to help it remain submerged since it has a tendency to float. I then removed one of the shelves from my fridge and put the whole bucket inside to kjeep it below 40°. If your fridge is too small you can also just keep ice packs down in the water to keep it cold. exactly 14 hours later you are ready to smoke or roast the turkey. Let me know if you have any questions... I am not an expert but this is what I did after much research and it came out perfectly. Good Luck!

I love Gilmore Girls too. :-) Sands99  1/2 c salt to a gallon of liquid is not very much. This is why I started this thread. IÂm guessing the meat would have to soak for quite a while for the osmosis to do its thing in that solution. Contrast that to Cooks Illustrated PDF titled "The Basics of Brining" which has a formula using 1 quart water + 1/2 cup Diamond Crystal Kosher salt (or 1/4 cup + 2 tbl Morton or 1/4 cup table salt) + 1/2 cup sugar. Use 1 quart per pound of food and brine for 1 hour per pound. Quite a difference! Maybe understanding the difference would be beneficial? For instance, if I want to fix dinner in a few hours, I use Cooks Illustrated method, but if I need the meat to brine all day while at work, I use a less concentrated method? See why IÂm confused? And, IÂm just too new at cooking to experiment. Like I said  I get one shot with the family. I don't want the meat too salty which I know can happen if this is not done correctly. Trsinc  Once you brine your pork  youÂll never go back. Everyone comments on how moist the meat is.

Do you have your mind set on brining? If not, you might want to try the presalting method instead. I switched a couple of years ago from brining to the pre-salt method. It produces a very moist flavourful bird without the hassle of a big pail of water. The turkey is salted a couple of days before you plan to roast it, wrapped in plastic wrap and left in the fridge. This method works for all cuts of meat. 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. ADVERTISEMENT 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. 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.

Thanksgiving is the only day we eat turkey. The rest of the time, give me a roast capon or a duck prepared almost any way at all. DH and I are just not turkey lovers. My niece makes a very fine brined and roasted turkey, but once a year is enough for us. We're sauce and gravy people. Stews, braises, casseroles - we love them. I do a fair amount of cooking and a lot of dining out, and we hold that a fine sauce is a work of art. Even though we eat a lot of steaks and roasts, a great sauce is always to be admired. There are too many bad ones around to not acknowledge when something is done correctly. One of our favorite restaurants does a great poached monkfish. This is the fish known as "the poor man's lobster" for both its taste and texture. It's a great little fish, with wonderful flavor. But nap it with Amoricaine sauce, and it rises to a whole 'nother level. This is a Bretonnese classic, and for good reason. Red wine and marrow Bordelaise on a rib-eye? Absolutely! Black truffle cream sauce on a filet? Yum! Mop that goodness up with a well made starch - roasted fingerling potatoes, barley risotto, fresh pasta, freshly baked bread rolls. Gravy and sauce was the way to extend meat to feed a lot of people. Most of the world still loves sauced dishes as treasured childhood memories. Like soup, they are warmth and comfort, soothing and homey. Chicken strips that are velveted and steamed with lop cheong sausage (classic Chinese technique) are stunningly tender, almost as soft as sous vide but we like the flavor and texture better. Perfect with a roasted garlic-oyster sauce gravy over lots of rice! Far better than stir-frying or roasting. As Charles Phan of The Slanted Door restaurant in SF points out in today's WSJournal, steaming is considered the ultimate test of a professional chef in Asia. Getting back to the NY Times' and Pepin's suggestions for steaming, one of the greatest dishes in Chinese cuisine is steamed sliced chicken breast with thin slices of Hunan ham. My mother introduced me to this dish (she took classes from one of the leading Chinese restaurateurs in San Francisco) and it still ranks with DH and me as one of the three finest poultry dishes we've had in our 45 yrs of dining. A glaze should always be light. Heavy-handedness is the mark of a bad cook. Peking Duck would not be the same without the glaze applied, for example.