Brining Bucket

[DDave]

Picked up a nice, food safe, container to use for a brine bucket at Cash & Carry on Sunday. Looked about the right size in the store. Got it home and I think it's a bit large for my fridge. I'd have to unload half the fridge to get it in there, plus I think it's bigger than necessary for, say, a 12 pound turkey.

It looks to be about 4.5 gallons. So my question is . . . how large a bucket do I need for a 12 pound turkey? Would a 3 gallon bucket be large enough?

Thanks.

Dave

[Whisky Fish]

Don't know Dave, but I solved my 5 gallon bucket delema by buying another fridge

[Crewdawg52]

Picked up a nice, food safe, container to use for a brine bucket at Cash & Carry on Sunday. Looked about the right size in the store. Got it home and I think it's a bit large for my fridge. I'd have to unload half the fridge to get it in there, plus I think it's bigger than necessary for, say, a 12 pound turkey.

It looks to be about 4.5 gallons. So my question is . . . how large a bucket do I need for a 12 pound turkey? Would a 3 gallon bucket be large enough?

Thanks.

Dave

If you have a cat and use litter, use a plastic tub that 40 lbs of litter came in . Its free with the litter. Its the time of year here in MI that I can leave stuff in the "brining bucket" and put it in the garage with the lid on.

Now, for your dilemma..... Can go get a small, used fridge. It can double up as a beer cooler..

[Richtee]

Don't know Dave, but I solved my 5 gallon bucket delema by buying another fridge

Ha! Problem solved! :{)

I'd think a 3 would fit a 12 pounder OK... you want a "deep" 3, not a "squat" 3 tho- if that makes sense.

[Richtee]

If you have a cat and use litter, use a plastic tub that 40 lbs of litter came in . Its free with the litter.

But is it food-safe?

[Crewdawg52]

But is it food-safe?

I may have started to shed at times, but I still dont have an urge to go scratch in the cat box............................

[DDave]

If you have a cat and use litter, use a plastic tub that 40 lbs of litter came in . Its free with the litter.

Have a cat . . . don't use THAT much litter. Cat is good about going outside 99.9% of the time.

Its the time of year here in MI that I can leave stuff in the "brining bucket" and put it in the garage with the lid on.

Doesn't get cold enough for that here. At least not reliably.

Now, for your dilemma..... Can go get a small, used fridge. It can double up as a beer cooler..

That's a great idea. We talked about it last summer when we had the pool up. Need to get a beer, er, um, I mean a "soda" fridge for the patio anyway.

I'd think a 3 would fit a 12 pounder OK... you want a "deep" 3, not a "squat" 3 tho- if that makes sense.

Makes perfect sense.

Thanks.

Dave

[DangerDan]

And I thought I was having problems... Trying to fit a 2'wx3'Lx18" tall wooden box into my cooler.

[DDave]

Traded in the 4.5 gallon bucked for a 3 gallon. Will fit perfectly in the fridge. It's about as wide as it is deep. Will work fine for chickens. I think it will hold a 12 poundish turkey.

I'll have to pick one up to see.

Dave

[Rich Parker]

Traded in the 4.5 gallon bucked for a 3 gallon. Will fit perfectly in the fridge. It's about as wide as it is deep. Will work fine for chickens. I think it will hold a 12 poundish turkey.

I'll have to pick one up to see.

Dave

Glad to see you found something that fit. I have never brined chicken. Hhhmmmm maybe I should try it.
________
AVANDIA SETTLEMENTS

[Vlap]

Any size container that allows you to fully cover the turkey with brine is fine.

[Slanted88]

Also....non reactive....

[BBQ Engineer]

Hi DDave,

Another option you might consider is this one...I hate putting lots of brine and bird inside my fridge, so I usually brine in a cooler. If you pick up some of the oversized ziplock bags (Hefty brand - 2.5 gallon), they will fit a 12 lb bird nicely.



Here is a 12 lb bird I did around thanksgiving.


I just add the brine into the bag, zip it shut, and then fill the cooler with Ice. (Here partially filled with ice for the photo).


Into the garage it goes, and there is no worry of a leak in the fridge. Also, for larger birds, use the cooler as the container, and put the ice in baggies so it doesn't dilute the brine solution.

My $.02

[DDave]

I think I'm all set.

Got this one from Cash & Carry which is a food service supply store.



It's made by Cambro



and has the food safe designation stamped on the bottom.



Now I just need something to put in it with the brine.

Dave

[Slanted88]

And made in the USA....