Wet brine 19 pound turkey

[drinkoj]

Pretty big bird and my fridge cannot accommodate it, so I was wondering thoughts on these ideas:
1. Brine the turkey in a cooler, using 4 pound ice blocks in the brine to keep it cold for 18 hours. Adding additional salt as necessary to compensate the additional water from the ice blocks.
2. Brine the turkey in a 5 gallon bucket and place the bucket into either a cooler or possibly a 6.5 gallon brew bucket (at work so I cannot see if it will fit yet).

I will be spatchcocking the turkey

Thoughts or suggestions welcome.

 

[Mike From R.I.]

Have a friend or neighbor with room in their fridge?

 

[bobissmokin]

Big bird brine. Cooler. Works at my house.

 

[WT2121]

Up here in North Dakota I put in pail with ice and set on patio. It is cool enough outside. It may be colder this year and planning on putting it on garage floor. There are some benefits of living here.

 

[Jimsmokes]

I've used a cooler in the past. I put the turkey and brine in a brining bag closed it up. Then put it in cooler surrounded by ice.

 

[drinkoj]

Went with the cooler and 4 pound blocks of ice method. Just have to keep freezing the blocks of ice to replace what melts. A block of ice melts have half way in 24 hours, so it should keep it around 40 to 45 F.

 

[bmorgil]

Went with the cooler and 4 pound blocks of ice method. Just have to keep freezing the blocks of ice to replace what melts. A block of ice melts have half way in 24 hours, so it should keep it around 40 to 45 F.

Have you thought of dry brining it? I dry brine every year since I first tried it. Dry brining it in a cooler isolated from the ice will work quite well also.

 

[talon52]

I've used a Yeti 5 gallon bucket with bird, and liquid brine in it placed in a 30 gallon bucket loaded with ice before, and yes, it works. This year I'm only smoking a 14 lb. bird so I'm able to do this...

...I'm also smoking a 10 lb. spiral ham. I'm pretty sure that between the turkey, and the ham I'll be able to serve 18 people.