A brine recipe for smoking turkey is a combination of ingredients used to soak a turkey before smoking it. The brine helps to flavor the turkey, keep it moist, and make the skin crispy. Common ingredients in a brine recipe for smoking turkey include water, salt, sugar, herbs, and spices. The turkey is typically brined for 12-24 hours before smoking.
Brining a turkey before smoking it has several benefits. First, it helps to flavor the turkey throughout. The salt in the brine draws moisture out of the turkey, which allows the flavors of the brine to penetrate the meat. Second, brining helps to keep the turkey moist during smoking. The salt in the brine helps to denature the proteins in the turkey, which prevents them from shrinking and toughening during cooking. Third, brining helps to make the skin of the turkey crispy. The salt in the brine draws moisture out of the skin, which allows it to crisp up during smoking.