Thanksgiving Turkey Seasoning Guide: Meat Church Brines, Rubs & More at NTX

The holiday reinforcements just rolled in. A fresh Meat Church shipment is on the shelves at NTX BBQ Supply, alongside the brines, rubs, injections and glazes we stock every Thanksgiving from Kosmos Q, SuckleBusters, John Henry's and 2 Gringo's Chupacabra.

Last week we covered how to cook the bird in the NTX Thanksgiving Turkey Game Plan. This week is all about flavor: what each product actually does, how to choose between them, and a few combinations worth trying.

Brine vs. Injection vs. Rub vs. Glaze: What's the Difference?

These four get lumped together as "turkey seasoning," but they do different jobs at different times. Most great birds use two of them, not all four.

Meat Church Has Landed at NTX

Meat Church was founded by Matt Pittman in Waxahachie, Texas. His backyard cookouts turned into BBQ competitions and a spot on BBQ Pitmasters, and today Meat Church teaches barbecue through its YouTube channel and in-person classes. The new shipment brought in these Thanksgiving standouts:

Meat Church Bird Baptism Poultry Brine

20 oz bag. Born from Matt's competition chicken brine, it adds moisture and flavor to poultry. One whole bag brines a turkey.

On our shelves now. Visit Us In-Store

Meat Church Holy Voodoo

Savory and Cajun-influenced with a jalapeño kick. Meat Church specifically calls it out for fried and smoked turkeys.

In store & online. Shop Holy Voodoo

Meat Church Garlic & Jalapeño BLANCO

12 oz. Meat Church's BLANCO with big garlic flavor and a subtle jalapeño kick. Made for beef, chicken, pork, seafood and veggies.

On our shelves now. Visit Us In-Store

Matt Pittman's Thanksgiving Turkey Inspiration

Matt has shared plenty of turkey content over the years. These three are worth your time, and the first two use the exact Meat Church products we just got in.

1. Smoked Fried Turkey

The best of both worlds: Meat Church brines the bird overnight in Bird Baptism, seasons it with Holy Voodoo, gives it a couple of hours of hickory or pecan smoke, then finishes it in the fryer for crackling skin. The takeaway: smoke handles the flavor and the fryer handles the skin. If you fry, follow every fryer safety rule, and confirm the turkey reaches 165°F.

Video and recipe: Smoked Fried Turkey on MeatChurch.com

2. Meat Church Spatchcock Turkey

Matt's spatchcock turkey recipe on Traeger.com pairs a Bird Baptism brine with Holy Voodoo, then adds a honey glaze near the end of a 275°F cook. The takeaway: flattening the bird helps it cook faster and more evenly, and a glaze belongs at the finish, not the start.

3. Smoked Bone-In Turkey Breast

Feeding a smaller crowd? Meat Church's Smoked Bone-In Turkey Breast scales the brine time down to the size of the breast and bastes with garlic-herb butter during a 275°F smoke. The takeaway: brine time follows weight, so a breast needs far less than a whole bird. (This one uses a Meat Church seasoning that wasn't in our shipment, but the technique works with any rub you like.)

All recipes and videos belong to Meat Church and Matt Pittman. We're just fans who stock the seasoning.

Choose Your Turkey Brine

All three brines on our shelf are built for turkey, but their directions and flavors are different. They're not interchangeable scoop-for-scoop, so always follow the bag you buy.

Meat Church Bird Baptism

Flavor: salt, sugar, spices and garlic.
Turkey: the whole bag plus 1 gallon of water (or enough to cover).
Time: about 1 hour per pound, or overnight.

In store now. Visit Us In-Store

Kosmos Q Turkey Brine

Flavor: savory herbs and spices with a touch of sweetness (salt, brown sugar, spices, Worcestershire powder; contains soy).
Turkey: Kosmos calls for 2.5 cups per 2 gallons of water.
Time: about 1 hour per pound.

In store & online. Shop Kosmos Q Turkey Brine

SuckleBusters Area 51 Bird Brine

Flavor: salty-sweet with savory herbs and mild black pepper.
Turkey: a two-packet kit. Steep the herb packet in hot water, dissolve the seasoning, then cool with ice water. Brine bag included.
Time: 1 hour per pound, or overnight.

In store now. Visit Us In-Store

How to choose: Want a straightforward, garlicky bird? Go with Bird Baptism. Want a little savory depth and sweetness from a competition team? Grab Kosmos Q. Want a classic herb-forward holiday brine with the bag in the box? Pick Area 51. Whichever you choose, keep the turkey in the refrigerator (or an iced cooler) while it brines, throw the brine away afterward, and pat the bird dry with paper towels before seasoning. USDA advises against washing raw poultry, so skip the sink. Our Game Plan covers brining safety in more detail.

Build the Flavor With Rubs

Every rub below works on poultry, but they don't taste alike. Here's how they line up.

Garlic & savory

Meat Church Garlic & Jalapeño BLANCO

Garlic first, with a subtle jalapeño kick. Visit Us In-Store

John Henry's Texas Chicken Tickler

10.5 oz. Savory and smoky with a slight kick, plus garlic, onion and a hint of lemon.

2 Gringo's Chupacabra Cluckalicious

12 oz. A poultry blend with garlic, onion, paprika, red bell pepper and a citrus note.

Cajun kick

Meat Church Holy Voodoo

Savory Cajun base with jalapeño. The turkey pick of the Meat Church lineup.

Sweet heat & color

Kosmos Q Dirty Bird

11 oz. Kosmos describes a red peppery kick balanced by brown-sugar sweetness, with rich color. Kosmos pairs it with their Turkey Brine.

SuckleBusters Clucker Dust

14.25 oz. Sweet and savory, with medium heat and smokiness from chipotle.

Turkey Injection & Finishing Flavor

John Henry's Turkey & Meat Injection

16 oz jar with a garlic-butter flavor. John Henry's says it can be used for injecting, basting, marinating and braising, and it's a good example of what a ready-made turkey injection does.

Brine or inject? Neither one is the "right" answer. They're two different ways to prep the bird. A brine works from the outside in over many hours and seasons the whole turkey evenly. An injection puts flavor straight into the thickest parts of the breast and thighs right before the cook, which suits anyone short on fridge space or time. Work in small amounts across the breast, thighs and legs, and wipe off any that runs out before you season.

SuckleBusters Honey BBQ Glaze & Finishing Sauce

15.4 oz. Sweet and mild, with a deep red finish. SuckleBusters recommends basting it on during the last 15 to 20 minutes. Sugar burns, so don't put it on early, and keep cooking until the turkey hits 165°F.

On our shelves now. Visit Us In-Store

Build Your Own Thanksgiving Flavor Combination

These are NTX suggestions based on each product's flavor profile. Pick one lane and keep the salt in check.

Need the Complete Turkey Cooking Guide?

Flavor is only half the job. Our Thanksgiving Turkey Game Plan covers thawing times, whole vs. spatchcock, wood and pellets, smoker temperatures, where to check for 165°F, crispy skin, resting and carving.

READ THE COMPLETE TURKEY GAME PLAN