A Couple of Questions for Smoking a Turkey

Personnaly, I would still brine. In addition to adding the flavors of your brine, it will draw out and dilute the solution that is already in the turkey.

I smoke on a FE, so I can't really help with the skin question.

Thanks EZ Goin, I will probably brine and continue on with my original plan.

Have a Happy Thanksgiving.

A few days late but I just wanted to post my results for our Turkey Taste Off.

We had a platter with all three types of turkey and I have to say that the oven roasted went pretty much untouched since we had never had either the smoked nor deep fried before. It was a pretty close race between the smoked and the deep fried with my brother absolutely favoring the deep fried while my grand-nephew emphatically choosing the smoked. The rest of us couldn't really decide which we like more. Hmmm, more testing must be done.....

I followed EZ Goin's advice and went ahead and brined all three turkeys. My original plan with the smoked turkey was to do early in the day and wrap in foil, towel, then place in an insulated cooler after which time I would pop it into the oven to crisp up the skin. However since there were enough crispies with the oven roasted and deep fried turkey I just removed the rubbery skin from the smoked turkey and carved it up good.

When I made my turkey noodle soup on Saturday there was just enough of the smoked and deep fried to add a little something extra to the oven roasted flavor of the soup.

It will be a great debate as to which way make our turkey next year.

quote:

Originally posted by soccerchick:
When I made my turkey noodle soup on Saturday

Experimenting is a part of the fun of smoking.

Next time, for your soup, make turkey stock. With 3 leftover carcuses, you could easily make some. We do it every year after turkey and freeze the stock, then use throughout the year for making soups.

Hey Smokin' Okie, I usually buy two packages each of wings, legs, & necks and make my turkey stock the weekend before Thanksgiving. I then make my gravy and vacuum seal until the big day. I also vacuum seal enough of the stock to make dressing/stuffing. I then freeze the rest of the stock until the weekend after Thanksgiving to make my turkey noodle soup. Mmmmm goood!

Ms. Chick, what do you do with the turkey carcass(es) from T'day? Just pitch them?

I'm intrigued by your post since I use Swanson's packaged, natural chicken stock for T'day usage, and good as that is, I know it can't be as good as your homemade turkey stock.

But, freezing stock to have for the following year's T'day is inconceivable to me. We use it up quicker than that...or pitch it before a year's storage.

Oh, and a tip and a thought...I strip the carcass of all the meat I can, and then bake the carcass in the oven to brown it before I dunk it for stock. What a difference!