"PICS" Turkey pieces parts......

I think your timing is about right. I like the meat from the wings also.

For me, dark meat needs longer. I'd go minimum 8 but around 12 should work. Just do a long overnight soak.

Well, I ordered a box of Turkey Drumsticks today. There should be about 18 or so in a box. They should be in on Friday. I figured I would brine thim using Smokin's Brine III, and try his new rub. Wish me luck!

Well, I got the "Laigs" in. It ended up being 24, each being about 3/4 lb and over. Put them in the brine this afternoon using an untested brine based on two of Smokin's brines http://forum.cookshack.com/eve...1001264/m/2642985996. So far so good....

Are they still floating? I'd put them in ziplocks, and make sure to take the air out. If they float like that they will brine unevenly.

When brining, you really need to submerge them 100% to really have the brine work.

The first picture was RIGHT after I put them in yesterday (Friday). I used the lid upside down to submerge the drumsticks. This picture is how they look this morning (Saturday). I plan on smoking 4 or 5 as a test run to decide how I will do the rest. I was thinking 1 plain, 1 with Smokin's new rub, 1 with Butcher's Honey Rub, 1 glazed with maple syrup. My better half has gone to do her every Saturday Horse thing and I figure we can do a sample taste for lunch and go with HER favorite.....

As the saying goes..... "If mama ain't happy, ain't NOBODY happy.....!!"

More Pics to follow...

Okay, the test run.......

~24 hrs in new brine, lightly rinsed to remove "chunkies" in brine, patted well dry, all rubbed with melted butter (except maple glazed). Into cold smoker at 275, with 2 oz wood, roughly 2 to 1 apple and pecan.

From left to right.......

Plain no butter applied Maple syrup glaze, a good coat then into fridge to set and then another coat before placing on rack.

Plain, rubbed with butter covered with butter soaked cheese cloth.

Plain, rubbed with butter.

Rubbed with butter, light coat of Butcher's Honey BBQ rub.

Rubbed with butter, light coat of Smokin Okie's new turkey rub http://forum.cookshack.com/eve...532946996#4532946996





Loaded smoker ready to go......

Well the test batch is off the smoker. It only took about 1 1/2 hrs, pulled at 175. They are cooling, waiting for lunch. We will give you the results of the taste test later.

Again left to right

Maple Glazed

Plain, covered with buttered cheese cloth

Plain, no cheese cloth

Butcher's Honey BBQ rub

Smokin Okie's New Turkey Rub.


First impressions, The cheese cloth covered drums gives the best appearance, BY FAR...

Ok, the results are in......

First of all the new brine, IMHO is GREAT!! Nice flavor on all including the "plain". Did NOT conflict with Smokin's New Turkey Rub.

They were all VERY good, if not comparing I would have been happy with any of the 5 versions. The butter soaked cheese cloth is the way to go, it helps retain moisture and vastly improved appearance, does cut down smoke flavor a little, you could compensate by using a little more wood. The apple/pecan smoke gave a nice smoked flavor without overpowering the flavor of the meat.

My favorites in order, they were VERY close:

Plain with cheese cloth.
Maple Glazed.
Butcher's Honey BBQ
Smokin's New Turkey Rub
Plain no cheese cloth.

My wife's favorites in order, again VERY close, she liked them all.

Plain with cheese cloth, "...very good turkey flavor...".
Smokin's New Turkey Rub
Maple glazed
Butcher's Honey BBQ
Plain no cheese cloth.

Skin, well........... edible.... barely.

This was fun, and Thanks to Smokin Okie and others on the forum, I learned a lot about smoking turkey. Thanks.

Nice job Mike!!, Now people can see what turkey looks like with cheese cloth and how dark it can get without it.

Great job, thanks for the detailed report/test.

Tell your wife she's got great taste buds. LOL

Interesting comparison when you think about it. They were all brined in the same stuff.

Major reason I put the compound butter under the skin with rub is that many people pull off the skin. Would have been interesting to see the test after the skin was pulled off.

Thanks for the report. I like the photo too, showing the effects of cheese cloth.

The key to the cheese cloth is WHEN to apply it. I think over the years, I've changed from how I originally did it. Back when I first did Turkey 101, I put the CC on.

Now, I wait until I have the color I want and then apply the CC. Key being to keep it moist so it won't pull off any rub/skin.

Good experiment.

quote:

Key being to keep it moist so it won't pull off any rub/skin.

I assume you are saying to keep the CC moist. Do you use butter or oil to do that?

I have been smoking turkeys in the CS for about 4 years and I have yet to come up with a presentable turkey. Even though I usually smoke them for just a couple of hours and then hand it over to my wife to finish in the oven. The skin still gets too black and splits.

Since Mike said the skin was 'barely' edible, I wonder what a little grilling or oven work after the smoke would do for the skin.

quote:

I assume you are saying to keep the CC moist. Do you use butter or oil to do that?

I cut a piece of cheese cloth, that is about 3 layers or so thick that will cover the meat. It needs to be big enough to tuck in around the side since it should all be covered. Then I dunk the piece of cheese cloth in melted butter and allow it to become saturated. I then remove it and squeeze out just enough to keep it from drippng too much and cover the meat. See Smokin's Turkey 101, he has some nice pictures of "how to" and results. I am SOLD on covering poultry with cheese cloth.

quote:

Originally posted by Qnorth:
I have been smoking turkeys in the CS for about 4 years and I have yet to come up with a presentable turkey.

Then you're not following Turkey 101.

By Presentable do you meant it's dark, not dark, what?

Qnorth,

Just some thoughts for when you practice. I know that you can only get 250* setting on your smoker...so preheat 1 hr before putting your turkey in...get some color for an hour or so...then butter soaked cheese cloth, needs 2 layers...after that open door ever so slightly ever 45 minutes...take cheese cloth off last 1 hr and spray turkey breast with Pam(whatever flavor) spray, maybe turn with breast down at this point.

I'm thinking you'll want the small turkey as close to the element as you can get, by opening the door a little, you'll lose only minimal heat...BUT, will make the smoker element come on more...maybe a little direct heat.

Just a couple thoughts and NO guarantees!

Oh, rub&butter mixture under skin, so you'll not have to worry about pulling it off.

Also as Cal said, I dumped humidity from my Amerique a couple times during the smoke. I opened door about six inches or so for a few seconds to let steam out and quickly closed, very little heat loss and fairly quick recovery.

quote:

By Presentable do you meant it's dark, not dark, what?

Skin waaay too dark and split like the left hand piece (and most of the pieces) in Mike's report.

Going to really hit the cheesecloth this year and keep checking on the color about every hour.

Think of cheesecloth like you mom probably did a turkey. She tented iit with aluminum foil, mainly to protect it from getting too dark.

there is SO much varations in wood, amount etc, just use CC when it "looks" like you want, cover at that time, then pull off completely the last 15 to 30 min so the butter can crisp it up.

Cheesecloth is the way to go!!

Will provide picture in a bit. Put the CC on at the two hour mark (250 in a 55 smoker) and the turkey was looking good at that point. Needed more butter on the CC than I had used so I poured some more on after an hour of the CC.

Took the turkey out at the 5.5 hour mark at 162 deg in the breast and the skin was still intact and not blackened too much.

Wife stuffed it and put it in a 350 oven after it had rested for 1/2 hour. Taking pics of the whole process, but the CC really saved the day!

Glad it turned out Qnorth. The cheesecloth worked very well for me too. Put it on at the start then took off 1 hr before the bird was done, basted it with butter, close the door and pulled when the breast hit 160*.