Turkey 101 -- "how do I do a turkey in this smoker?"

I'm getting warmed up with chickens, wild turkey breasts and commercial breasts... Maybe next couple of weeks a whole turkey.

My wife is convinced there is nothing better than fried so that is my benchmark.

I'll be working Thanksgiving but I'm planning on smoking a bird for the crew in the ER.

Richard. (brining a chicken as we speak)

I'll be smoking a 10-12# breast. Always brind!

I also thought about smoking some rabits and squirrels for some wildgame stuffing to go in the whole oven-roasted bird.

God of the nimrods permitting, I may have a couple of whole pheasants to smoke as well by then!

I cook carcass on breast, My faimily does not like the texture of brined turkey. Just put some cs chiken rub and oil under the skin. Put upside down in smoker put some goodies on in the cavity, onion garlic and butter. Very good and easy.

I did a practice bird earlier this month. I'm packing up the 08 at Thanksgiving and headed for out favorite campground. Extended family will join us for dinner.

I did a 14 pounder, cut into thirds (e.g., breast, and thigh-leg sections), brined for 24 hours in the holiday brine, rubbed and refrigerated another four hours and smoked for around 5 hours at 220-225 (part apple, part hickory). Part of the product was pulled, part sliced. The best part was the sandwiches later that evening and the next couple of days.

Plan on brining while at home, rubbing and packing/refrigerating well for the next 24 hours. Should turn out just as good as my test bird.

Last Thanksgiving used Smokins 101 turkey brine on a breast. and apple stix when it was time for supper the breast was very moist the color was awesome the taste was awesome.

I sat there smiled and said I made this? cool.

all the above was a first brining a turkey made alll the difference in the world in my opinon. I have been smokin foods now 13.5 Months and thank this forum and the Months of old posts I have read and the 101's

Okay I am finally going to try a turkey breast in my Smokette. But a couple of "less than literate" (dumb) questions, first. In Okie's Holiday Brine- is the black pepper ground or whole peppercorns? Do the majority use the buttered cheesecloth or mayo on the skin? I have read many of the posts, any last minute suggestions or thoughts? I am not doing this until November 9th, so there are a few days to respond. Thanks for all your help.

I don't know about everyone else, but I use whole peppercorns, and I took Smokin's advice on the buttered cheese cloth. It worked great for me!

Liverdal - I put the peppercorns, along with the allspice and any other whole spices that I might be using, in a plastic sandwhich bag, and crush them with a wooden mallet or the bottom of a heavy sauce pan.

I prefer the mayo route over the cheesecloth. Essentially, it's about 98% olive or canola oil. Alternatively, I have started the bird breast side down on a V-rack in the smoker. In the cavity, I have added 2 sticks of chopped up butter along with chopped onion, garlic, and some fresh herbs. Midway through the smoke, I turn the bird breast side up and give it a light coat of mayo..

I'm new and have been reading Turkey 101. It suggests using cheescloth to cover the turkey. Do you use only a single ply of the cloth or a couple of layers? There is a space available for a picture of this step (I assume) however it is blank.

Happy Smokin'

Kelly

If your cheesecloth is like a tube/stockinette,you can leave it loosely stretched and be all right.

If you are wrapping the bird,a couple layers doesn't hurt.

Excellent. Thank you.

Just brining it to the top.

I see over 100 "lurkers" in the forum right now.

Wonder if they're thinking turkey???

hehehe...yea I wonder...

I would actually rather have a nice rib roast and got outvoted.

quote:

Originally posted by GLH:
I would actually rather have a nice rib roast and got outvoted.

Just for you since you're always helping out here in the forum:


And tell them you want this for Christmas

I have two Turkeys smoking as I write. I would like to know if it is safe to reuse the brine I had the Turkeys in overnight. I save the brine and place ii in an airtight jar in the fridge. I thought I would do some chickens next weekend with that brine if it is safe to reuse.

Dan

I will defer to the experts. BUT, if it were me I would toss it. there is now "stuff", potential bacteria, in your brine.
Ick....I do not take changes with raw poulty and the juices associated.

I have tried 2 times this year to do whole turkey and carcass breast.The skin does not come out ok in my ST oven.I tried with mayo and tried cheesecloth with butter.No luck,so I still use my deep fryer and house oven.Tastes best to me.

quote:

Originally posted by rainman:
I would like to know if it is safe to reuse the brine I had the Turkeys in overnight. Dan

We'll I'm no expert, but I wouldn't reuse. Poultry tends to carry lots of bad stuff and if you don't practice great food safety, you can have issues.

Given the ingredient cost, I just wouldn't chance it.

now I don't know that IF you boiled it and then stored it if that would work.

But salt/sugar/herbs are pretty cheap compared to getting food poisoining

quote:

Originally posted by billyq:
I have tried 2 times this year to do whole turkey and carcass breast.The skin does not come out ok in my ST oven.I tried with mayo and tried cheesecloth with butter.

Well I always like a challenge. When you're ready to try again, start a new thread and tell us what you did to prep/smoke it and what you didn't like.

Following turkey 101 will get you a bird like this:

Is the general consensus to turn the bird over halfway through? I am stuck in the middle on that 101 does not say that you should, but it is listed in the tips. I just did not know how important that part was....

I am a bit concerned as this thing is reading 180 in the dark meat and 160 in the breast. Its a 12 lb injected bird and has been smoking at 250 degrees for two hrs and fifteen minutes.
I think my readings are bad. I have read in a few different places...

If you're sure of the thermometer in the turkey, those temps are done.

Don't forget that the meat will continue to cook a little while longer, carry over can be as much as 5 or 10 more degrees.

I just stuck the thermometer in another spot on the breast(about the fourth hole ARRRGGG...
and the temp is in the high 140's. I did not see any way that this thing could be done in 2.5 hours...could it really?

My only explanation, does seem a little quick. Maybe it's running hot in the smoker. Also, check the thermometer to make sure.

Otherwise sorry...

it's done when it's done

OH...thanks alot OKIE!

Man that ribroast looks fine!

The company is giving us two ribless 4 pounders sometime between now and Christmas, so yes ribroast for Christmas!

I hope they turn out looking that good.