Turkey Reports - 2012

I'll start ....

1: Which smoker :sm0025
2. Turkey Size :12.5 lbs
3. Preps : Brined per turkey 101.pdf, page 4, but for 36 hours. Also made a compound butter using Smokin Okie's Turkey rub and put under the skin and then pinned the skin (didn't work, skin pulled free)
4. Smoker temp : Smoked at 300F
5. Total Time : very fast, about 2 hours

Turkey was spacthedcocked. The breast was on top rack and the dark meat on the second rack all skin up. I also basted with compond butter. The skin never got crispy but the flavor on the meat was great, no real loss. Pulled when dark meat was at 173/177 and breast 161/167. Very moist... Oh, used 3 oz apple, let the wook smoke 15 minutes before putting bird parts in.

Finished with a Cranberry- Jalapeno Relish
1 cup dried Cranberries
½ cup Orange Juice
½ cup diced Red Onion
½ cup chopped Cilantro
1 tsp minced Garlic
1 Jalapeno (your choice whether to seed, devein)
¼ cup fresh Lime Juice
½ tsp ground Cumin
½ tsp Salt
Mix and let sit for 2 hours or more ….

1: SM025
2. 19lb
3. 36hr brine, let dry out in refrigerator over night, cavity filled with herbs, orange slices, apples slices and compound butter under/over skin.
4. Set at 300 (Pre-heated and added 1.5oz cherry wood with the bird), it got up and stayed around 275
5. Done in 3hrs
6. My bird pulled a Janet Jackson. It's skin on one side pulled back exposing the entire breast, even with toothpicks set to hold it. I think next time I will skip the over night drying, I think that may have been part of the problem. Overall it was fantastic. Even the exposed breast meat came out perfect.

I moved this from another post.
AQ
Did my first turkey yesterday, (turned out really good) but I would like some advice. 11.4 lbs. Brined for 48 hrs using Smokins holiday turkey brine. Rinsed thoroughly. Rubbed under skin with rosemary garlic and butter. Cavity filled with sliced orange. Smoked with hickory/apple at 300 x 1 hr, then covered with butter soaked cheesecloth for remainder of smoke. I needed to slow it down a bit for timing for dinner, so dropped the temp to 250 at the end of the smoke. Also used the ice cubes in ziploc over breast to allow the thighs to cook faster. Pulled at 3.5 hours with breast at 165 and thighs at 175. Rested for 20 minutes and sliced.

Results: Was wonderful with great family comments. Tasted great. Very moist. Great flavor. Skin was too dark cosmetically, but we don't eat it anyway. Had leftover turkey sandwich with mustard today and it was awesome.

My thanks to you guys/gals in the forum, especially Smokin, as it is via your posts that I successfully cooked this bird.

Only issue I would like to solve: the outer layers of meat were mildly too salty for our taste. Do I reduce my brine time, or reduce the amount of salt in brine? Also, the brine recipe has 1 cup soy sauce in it, which adds salt. Do I back off on that? Thanks.

Only issue I would like to solve: the outer layers of meat were mildly too salty for our taste. Do I reduce my brine time, or reduce the amount of salt in brine? Also, the brine recipe has 1 cup soy sauce in it, which adds salt. Do I back off on that? Thanks.[/QUOTE]

I soak in cold water 3 times for 5 to 10 minutes each.

Turkey 2012
FEC 100
12 lbs X 4
Brine 36 hrs, rinse, rubbed 2 with Cavenders Greek/2 with Montreal Chicken
Basted @ 2 hrs with butter
Hickory/Oak & Cherry Pellets
276 degrees
3 hrs to 165 breast/175 leg
Rested uncovered 45 minutes

Cavenders was better than Montreal
Crispy skin
Many said "best they ever had".

Sorry for poor photo, I'm having photobucket "issues".

Looks good, even upside down.
Hope this works- I copied your pic and turned it rightside up.

Great job Joe M

Two turkeys for two different dinners:
1) SM25
2) 12.5# Sam's house brand with 8% of something injected
3) Smokin's Holiday Brine w/one can Guinness and fresh herbs added. Brined 36 hrs, rinse, air dry 8 hours, butter and Plowboy's Yardbird Rub under and on top of skin. Orange and onion quarters in cavity. Butter soaked cheesecloth first two hours. One apple and one hickory about 1.5 oz each.
4) 225* one hour, 275 two hours, 300 final 25 minutes.
5) All moist. Could taste rub and herbs. Thought it could use a little more smoke flavor. skin was not crisp, but that's OK. Looked great, but no picture (sorry).

1) Amerique (brother-in-law's)
2) 12.5# Fresh, cage free, no injection from butcher (Cost 3X Sam's turkey)
3) Smokin's Holiday Brine w/ one can Guinness, one quart chicken stock, fresh herbs plus water to make one gallon. Brined 48 hrs and 6 hours air dry. Online oil and Yardbird rub under and on top of skin. Orange, apple and onion quarters in cavity. Butter soaked cheesecloth after first 90 minutes (Thought it would allow more smoke flavor, but don't think it mattered. 4 oz apple wood.
4) time same as above
5)White meat not as moist as I would like. (Both taken up to 160 internal). Flavor was good, but not as good as first bird. Liked appearance of first bird better with using cheesecloth first. This bird may have benefited if I injected something myself. I almost did, but wanted to see how it would come out without.