Turkey Smokin Away

[DennisArrow]

Usually, we have a 12 to 14 pounder; but this year as I am cravin some fresh white bread, lots of mustard, and salt/pepper left over sandwiches am doing a 20. Kinda cold and windy here in N.W. Ga on top of the mountain so I guess I should plan on stokin the charcoal and wood till late tonight. Usually, we do this the day before and then serve the bird cold. Folks hoot and holler for not only seconds but more and more...........

In the past have always used Sweet Gum for the wood. Gives a very red/brown color to the bird externals with a sweet taste in the meat. Did a chicken a couple of weeks ago with hickory and got the typical darkish brown color with the hickory taste......HMMMM....what to do??????....have a few hours of cookin in the foil to get the temp up before I uncover it and begin the smoke..........God bless......Dennis

 

[2LaneCruzer]

Usually, we have a 12 to 14 pounder; but this year as I am cravin some fresh white bread, lots of mustard, and salt/pepper left over sandwiches am doing a 20. Kinda cold and windy here in N.W. Ga on top of the mountain so I guess I should plan on stokin the charcoal and wood till late tonight. Usually, we do this the day before and then serve the bird cold. Folks hoot and holler for not only seconds but more and more...........

In the past have always used Sweet Gum for the wood. Gives a very red/brown color to the bird externals with a sweet taste in the meat. Did a chicken a couple of weeks ago with hickory and got the typical darkish brown color with the hickory taste......HMMMM....what to do??????....have a few hours of cookin in the foil to get the temp up before I uncover it and begin the smoke..........God bless......Dennis

I've done a fair amount of smoking, but admittedly very few turkeys. I'm partial to Mesquite, but a little bit goes a long way. I also like Pecan, and for chicken, beef or pork, a chunk of Blackjack adds a nice flavor. I ALWAYS give my birds a nice coating of Butt Rub, best dry rub around, if you don't like your BBQ sweet...or, I have my own rub recipe, that I will be glad to share if you're interested.

Will be anxious to know how you prepared your bird, time, temperature and what kind of smoker you have. Be sure to let us know how it turns out!

 

[DennisArrow]

Bought the turkey at the AFB commisary the other day......$1.12 per pound the other day......took perhaps 3 or 4 days in the frig to thaw it and then another after opening it up to get the innards out...............

This morning rubbed it with a coating of Tony's seasoning/salt stuff......that is pretty much all I ever use as it does penetrate the skin nice...........

Wrapped it tight in aluminum foil perhaps 3 layers......put a thermometer in the breast.....when this begins to register...perhaps 90 or so will take off the foil layers but leave a "pan" under it for the juice..........THEN THE SMOKE begins.........

 

[DennisArrow]

4 hours now.....up to right at 100 degrees......my son and daughter got me one of those new fangled digital thermometer things last father's day.....thought it was a toy; but took it out and really looked at it this morning.....One sticks the probe into the meat and then run a very heat proof wire of perhaps 3' out to the magnetized timer/thermometer/transmitter readout device. This has all kinds of meats so one selects poultry and then when it hits 165 it signals one's remote......Meanwhile one can monitor the meat be reading the device to see how it is doing without opening the smoker. Neato......anyway.........

Took off the foil and now adding the wood to smoke to the fire........Brinkman smoker that has cooked who knows how many turkeys, chickens, ribs, prime ribs, pork roasts, etc.......Yes, wishing I had one of those yuppie type egg things; but this does me really fine........Plannin on takin a picture to post here the next time I open it up........

By the way, went down to the fence line and cut a 4" or so gum tree.......I strip off all the little branches and then cut it in 1" slices with the radial arm.....I feed perhaps 4 or 5 slices every 30 minutes or so............

 

[creekbend]

Reading all these posts is really making me hungry. :laughing::licking:

 

[65fl]

Smoked a breast last night for a friend who is ill, possible lung and colon cancer. Did it with a simple rub, no brine, hope she and her family likes it. It sure did smell and look good when I pulled it last night.

I have my turkey sitting in a Jack Daniels- Maple Syrup brine, my first time for this recipe. I'll take it out of the brine tonight and let it air dry overnight in the fridge. When I smoke it tomorrow I'll use some apple and cherry chunks.

I also need to start prepping yet another turkey for the fryer. This will be my first time in charge of the fried turkey and am looking forward to it. I'm mixing up a Cajun injection for that one. I really enjoy cooking and it will be a lot of work, but when someone says "This is the best [fill in the blank] ever!", it is all worth it.

 

[SSdoxie]

Haven't smoked a turkey yet but will try a small one someday. Today and tomorrow smoker is dedicated to the ham. Start with simple cured ham, no hickory flavored or glazed stuf. Boil up some brown sugar and pineapple juice, inject it. The goes on the smoker for 12 hrs. Use mesquite & apple to start then finish up with Oak.

 

[Mickey_Fx]

Turkey is being provided by our DIL so not sure exactly how it will be fixed. As I've done for numerous yrs, a ham is about to go into the smoker. Additionally I've got a batch of home made sourdough rolls in the making. I get a lot of requests for sourdough bread and rolls.

Getting back to the ham, for pork, I like to use fruit wood, apple, cherry, and such. Good flavor but doesn't over power like Mesquite does sometimes.

Smoker is home made from double walled SST cabinet. Has worked well for a number of yrs.

Don't over eat ya hear!

 

[schoolsout]

Reading all these posts is really making me hungry. :laughing::licking:

Hungry? They're making me thirsty....smoking is best done with a cold beer or bourbon in hand

 

[2LaneCruzer]

4 hours now.....up to right at 100 degrees......my son and daughter got me one of those new fangled digital thermometer things last father's day.....thought it was a toy; but took it out and really looked at it this morning.....One sticks the probe into the meat and then run a very heat proof wire of perhaps 3' out to the magnetized timer/thermometer/transmitter readout device. This has all kinds of meats so one selects poultry and then when it hits 165 it signals one's remote......Meanwhile one can monitor the meat be reading the device to see how it is doing without opening the smoker. Neato......anyway.........

Took off the foil and now adding the wood to smoke to the fire........Brinkman smoker that has cooked who knows how many turkeys, chickens, ribs, prime ribs, pork roasts, etc.......Yes, wishing I had one of those yuppie type egg things; but this does me really fine........Plannin on takin a picture to post here the next time I open it up........

By the way, went down to the fence line and cut a 4" or so gum tree.......I strip off all the little branches and then cut it in 1" slices with the radial arm.....I feed perhaps 4 or 5 slices every 30 minutes or so............

Nothing wrong with a Brinkman. I've cooked a lot of ribs and chickens on an old Cajun Cooker. I also have a Weber Smoky Mountain cooker; something about the water pan that cooks a bird like nothing else.