Help...need recipe to smoke turkey

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Help...need recipe to smoke turkey

Posted: 11/16/2003 5:09:28 AM EDT

I have a new Traeger smoker and I have made the mistake of offering to cook the turkey for Thanksgiving and I need to know if anyone here has any good proven recipes? I am going to fire up the smoker a little later this morning and try the turkey that I have been brining for the past 8 hours in a mix of water,Kosher salt, brown sugar and pepper and bay leaves (keeping it simple for the first run.) If anyone is interested I will give a report on the first experiment. Thanks in advance.

Posted: 11/16/2003 5:27:21 AM EDT

[#1]

I heard smoking was bad for your lungs. Don't be a lunger. [just joshin]

Posted: 11/16/2003 5:35:18 AM EDT

[#2]

About 1 hour per pound will do what you want. Your choice of wood chips or chunks. Seems like you have the seasoning down for your tastes. I usually just put the bird in plain & put herbs galore into the water. Another tip is to cook the bird breast down. That allows all the juices to run down into the breast keeping it moist.

Posted: 11/16/2003 5:39:20 AM EDT

[#3]

Everything that I have read says to cook it breast side up...looks like I am going to have to experiment ALOT to get this down. What kind of herb mixture are you using Gun-fan?

Posted: 11/16/2003 5:54:08 AM EDT

[#4]

Orygun - Next year, buy a deep frier. There is absolutely nothing better than a deep fried turkey. The skin keeps all the juices in and the meat is really moist. Not dry like so many typical Thanksgiving turkeys. Good luck.

Posted: 11/16/2003 5:59:35 AM EDT

[#5]

I have tried the deep fried turkeys and they are just ok in my book. The damned oil seems a little pricey for me. I had a friend who moved into a brand new house and bought a turkey fryer and living in the Pacific Northwest (rain, rain and more rain) he decided (like a friggin idiot) to open his garage door and put the deep fryer under the eves of his house so everthing would stay dry. That damned garage still reeks of fried turkey to this day. I am hoping that this turkey will turn out super moist since it was brined, but I wont know till this afternoon.

Posted: 11/16/2003 6:01:08 AM EDT

[#6]

Quoted:
Everything that I have read says to cook it breast side up...looks like I am going to have to experiment ALOT to get this down. What kind of herb mixture are you using Gun-fan?

Te breast up or down really doesn't matter especially since you marinated yours. We use rosemary, basil, oregano, tarragon marjoram and thyme. My wife has an herb garden that she picks off of. Pork is another story as what we are talking about is fowl. Also, try smoked ribeye. Wonderful.

Posted: 11/16/2003 6:15:49 AM EDT

[#7]

Be careful with the salt, too much can dry the bird out.

Otherwise your choice of seasoning sounds good.

Mixed wood chips make for a unique flavor, mesquite and hickory is my fav.

Also use clean water, bottled or distilled for the bottom, tap water can leave a residue and sometime make the meat tatse funny.

Remember to keep plenty of water in the bottom.

Semper Fi

Posted: 11/16/2003 6:35:07 AM EDT

[#8]

And with smoking a Turkey (or any poultry) remember it only takes a little smoke, don't over smoke it. And to keep the skin crisp instead of rubbery, keep the heat around 325-350.

Here is a good reference even if you don't have the model smoker they discuss.

www.virtualweberbullet.com/cook.html

Posted: 11/17/2003 3:46:37 AM EDT

[#9]

Well, how'd it turn out?

Posted: 11/17/2003 7:29:54 AM EDT

[#10]

Have someone he trusts invite him out for dinner. Wait in the parking lot. When the turkey comes out, put 2 .22s in the back of his head. It works in the movies.

[Edited to Add] I have found that you gotta figure at least 4-6 hrs for anything in a smoker. Pecan is great wood for smoking. I sonetimes put a little cup of red wine inside the bird. The cup gets ruined by the smoke, but the wine gives a nice flavor to the meat as it evaporates (in my imagination, anyway) and the cup ends up full of truly awesome stock for gravy (that part's a fact).

Posted: 11/17/2003 7:58:39 AM EDT

[#11]

No need to brine the bird. I have smoked several turkeys the past few years in a charcoal smoker. I figure it needs around 10 hours in the smoker to get done. I do a "water smoking". There is a pan of liquid right below the bird. I have filled this with a mix of apple cider or juice, wine, liquid smoke, soy sauce, cranberry juice, and water. Makes for a succulent turkey.

GunLvr

Posted: 11/17/2003 9:28:17 AM EDT

[#12]

1. Find thew biggest ZigZag's you can

2. Puff till you pass out.

Posted: 11/17/2003 9:46:33 AM EDT

[#13]

Breast Down...even in the oven. Turn it over for the last 1/3 of the cooking time.

Posted: 11/17/2003 2:54:08 PM EDT

[#14]

The turkey turned out EXCELLENT!!! I highly recommend that if your interested in a smoker to check out the Traeger smokers at http://www.traegerindustries.com/company.htm I have the BBQ-075 and this thing is sweet! I am going to spice up the brine with alot of herbs for Thanksgiving and show the rest of the family how a turkey SHOULD taste!
Thanks to all who replied.

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Help...need recipe to smoke turkey

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