Let's Share Our Favorite Turkey/Thanksgiving Recipes for the Smoker

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smokin vegas

Smoking Fanatic
Original poster
Jun 21, 2011
400
32
Las Vegas, NV
I think it would be so great if we all shared our favorite smoked turkey or holiday recipes using a smoker!!!  What do you think guys?

You all have seen my turkey but here it is:

2 cups 100% cranberry juice Not cockail

2 cups ginger ale

1 1/2 cups brown sugar

2 tablespoons poultry seasons

1 tablespoon garlic powder

1 tablespoon onion powder

1/4 cup sea salt

1 teaspoon pink salt

Marninate turkey breast for 3-5 days and smoke at 230 degrees until internal temperature is 180 degrees. 

Double recipe for whole turkey.  Apple juice can be substituted for cranberry juice.
 
I started smoking birds last year for my family and friends and I was told I had to do them again this year.

Here is the brine I used last year.

1 cup brown sugar
1 cup coarse salt
20 cups water
A few orange slices
Some bay leaves
Onions
Garlic

Brine over night or longer.
 
Remove and pat dry,stuff, rub down with some EVOO and add some Old Bay or your favorite rub. Smoked them at 250-275 until they reached 160 internal temp. we reheated them on Thanksgiving in a roaster pan or in the oven  with some chicken stock in the bottom and then cover it and reheat at around 200 until the bird is warm. They are  so juicy and delicious. It was really nice not having to worry about cooking the bird on Thanksgiving.
 
I'm going to try a turducken. Ever since John Madden started doing these I've always wanted to give it a try. This year I'm gonna do it!
 
I'm going to try a turducken. Ever since John Madden started doing these I've always wanted to give it a try. This year I'm gonna do it!


My wife and I have been talking about doing one for years but have never pulled the trigger. We can buy them at our local store but they are like $80 and there is no way I am spending that much when I can do my own with a little work and research. So the big question I have is. Are you going to make your own or buy it already made from the store and just cook it yourself?
 
My wife and I have been talking about doing one for years but have never pulled the trigger. We can buy them at our local store but they are like $80 and there is no way I am spending that much when I can do my own with a little work and research. So the big question I have is. Are you going to make your own or buy it already made from the store and just cook it yourself?


Com'on Ross, You know I have to make it myself. I've been researching it for some time & Wally World just started getting duck in. They don't have it for most of the year or I would have given this a trial run. It is still going to be a bit expensive. A little friggin duck is $15. We have friends that we do TG with every year & I already told them this year would be different. I hate to experiment with friends, but in case it doesn't work out I think I will do a ham as a backup.
 
I'm going to try a turducken. Ever since John Madden started doing these I've always wanted to give it a try. This year I'm gonna do it!
We had our Thanksgiving some time ago ----- Roast beef was the menu.

Now fellers you just have to understand these are ornery cantankerous birds at the best of time, my biggest problem is that over the years I have grown steadily to hate the Mindy things.
icon_evil.gif


You really have to get into the spirit of things and I stopped drinking in 1971 (with the exception when I go back to the UK for some decent beer.
icon_lol.gif
)  if you had to have your hand stuck up a turkeys arsed (all 900 of them) I am sure you would join me wiv the Roast beef 
icon_wink.gif


To leave this on a pleasant note I give you the following --- Boned from the inside out (as taught in the 60s) turkey - goose - duck - chicken - pheasant - squab  all boneless with forcemeat in between each layer. My biggest one was 35 lbs

The only bones that are left in the bird are the wing tips of the turkey

3cc1789a_TurkeyRoyal2.jpg
 
We had our Thanksgiving some time ago ----- Roast beef was the menu.

Now fellers you just have to understand these are ornery cantankerous birds at the best of time, my biggest problem is that over the years I have grown steadily to hate the Mindy things.
icon_evil.gif


You really have to get into the spirit of things and I stopped drinking in 1971 (with the exception when I go back to the UK for some decent beer.
icon_lol.gif
)  if you had to have your hand stuck up a turkeys arsed (all 900 of them) I am sure you would join me wiv the Roast beef 
icon_wink.gif


To leave this on a pleasant note I give you the following --- Boned from the inside out (as taught in the 60s) turkey - goose - duck - chicken - pheasant - squab  all boneless with forcemeat in between each layer. My biggest one was 35 lbs

The only bones that are left in the bird are the wing tips of the turkey

3cc1789a_TurkeyRoyal2.jpg


That's awesome dude!

If you can do that I think I can do a turducken.
 
I am going to have to take out Julia Child's cook book The Art of French Cooking and study it.  It gives step by step directions on how to bone a duck.  Perhaps a turkey, duck, cornish game hen? Although there is a market that carries wild game breeds.   Hmmmm.  Better start 2 weekes in advance to get it right.  Although it sounds like alot of work to me.
 
I found this recipe think I may try it on a turkey breast or chicken to see what it tastes like.  For a whole turkey I would have to double recipe.  I have never cooked with Juniper berries.  I recently bought some.  They are used in Scandinavian cooking and I think some British.  Has anyone cooked with juniper berries before?  Sounds like alot salt to me.

1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups coarse salt
1 1/2-2 quarts warm water
4 cloves garlic, roughly chopped (with skins)
6-8
 Juniper Berries
1 teaspoon  Thyme

Basting sauce
2/3 cup olive oil
3 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
1/2 teaspoon 
Thyme
1/2 teaspoon  Rosemary

In a non-corrosive pan; mix sugar, coarse salt, water, 4 cloves garlic, juniper berries and thyme. Stir until sugar dissolves. Cool brine. Add 5-7 pound pork loin. Meat should be just covered, add water if necessary. Weight the roast with a plate so it stays submerged. Let stand in brine for two days refrigerated. Remove meat from brine and wipe with paper towels. Let come to room temperature. Oil grill and heat. Stir together oil, garlic, thyme, and rosemary. Brush on pork. Place on the grill on low. Grill and turn occasionally. Cook to an internal temperature of 180 degrees to 180d egrees. Let rest 10 minutes before carving.
 
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I need to watch the videos on how to debone a bird again. It looks so easy when watching it on line but I know I can screw it up some how. Now you guys have me seriously thinking about making one.
 
Youtube has a step by step to deboning this gal does the whole thing in several videos.  Deboning turkey first.

  just copy and paste this into the url address line.  There are lots of videos on you tube.  Want to know how to do something it is on You tube even making hand thrown pottery.
 
Al I saw all of those Ducks at WW yesterday. I bet they had 30 or 40 out..Never seen that before...Good Luck and don`t forget the Q-view...
 
Al I saw all of those Ducks at WW yesterday. I bet they had 30 or 40 out..Never seen that before...Good Luck and don`t forget the Q-view...


Yea this is going to be interesting. I have watched a bunch of videos & they all put stuffing between the birds. I'm thinking that this thing is going to  have to be smoked in the 300-325 range to get it thru the danger zone in time. Not to mention the prep time involved with the birds at room temp. This is definitely going to be a fun project. I still have a lot of research to do.
 
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