I smoked a split turkey breast and a couple turkey legs today.It turned out great. The kids even loved it. Me and my wife have had deep fried turkeys, and turkeys cooked in the oven, but never a turkey as juicy as this one turned out.
I made a 4.5 lb split breast with bone in, skin on. The turkey legs were 1.4 lb each, bone in, skin on.
I made a brine with 1/3 cup brown sugar, 2/3 cup salt. I put my turkey in the brine and put it for four hours. In the mean time I got my MES smoker going at 250 degrees with apple wood and hickory mixed. I used cherry coke zero in the water pan.
I made an herbed butter using 2 sticks of butter, 1/8 tsp garlic, 1/8 tsp parsley, 1/8 tsp oregano, 1/4 tsp sage, and a 2" stem of fresh rosemary. I added a small splash of lemon juice, and a small splash of water. I microwaved everything together for 2 minutes, and stirred it.
I removed my turkey from the brine and pated it dry with paper towels. (The finished product turned out a touch saltier than I like, so I might rinse everything, then pat it dry next time). I cut the neck skin off my breast to trim it. I opened a hole in the skin where the neck was, then separated the skin over the top of the breast, then poured some her bed butter inside. I did the same thing with 2 sides of the legs. I then brushed herb butter all over everything.
I put the breast in the smoker skin side up, rib side down. I put my legs on at the same time. I brushed herb butter on them each hour to half hour. I cooked the legs 5 hours 15 minutes to an internal temp of 170 degrees. The breast cooked 7 hours also to 170 degrees. I let the breast rest 30 minutes in foil, then an extra 20 minutes in foil and a towel. I reheated the legs half an hour once the breast finished, then put them in foil and a towel.
They turned out perfect really. They were seasoned well, and super juicy. I thought they had a little extra salt, but my wife and kids absolutely loved it.
I made a 4.5 lb split breast with bone in, skin on. The turkey legs were 1.4 lb each, bone in, skin on.
I made a brine with 1/3 cup brown sugar, 2/3 cup salt. I put my turkey in the brine and put it for four hours. In the mean time I got my MES smoker going at 250 degrees with apple wood and hickory mixed. I used cherry coke zero in the water pan.
I made an herbed butter using 2 sticks of butter, 1/8 tsp garlic, 1/8 tsp parsley, 1/8 tsp oregano, 1/4 tsp sage, and a 2" stem of fresh rosemary. I added a small splash of lemon juice, and a small splash of water. I microwaved everything together for 2 minutes, and stirred it.
I removed my turkey from the brine and pated it dry with paper towels. (The finished product turned out a touch saltier than I like, so I might rinse everything, then pat it dry next time). I cut the neck skin off my breast to trim it. I opened a hole in the skin where the neck was, then separated the skin over the top of the breast, then poured some her bed butter inside. I did the same thing with 2 sides of the legs. I then brushed herb butter all over everything.
I put the breast in the smoker skin side up, rib side down. I put my legs on at the same time. I brushed herb butter on them each hour to half hour. I cooked the legs 5 hours 15 minutes to an internal temp of 170 degrees. The breast cooked 7 hours also to 170 degrees. I let the breast rest 30 minutes in foil, then an extra 20 minutes in foil and a towel. I reheated the legs half an hour once the breast finished, then put them in foil and a towel.
They turned out perfect really. They were seasoned well, and super juicy. I thought they had a little extra salt, but my wife and kids absolutely loved it.