First Turkey and pheasant

[redsmoke]

I'll be smoking a turkey and 2 pheasant for family Christmas.
I was going to try the smoked maple barbecue recipe Jeff posted up for the turkey
One pheasant was going to be the slaughter house and unsure on the other one.

Problem is I'm going to have to cook them this weekend 5-6 since the party is on the 12 and won't have enough time during the week with work and the kicker is we have our work holiday party on the 11th which will be a over night stay and making it a scramble Saturday morning to get it all together.

Turkey for sure will need to be done this weekend and refrigerated till the weekend after. I think the pheasant can be done during the week after work.

Will the turkey keep? If so should I refreeze it? Whole or cut it up? I can vacuum seal it also.

 

[kc5tpy]

Hello.  WOW!  What you are proposing is not ideal but not impossible.  My opinion:  Cut up the cooked turkey, reserve the juices.  Vac seal the turkey and juices.  Freeze.  Reheat in the vac bag by placing in a pot of simmering water.  Good Luck.  Keep Smokin!

Danny

 

[redsmoke]

Ok tried 1 pheasant for a trial. Just threw it in and smoked it. and it turned out ok but slight dry and it gave me a taste of the meat unseasoned.

Attempt 2. Used the slaughterhouse brine and decided to make a mop sauce of honey and apple cider vinegar. Using Apple pellets in my AMPS and smoker set to 225 till breast hits 160.
Might pull legs faster sinch they are so small and kind of no meat really.

The turkey will be smoked on Thursday after work instead of what I was going to do since I didn't want to refreeze and thaw before the party. (Wife said she will help).

 

[redsmoke]

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[gixxerfrk]

That looks good. I do a citrus turkey typically with either Apple or Cherry wood normally. Might have to mix it up a bit if that's as good as it looks.

 

[redsmoke]

It's resting and the wife should be cutting up soon since it is late and I work early. I'll post up how it tastes after the party.

 

[redsmoke]

The turkey was good. Thanks for the recipe
The pheasant was ok not to many people ate it (oh well maybe next time)