Thanksgiving Brined, Buttered and Smoked Turkey

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A Happy Thanksgiving to everyone on SMF.com

I had a nice 15lb bird just waiting for today and I decided to brine, butter and smoke it.
I also made a wonderful homemade turkey giblet gravy.

The Brine
2gal Water
3C Kosher Salt
1C Brown Sugar
1/2C of my basic Chicken rub
Dissolve the salt, then the sugar/rub
Bag the bird/brine and marinade for 12 hours

The Herb Butter
3 sticks of softened butter
1/8C of my basic rub
1/8C Montreal Chicken Spice
2T fresh Rosemary
1T each fresh Thyme and Lemon Thyme
Mix all well and rub under and atop the skin of the bird
Used leftover to baste the bird once during smoking

The Smoke
50:50 Apple/Cherry
275° for the first 1.5 hours
325°+ till finished IT of 170°

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Basting after 1.5 hours
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Finished and Resting
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Turkey Giblet Gravy
Back, neck and gizzard chopped and well browned with thyme, rosemary and bay leaf
Add chopped onion, carrot, celery & garlic and saute with meat.
Add 1 can of chicken stock, 1.5t each Soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce and Fish sauce, salt & pepper to taste
Simmer for about 45min
Make a roux, 1 stick (4 tablespoons) of butter and add flour (4 tablespoons). Cook to desired light brown color (peanut butter).
Strain giblet stock, add slowly to roux while whisking continuously, and cook to desired thickness while stirring often.
If too thick, add chicken broth if not enough giblet stock.

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In the hustle and bustle I failed to get any more pics of the process and final product until plated.
More pics in linked recipe above.

Ready to Gobble

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Last edited:
John Nice job on the bird I'm getting hungry looking at all the food,being posted
Richie
 
Looks fantastic Chile, My wife won't let me smoke TG turkey. TG is her day to shine.

Chris
 
Hey CR,that looks great! I could use some gravy if you got any extra some crazy lady tossed ours!
 
Money !!!!!!!!!!!!
Thanks Jeff, hope y'alls Thanksgiving was a good one.
Looks Mighty fine Chile.... point. And Happy Thanks giving to all our American friends..
Appreciate it Sir!
LOL, nothing says y'all can't use our holiday as an excuse to pig out too.
That's a perfect looking TG Day meal!
Very nicely done!
Al
Thanks Al, hope y'alls Thanksgiving was a good one.
John Nice job on the bird I'm getting hungry looking at all the food,being posted
Richie
Thanks Richie, hope y'alls Thanksgiving was a good one.
Looks fantastic Chile, My wife won't let me smoke TG turkey. TG is her day to shine.

Chris
Thanks for the compliment.
My wife and I compete and let the family judge our birds.
But Roasted and Smoked aren't really comparable.
Everything looks Great Chile!!:)

Nice Job!!
I Like.

Bear
Thank you Bear, hope y'alls Thanksgiving was a good one.
Geez Chile... that's awesome... Martha can't cook that good... lol...
LOL... Dammit man, I hops she doesn't see that.
Thanks Dave, hope y'alls Thanksgiving was a good one.
Hey CR,that looks great! I could use some gravy if you got any extra some crazy lady tossed ours!
Appreciate it, thank you.
I sure do, come and get it.
 
My version of Turkey Bacon
Save all the skin, especially from those oven roasted birds with soggy bottom skin.
Lay it all out and fry it up, no oil or butter, plenty of its own fat to cook in and render out.
The more fat and bits of clinging meat, the better.
Delicious!

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Open Face Turkey Sammiche on Pan Toasted Hawaiian Rolls

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