First turkey.

[kathrynn]

Thanks! I have done chickens and they were easy. Got Big Poppa all cleaned up and ready for Wednesday.

 

[sqwib]

Not to distract from Craigs post but I'm with these guys Brining is very easy.

I only brine big birds, It can be the difference between a dry bird and a extremely moist bird.

Brining gives you a larger window here.

My Method.

Bird goes in cooler, add Brine and ice, place cooler outside on the deck.

After the bird is removed I dump the water in the utility sink, clean the sink with a bleach based cleaner and the cooler as well. My wife does the rest.

I tried deep frying turkey as well, but to me its not worth the cost and hassle, if you have a place to store the oil and supplies and to fry the bird, then it may be worth it, or if you were doing multiple birds.

Craig have you posted the Chuckie yet?

 

[kathrynn]

SQWIB....I do have a turkey fryer...and use it every year.  AND during the 4th of July..I do a large low country boil for our Annual 4th Pool party. My neighbor saves his oil...filters it and pops it into the freezer.  He will use it 2 times...then out it goes.  My freezer is a 5 footer and too little to store oil.  Need that room for stuff to Smoke!   I agree it all takes up room...gotta have a place to store it.  I have closed my quilt shop all week...may do the brine today.  We will see.

 

[i bleed blue]

What was the issue Todd is talking about. I want to do a bird for Xmas, would the AMNPS on the rails next to the chip box on the MES 30 cause any issues?

 

[wan2smoke]

Looks great and congratulations on the bird! Been doing this now for 3 years at Thanksgiving. No one I know that has tried my turkey after being smoked will go back to a regular bird. I use apple to smoke the poultry and the flavor is amazing. I just went up in size this year to a frresh18 pound bird. From the folks on this board I have to thank for all of the trips and tips for success on turkey! Looks like 2 fresh(never frozen) Ha ' lal birds will be going in the smoker Wednesday night. The biggest trick I have learned is that letting the meat rest after it comes out is key. I go 2-4hours in the ice chest before carving and it has made all the difference in the world to my smoking successes!

 

[rong]

THAT! Looks tasty!!!!

 

[reed larson]

You might try a wet rub instead of a brine.  I get wonderful results and if you use some lime juice or vinegar I hear it will reduce the carcinogens by 99%!!

Sample ingredients:

salt

pepper

paprika

brown sugar

cumin (not much)

garlic powder (or the real thing)

lime juice

olive oil

cinnamon

let it sit in the fridge overnight before smoking

P.S.  I use this for poultry or for beef or pork!!
 

 

[integritybbq]

turkey.jpg

• integritybbq
• Apr 28, 2013
• 1

Brined for 48 hours in gallon of water, 3 apples,3 oranges, 1 bundle of celery, 3 sweet onions, spices, and 1 cup of sea salt.(turned out good but dont add salt after brine, had a good flavor but added salt in a rub would of been too much)

22" WSM -1 ring of charcoal(stubbs)/lump charcoal(prime) and 1 full chimney of charcoal added using minion method.  5 chunks of maple wood.

Pineapple slices and bacon on top to help with breast meat drying out.  Had a few spikes in temp(450 deg) due to having the lid open I believe. 

Smoked for 4 hours around 350-325 and pulled at 175deg(wanted to pull at 165 deg. Investing in a maverick, cheap themometers are not getting it done, breast was a tad on dry side but dark meat was amazing. I really think leaving this on for the 10 degree longer was the difference in dryness, also hard to cook a 20lb bird evenly. Overall, was tender and had unique wood flavor, must of been the maple -very good taste for poultry.