My turn for turkey

[fowldarr]

I've been gone for a bit. Literally gone. Removed from my smoker by miles and miles. But spending time in places like louisiana and Texas are good inspiration.

So this weekend gets a turkey.

Right now it is sitting in brine in the fridge. My turkey brine is a little over the top and parts are probably Iunnecessary but it's given me consistently good birds. I learned to cook from my grandma so all measurements are estimated.

Ryan's turkey brine

2 qrts water
1 gallon apple juice
Oranges
Apples
Limes
Whole cloves
Garlic
Pepper
Brown sugar
Turbinado
Kosher salt

Bring a quart of water to a boil with the sugar and salt. The point is to dissolve the salt and sugar, but I always throw some cloves in there,and some times cinnamon because it makes the house smell awesome. Once salt and sugar are dissolved I pull it off the heat and another quart of water and sliced fruit (gently squeezed oranges and limes, and apple slices) and then everything else. Throw the turkey in the brine bucket dump the mixture over top with a gallon of apple juice. Cover and put it in the fridge. (My wife loves that part because I always have to clean out the fridge first)

 

[oldschoolbbq]

OK , you been gone a while so we'll cut you some slack , BUT , you can make it up by posting some Q-view . Now , I don't mean 'a' shot of the Bird , I mean beginning to end. We're watching ...

 ,seriously , have fun an . . .

 

[fowldarr]

Yeah the brine isn't that exciting though. I'll take a shot of it as it sits though. Tomorrow is when the real fun begins.

 

[fowldarr]

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• fowldarr
• Nov 8, 2014

 

[fowldarr]

Alright, I thought I had some generic poultry rubbed that I planned to use, but I must have already used it. Bummer. So I threw some together. So it is just paprika, dried mustard, some caju seasoning, thyme, oregano, and just a little salt (don't want to over salt it since it is being brined)

 

[fowldarr]

Cajun not caju

 

[fowldarr]

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• fowldarr
• Nov 9, 2014

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• fowldarr
• Nov 9, 2014

Got it all seasoned up with some seasoning and butter under the skin. Stuffed the innards with fruit (I stole that idea from someone on here) but I dusted my fruit with some rub before the stuffing.

Started the cabelas brand propane smoker just a touch of water in the pan, and some apple wood.

 

[fowldarr]

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• fowldarr
• Nov 9, 2014

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• fowldarr
• Nov 9, 2014

 

[fowldarr]

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• fowldarr
• Nov 9, 2014

2 hours in

 

[fowldarr]

Really?  All of you are so busy smoking your own meat, nobody has anything to say about this beautiful bird in my smoker?

 

[craigar]

Looks great fowldarr! I am going to try to smoke a turkey for Thanksgiving for the first time. Your brine recipe sounds good.

 

[fowldarr]

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• fowldarr
• Nov 9, 2014

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• fowldarr
• Nov 9, 2014

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• fowldarr
• Nov 9, 2014

 

[mfreel]

Looks good.  Do you get the fruit flavor in the bird?  What IT did you take it to?

 

[fowldarr]

My kids swear they can taste apple. I can't. The fruit stuffed inside seems to help with keeping it moist, but doesn't seem to help the flavor profile (in my opinion). When I pulled it the coldest spot on the bird was 168.

 

[mfreel]

I like to take it to 165.  I'm sure whole birds will coast a few degrees, too.

 

[fowldarr]

165 was my target temp. I might have taken a nap. The warmest spot I probed was 171.

 

[driedstick]

WOW That looks great, nice post, how long did you leave it in the brine?? 

A full smoker is a happy smoker

DS

 

[fowldarr]

It was about 16 hours

 

[z-man]

Gonna try my first turkey on the smoker for Thanksgiving.  I have done pork, brisket, ribs, chicken.  How much different can it be?    Looks great   cant wait to get mine done.

 

[mfreel]

Keep her at around 225 and take it to 165.  What could possibly go wrong.  Don't forget to post some pics.