It is 'that time' again for our annual Party, the 3rd Thursday (of every month, but..) in December! (see from previous parties - http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/174365/the-party). I do 2 or 3 cured and smoked turkeys for the party. This year i am doing 2 huge ones, ave. 22 lbs each. Any bigger and I couldn't have fit them into my back fridge!
I put them down in the curing brine on Nov. 26th after purchasing them two days before Thanksgiving and letting them thaw in the back fridge. Ohhhh the smell of turkey giblets cooking!
Now, I am smoking them all day. Because they are cured and not fresh, the curing protects them from forming botulism, retarding its growth. Still, you must handle them carefully and cautiously regardless. I use gloves putting them in the brine and pulling them out, making sure they are well submerged in the brine, and maintain them at all times at under 40°. I have to move swiftly and accurately to do so, practicing good sanitation.
I got them in the smokehouse at 9:30 am and lit 'er up, and they're doing their thing, smoking away! Took these photos right after starting the smokehouse:
Have to make sure I tie a square knot on the stockinette or they could undo and cause the turkeys to fall. A square knot keeps tightening on itself vs. loosening.
Just a handful of wood chips in the pan, don't need a lot to make smoke!
And the smoking starts! I did not inject the turkey breasts or thighs as the curing brine invades the inner cavities and it cures from both sides of the bird - inside and outside. (I'd experimented on many birds to prove this to myself).
I will post updates as they progress!
3:45 pm, getting some nice color on them, up to 133° in the breasts and 142° in the thighs (ave.) normal time and temp at this point! Will check the temps around 5:30-6:00 pm, don't need to poke holes any more than necessary! Tomorrow is Cooling day, Tuesday is Sectioning day, Wednesday is Slicing day and Thursday is The PARTY! Only can do so much with my left hand, have to divide it up.
The finished product, 160°+ internal in the breasts and 170°+ in the thighs.
Put them in the back fridge and let them cool until Tuesday, then brought them out and sectioned them into boneless breast halves with tenderloins separated, wings disjointed, drumsticks and thighs, put them back in the fridge. Pulled them out Wednesday and sliced the breasts and tenderloins without the skins, deboned, skinned and cubed up the thigh meat and what breast pieces were left from slicing, put the sectioned wings and drumsticks in a separate container, then cubed up smoked cheese, about 10 quarter pieces and stacked them back in the fridge ready to take to the party:
(bucket to the right is another turkey for my younger son's stepkids to take back to college after Christmas day to gobble on as they both have to work the holidays). Didn't forget the mustard for the smoked cheese, either! (Southwestern). All set to go!
FROM THE PARTY
Tons of food, lots of Christmas cups (Chinese Auction) and happy stroke survivors, along with their caregivers too!
Some hadn't come yet, but ! got most! A photographer I definitely am not with live subjects! But, we all ate good, celebrated another month of birthdays (it is scientifically proven that the more birthdays you have, the longer you live!). And that is what our group is about, celebrating life and how to cope and feel good about living, even after strokes!
I put them down in the curing brine on Nov. 26th after purchasing them two days before Thanksgiving and letting them thaw in the back fridge. Ohhhh the smell of turkey giblets cooking!
Now, I am smoking them all day. Because they are cured and not fresh, the curing protects them from forming botulism, retarding its growth. Still, you must handle them carefully and cautiously regardless. I use gloves putting them in the brine and pulling them out, making sure they are well submerged in the brine, and maintain them at all times at under 40°. I have to move swiftly and accurately to do so, practicing good sanitation.
I got them in the smokehouse at 9:30 am and lit 'er up, and they're doing their thing, smoking away! Took these photos right after starting the smokehouse:
Have to make sure I tie a square knot on the stockinette or they could undo and cause the turkeys to fall. A square knot keeps tightening on itself vs. loosening.
Just a handful of wood chips in the pan, don't need a lot to make smoke!
And the smoking starts! I did not inject the turkey breasts or thighs as the curing brine invades the inner cavities and it cures from both sides of the bird - inside and outside. (I'd experimented on many birds to prove this to myself).
I will post updates as they progress!
3:45 pm, getting some nice color on them, up to 133° in the breasts and 142° in the thighs (ave.) normal time and temp at this point! Will check the temps around 5:30-6:00 pm, don't need to poke holes any more than necessary! Tomorrow is Cooling day, Tuesday is Sectioning day, Wednesday is Slicing day and Thursday is The PARTY! Only can do so much with my left hand, have to divide it up.
The finished product, 160°+ internal in the breasts and 170°+ in the thighs.
Put them in the back fridge and let them cool until Tuesday, then brought them out and sectioned them into boneless breast halves with tenderloins separated, wings disjointed, drumsticks and thighs, put them back in the fridge. Pulled them out Wednesday and sliced the breasts and tenderloins without the skins, deboned, skinned and cubed up the thigh meat and what breast pieces were left from slicing, put the sectioned wings and drumsticks in a separate container, then cubed up smoked cheese, about 10 quarter pieces and stacked them back in the fridge ready to take to the party:
(bucket to the right is another turkey for my younger son's stepkids to take back to college after Christmas day to gobble on as they both have to work the holidays). Didn't forget the mustard for the smoked cheese, either! (Southwestern). All set to go!
FROM THE PARTY
Tons of food, lots of Christmas cups (Chinese Auction) and happy stroke survivors, along with their caregivers too!
Some hadn't come yet, but ! got most! A photographer I definitely am not with live subjects! But, we all ate good, celebrated another month of birthdays (it is scientifically proven that the more birthdays you have, the longer you live!). And that is what our group is about, celebrating life and how to cope and feel good about living, even after strokes!
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