Smoking Turkey

  • Some of the links on this forum allow SMF, at no cost to you, to earn a small commission when you click through and make a purchase. Let me know if you have any questions about this.
SMF is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.
Well I like to inject my turkeys before I rub them down and place them in the smoker. The way I do it is I make an injection, using brown sugar, butter, Cajun seasoning, old bay, garlic and onion powder and whatever else catches my eye in the spice rack. I then inject the turkey with the mix. When I inject the bird, I place my finger over the hole when I pull the needle out and rub it for a few seconds; I think it helps close the hole. After I am done injecting the bird, I rub it down with a light coat of yellow mustard, and then apply a good dry rub. Use brown sugar in your dry rub, this will seal in the juices once the rub caramelizes up. If you can find a beer can turkey stand, that works great. Plug the neck hole with a potato or lemon. Smoke the bird till the temp hits 165 degrees then remove the bird and wrap in foil and let it sit for 30 minutes. You won't be disappointed.
 
smoking jake
hey if you got the time try shakes honey brine the recipe is in the poultry section i did a couple of chickens in this brine they turned out execlent i also injected them with the same brine solution you wont be disapointed
salmonclubber
 
I've tried Shake's brine and like it alot! The only thing I would specifically recommend for turkeys is to cook them at hotter than normal Q temps... My preference for all poultry is to smoke/cook at at least 275° - 300° until you get the internal temps you want... It will pick up plenty of smoke and the skin will fair better...

James.
 
Thanks salmonclubber and everybody the brine does look like it is something I will try on this Turkey. I have noticed that when I smoke poutry the skin is kind of tough but the meat is very tender. So have 1 more question is it better I cut the Turkey in half or leave it whole?
 
I usually cook mine whole, but I jack the temp up even further. I cook mine at 350* on a beer can turkey stand. To me you just don't get much beer flavor unless you get the heat up and the beer steaming good.
 
smoking jake

i cant remember i think you are using a ecb if you are it would be better if you cut the turkey in half or even quarter it whole turkeys take time to cook on a ecb and they cook better in pieces on the ecb hope this helps
salmonclubber
 
What is a ecb? I have a small cylinder type of smoker with the fir box seperate from the cooking part. I loike to cut my chickens in half and they always turn out good so I'll probably do the same with the Turkey. Then the beer can method at a later date.

Thanks all Jake
 
ECB stands for "El Chepo Brinkman", it's their small bullet type smoker. You'll be fine with cutting it in half or quartering it as salmonclubber suggested. I hope it turns out well for you.
 
ECB = El Cheapo Brinkmann smoker, referring to the bullet type upright smoker that has no ventilation control and a temperature gauge that reads WARM, IDEAL, HOT, instead of degrees.

I cook chickens whole, spatchcocked, halved, or parts.

I cook turkey legs, breasts, or whole. I've never tried cutting a turkey in half or spatchcocking one.
 
Jake, I very rarely cook turkey whole anymore. Rather than cutting that results in left and right halves, I remove the leg quarters and wings, then cut along the ribs with shears to free the breast. I smoke the breast and leg quarters and save the wings and back for the stock pot.

By separating the light and dark meat, you can remove each as they get done (breast 170, dark meat 180). I'm not a fan of the dark meat so I really try to avoid overcooking the breast to get the dark meat to 180.

Even though most commercially prepared turkeys are enhanced at the packers, a brine or injection with some flavor to it is a good idea.

Personally I like to inject the breast with barely melted butter (NOT margarine). The idea is to inject the semi-solid butter into the cold breast where it will resolidify until the bird begins to cook and needs a little basting. You can add flavors to the butter, but I enjoy the taste of good white meat with just smoke on it.
 
Jake, your type of smoker is called a horizontal offset.

BTW-My horz offset has no gas in the cook chamber, it is set up to run a "log lighter" which I used once. I created so much soot, that I disconnected and removed it and haven't used it since.

I've never cooked anything on the fryer either, but I have used it to light a LOT of chimneys of charcoal.
 
Now that is a good idea. I am getting another smoker the samr type but bigger and it has been modified. A friend of mine said he would help me make a really nice smoker if I am still into the smoking next year. Little doesa he knows is that I will definilly be into in next year. i guess he has some work to do :-)


Take caer Jake
 
Who are you kidding Jake?..you don't have any friends :P

Just kidding..you are taking to this stuff like a fish to water...don't build one bigger than mine or my wife will kill me when I have to build an even bigger one.

Rock
 
Well hell roksmith your building it :-). You should put a pic of your smoker for an avatar. Doing up some baby backs, kabobs, and 1 chicken and maybe a breastfeast fattie with chesse instaed of egg. I got a funeral to go to and my litrtle misses is really taking this 1 hard. So I'm off today also. later dude.

Jake
 
SmokingMeatForums.com is reader supported and as an Amazon Associate, we may earn commissions from qualifying purchases.

Latest posts

Hot Threads

Clicky