12+ pound bird that I'm cooking early so I can watch football tomorrow! I brined it for about 18 hours in a cooler that I then put in the fridge--salt, brown sugar, a couple apples, rosemary, sage, clove, and a couple cinnamon sticks. Before putting it on the heat, I patted it dry, stuffed some homemade rosemary-garlic butter under the skin, rubbed the skin with olive oil, and threw a couple halved lemons in the cavity.
It's crazy windy out there today and I had a hell of a time getting the smoker up to temp. Hopefully maintaining won't be too difficult, but I'm counting on having to fight the elements. Started the fire with charcoal and will continue the cooking with applewood chunks, adding another chimney of charcoal if the temp gets too low.
Here's a picture at zero hour (about 1:15pm)--will add more Q-view as the afternoon progress:
2:35pm--Good browning already and smells awesome. Smoker holding steady at a shade below 250. Didn't check the internal temp--no point until you're a few hours in, IMO.
It's crazy windy out there today and I had a hell of a time getting the smoker up to temp. Hopefully maintaining won't be too difficult, but I'm counting on having to fight the elements. Started the fire with charcoal and will continue the cooking with applewood chunks, adding another chimney of charcoal if the temp gets too low.
Here's a picture at zero hour (about 1:15pm)--will add more Q-view as the afternoon progress:
2:35pm--Good browning already and smells awesome. Smoker holding steady at a shade below 250. Didn't check the internal temp--no point until you're a few hours in, IMO.
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