Turkey Trial Run

[Dutch]

Did a practice run for Thanksgiving. Smoked two turkeys, 1-12 lb. bird and 1- 11 pounder. My turkey smoke turned out great. Two birds in the smoker at 1:00 pm out at 7:00 pm. 6 hours at 250 degrees. Internal temp. 180 degrees. I even have some bird left for some samiches!!

I brined the birds in two gallons of water, 2 cups kosher salt, 2 cups granulated sugar, 1/4 cup garlic powder & 1/4 cup onion powder and 1/8 cup of fresh cracked black pepper. Place the brine in my 5 gallon insulated water jug. Added the birds one on top of the other and poured 3/4 of a bag of crushed ice into the jug. Put the lid on it and placed it on the back porch. I check the brine temp. this morning and found it at 34 degrees. Pulled the birds and rinsed them in cold running water. Dried them and gave them a coating of olive oil. Smoke the birds with apple sawdust in my GOSM.

The birds turned out with a beautiful dark golden brown color and the white meat was so juicy my daughter that doesn't like white meat gave me two thumbs up!! And she even went back for seconds.

So by family consensus, it's a smoked bird for Thanksgiving dinner. :D

 

[bob-bqn]

Earl those are some great sounding birds. Don't ya just love practicing?

You know it's great when the picky eaters love it. :D

 

[Dutch]

Bob-She claims that she's NOT a picky eater, But likes a lot of garlic and a little onion is too much. Go figure.

 

[bob-bqn]

I'm not a picky eater either......I'll eat anything, unless I don't like it.

:lol:

 

[jcharpentier]

sound like it all turned out well . I love practicing

 

[brianj517]

Hiya Dutch!

Those birds sound wonderful! I haven't done a whole turkey yet but I am planning to include on in my Thankgiving menu. Yesterday, I smoked two "beer in the butt" chickens with awesome results. There was just enough leftovers for the missus to make chicken salad for samiches...one of my all time favorites! 8)

Cheers,
Brian

 

[vulcan75001]

Dutch..
Those turkeys sound good....
Question...Did they have a % solution already in them before you brined them or were they a minimal processed type bird...

Thanks..

Later
Richard

 

[billyj571]

Birds sound wonderful! I haven't done a whole turkey yet but I am planning doing one tonight you think a 18lbs is to big ?