Turkey

[a14711b]

I finally got around to my first attempt at a smoked turkey. Cleaned the critter and  tossed him into an ice chest with 30 pounds of ice, a gallon of cran-apple juice, and made a brine with salt, sugar, oranges, red onion, celery, rosemary, thyme and sage. 18 hours later, I pulled him out, rinsed and filled the cavity with more orange quarters, celery and tied the legs across to hold this in. He went breast down over apple smoke and when the temperature reached 155, out he came. The meat was tender, moist and now it is almost completely gone. Just enough left for a couple sandwiches tomorrow (or maybe tonight)

It was unusual that we had such a sunny day and although it was around 40F outside, it was pleasant.

turkey.jpg

• a14711b
• Jan 25, 2014

 

[foamheart]

That's a pretty turkey, I think you nailed it!

Please do me a favor and click on the "Prolife" icon above on the toolbar, and if nothing else tell us were ya lay your weary head down at night. So we can better appreciate the weather in your neck of the country. Thank you again.

Nice bird pretty color.

 

[bdskelly]

 
I finally got around to my first attempt at a smoked turkey. Cleaned the critter and  tossed him into an ice chest with 30 pounds of ice, a gallon of cran-apple juice, and made a brine with salt, sugar, oranges, red onion, celery, rosemary, thyme and sage. 18 hours later, I pulled him out, rinsed and filled the cavity with more orange quarters, celery and tied the legs across to hold this in. He went breast down over apple smoke and when the temperature reached 155, out he came. The meat was tender, moist and now it is almost completely gone. Just enough left for a couple sandwiches tomorrow (or maybe tonight)

It was unusual that we had such a sunny day and although it was around 40F outside, it was pleasant.

turkey.jpg

• a14711b
• Jan 25, 2014

This bird looks fantastic.  I'm a big fan of stuffing the cavity with fruit, especially citrus. I believe it helps keep the meat moist as you smoke. I always smoke mine with the breast side up in the traditional fashion. I understand that some put the breast down to keep it moist.  But really if you pull that bird when the breast temp is 165 it will be juicy. 

You said you "cleaned" the bird.  Is this a wild turkey ( can't tell because the breast is down) or perhaps fresh one that you killed? 

P1010002.JPG

• bdskelly
• Aug 18, 2013

 

[a14711b]

Done. I reside in Vancouver, WA. While most of the country is shivering with snow and ice, we are enjoying some crazy short pants weather with our good friend, Mr. Sun.

Cleaning a commercial turkey for me means, rinsing the cavity, removing any feather bits that remain embedded and basically giving the bird a bath. Never had fresh or wild turkey , but I used to harvest my own chickens years ago.

The color of this turkey was just an amazingly rich brown...something I have never seen in an oven roast. Almost a sacred moment, if something like that exists for smoking.

 

[shinny]

Very nice looking bird. Nice job