Turkeys at 20*... with Apple and Cherry

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walle

Smoking Fanatic
Original poster
OTBS Member
Aug 21, 2009
754
32
Fruita, Colorado
Starting off the day smoking four birds and two hams for the company Thanksgiving potluck. As I looked at the temps outside this morning, I recall it was this event last year that inspired me to insulate o'l WALLE like the Iron Maiden - thanks to BBQ Engineer for the idea, it makes and unbelievable difference in these temps.

What we're up against.



WALLE at 3:30 this morning





I'm brining for the first time, so I can't wait to try it out. Using a simple solution of 1G water, 1C kosher salt and brown sugar, couple of bay leaves, half of a squeezed orange, shake of onion and garlic salt.

Also added some butter under the skin and injected some as well. Here's my newly found method for not tearing the skin and getting a chunk a o'butter under. Works like a charm!



Turkeys seasoned and ready to go.


Ham all doctored up with mustard and rub.


And in the smoker with apple and cherry at 4:30.


Off to whip up a batch of Bassman #1. I'll be back with updates.

Thanks for checking out my post!
Tracey

/ message sig
 
Looks like a great start!  Keep an eye on those internal temps.  Stuffing the birds can be problematic with getting the temps above the safety zone since they are not cured.  Glad to see i'm not the only one braving the cold this morning here in Colorado!  Little warmer on this side of the hills.  32° here at my place  Got to love smoke in the Rockies!
 
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Dang Tracey,  I know what your are going to be doing all day today...
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i also notice you have your lunch in there smoking too (Sausages)...
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Looks like a great start!  Keep an eye on those internal temps.  Stuffing the birds can be problematic with getting the temps above the safety zone since they are not cured.  Glad to see i'm not the only one braving the cold this morning here in Colorado!  Little warmer on this side of the hills.  32° here at my place  Got to love smoke in the Rockies!
Fourthwind, they are not stuffed, just a couple of orange quarters in there.  That's for the comment though... definitely coming on to Turkey season and lots a folks need to be careful of just that.

 
Dang Tracey,  I know what your are going to be doing all day today...
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i also notice you have your lunch in there smoking too (Sausages)...
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Beer,

Those are the necks and tails for my old neighbor, he just loves them.  !@#$ wish I would have thought of a link of sausage!
 
 
Got me thinking..  MIght have to throw in some Venison Brats for lunch
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Looking forward to some Q views of them birds when they get done!
 
looks great....venison brats in thornton...what time is lunch?
LOL too late..  decided I couldnt wait and smoked them for Breakfast.   Nothing like a plate of Irish potato's, scrabled egg's, and Smoked sausage to make you want a nap.  Time to throw some wood on the fire and kick the kids out of the easy chair lol.
 
What a great smoke, you might need a boatload of brew to chase done the Q. It's all good my friend.
 
Hey Tracey,

On one of your updates, can you tell a little more about the ham part?

Are you doing them with the Turkeys?

How big are they?

Are they precooked?

How long & at what temp smoker & internal temp at time of pulling them?

That'll keep you busy for now---->>>
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I know I'm a PITA!

Thanks,

Bear
 
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Now I thought we would see the finished by now but they really look great so far. I will check back in cause I want to see the beautiful
 
Sorry it took me so long guys... yesterday was a long day.  Got home after 7:00 and crashed!

It turned out great. I'm sharing the two pictures I managed to get trying to hit my turn in time... THAT is the only thing that blows on these company gigs... when you have 200+ folks waiting for chow, the "when it's done it's done" thing just doesn't translate!
Here are two of the turkeys... I don't know if I'm sold on the brine thingy... one of the legs fell off before it make it to work!
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The first string of vultures..



WOW I can't believe that I haven't gotten on the brine wagon until today... HUGE diffence that I will be using on all poultry in the future.  Was also my time using Cherry... finally had some that had cured long enough to use, and I was impressed - both with the color and the taste.  Definitely a good combo and some of the best turkey I've smoked.  Trying too many new things to narrow it down... probably just got lucky!!

Dear Mr. BearCarver:

Turkeys: I smoked these at 300* and they were ready in 3.5 hours
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.   Internal temp in the breast was 167* on the biggest one when I pulled and panned them.  All of them were right at 12#'s, and were plain o'l raw turkeys. "The cooler is your friend" couldn't have been more true than for me yesterday, so thaks to all of you out there who have mentioned this before. I panned, foiled, wrapped in a towel and coolered these babies at 8:00. They were still uncomfortably hot to carve at 11:30.

Hams:  I used pre-cooked, spiral cut hams from Kroger, and the basic mustard/rib rub process that Jeff has described.  I have had good results on this in the past, so I haven't played around too much with a different process.  I didn't do them with the turkeys because of the high heat I was using for the the turkeys.  I figured it would just render the fat, and with the fat would go the rub!  In the past, I've placed them on the grate for 2 hours at 225-250, then panned, foiled, and just shut off my smoker to let them mellow through.  These hams should have gone in a little sooner, they were totally warm throughout, but I didn't get the good carmelization on the rub I would have liked... but with the turkeys resting peacefully, the kids at school and mamma in the house... I simply lost a little time in there some where...
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This was all for our company Thanksgiving pot luck - the one big shaa-bang we do for staff.

Thanks for checking out my post~! / message sig

 
 
Quote:
20*, HOLY CRAP!

Looks good.
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I'm going to have to try one of these next week.

What is WALLE?
Marlin, WALLE is the name of my smoker.  I converted an old Stoker-Matic coal stoker in to a pit with a 3'x2'x4' high box.  When I was building it, the family told me it looked like WALLE from the Pixar movie... it just stuck!

Per Pixar: Waste Allocation Load Lifter Earth class... or in wife speak... more of Tracey's BBQ !@#$   ;o)
 
Tracey,

Thanks for the run-down on your outstanding smoke!

LOL  a lot of great food, and
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What a day!

Bear
 
Quote:
20*, HOLY CRAP!

Looks good.
PDT_Armataz_01_34.gif


I'm going to have to try one of these next week.

What is WALLE?
Marlin, WALLE is the name of my smoker.  I converted an old Stoker-Matic coal stoker in to a pit with a 3'x2'x4' high box.  When I was building it, the family told me it looked like WALLE from the Pixar movie... it just stuck!

Per Pixar: Waste Allocation Load Lifter Earth class... or in wife speak... more of Tracey's BBQ !@#$   ;o)
Looks like they turned out great. Thanks for the explanation on your process.

I don't think I'm buying the "leg fell off" line though.
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Wow!  Nice birds and a what a nice guy to feed all those people. Brining is one of the best cooking tricks ever! glad all went well and thanks for the info on your hams.
 
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