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Turkey question

1911Ron

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So next week I will be smoking a turkey for thanksgiving and I need some spice advice.
I'm thinking about making some compound butter to put under the skin.
I'm thinking of using sage for one of the spices but not sure what else to use, ideas are welcome.
 
medicmike

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Nitram68

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I brine it a full 24 hours.

for brine I use:
1C kosher salt
1C brown sugar
gallon veggie stock (or chicken)
1T peppercorns
2t allspice berries
1 C chopped carrots
1C chopped celery
1C chopped onion

throw all this into a pot and bring it to a boil to dissolve sugars then turn off and let cool. When cooled refrigerate until ready to brine bird. When brining bird, breast down and add ice water to brine until bird is covered. Let brine for at least 8 hours. I do 24.

when ready to cook, rinse bird inside and out of all the brining goodies.

I smoke my bird and I do so stuffed. I put bird in a pan for drippings to make gravy. In the pan I add coarse chopped; onions, apples, rosemary, sage and celery tops.

Coat the bird with a cube of unsalted butter. Truss it too. I smoke for about 15 min per pound of bird (225° for 3 hours then up to 325°for an hour) or until 155° in thigh. take out and rest for 30 min as temps keep going up during this time to about 165°. Gets too dark while smoking I’ll cover with foil.
 
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I plan to spatchcock mine and use an injector to pump some spices into it before smoking. Haven't decided on recipe for injection or external rub yet. Will watch here for inspiration.
 
easttex

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You can make both your own brine and your own injection. However, being this time of year, the grocery stores usually have both available and thus, I generally buy both.

I brine my turkey overnight then rinse it off, pat it dry with paper towels, inject it, then rub it down with Fiesta chicken rub. Then smoke it hot and fast over Pecan wood at around 300°F until the internal temp hits 165°F. You don't want low and slow with a turkey because they don't have all the fat thay brisket does and if you aren't careful, you'll render the fat out and dry them out.
 
Last edited:
medicmike

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easttex said:
You don't want low ans slow with a turkey because they don't have all the fat thay brisket does and if you aren't careful, you'll render the fat out and dry them out.
Click to expand...

Good advice! I always think low and slow when smoking....but I am a total neophite with a smoker...
 
TenTea

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We talked about smoking our turducken but I'm afeared to ruin an expensive hunk-o-meat, so will likely follow the Cajun instructions for oven roasting it.

Like Mike, I'm a greenhorn user of an offset smoker and not ultra confident in myself yet.
Have done ribs 3 times... that's it, although they turned out pretty tasty.

It's difficult to maintain firebox temps when the wind is blowing and shifting, as I found out during one of my smokes a couple weeks ago.
 
meltblown

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Nope, not eating any bird. I've almost gone exclusively to cows these days except for bacon or fried chicken filets/ strips. I was at the store today looking for a 2 bone rib roast, about 6lbs. They only had select grade but she ordered a whole choice rib section that will be in tomorrow. I'll cook that on Friday after we get back from the first part of the week at the Indian casino. Wife is back on her no meat thing except for fish. Me and the 2 fur boys should be eating that chunk of meat for the weekend. Make up a batch of bacon wrapped cheese stuffed jalapenos, mexi cornbread and a good salad with cherry pie or maybe a cheese cake or tres leches covered in fruit.
 
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LYCAN

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Sad times, I legit thought you meant the Country, not the Celebration.

But I sure as shit smiled, when I found myself corrected.

👈👍

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!
 
tac-40

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Are you guys getting the non basted turkeys for brining or are you brining the basted ones like butterball. Always hear you can't brine a factory injected one.
 
A

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I brine the turkey for a day or two before Thanksgiving then inject and smoke it.
I would love to do a Cajun injection and rub, but the wife doesn't like it, so I end up using herbs de province and some garlic and butter. Make multiple injections in the breasts and thighs then rub the it under the skin.
Cook at 275 until 165 internal temp and the meet is falling off the bones
 
A

aron82

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No, melted butter mixed with seasonings in a small mixing bowl. Suck it up into a big metal syringe made just for injecting meat. Then inject it spacing it out trying to get an even distribution in the turkey.
If you have just the turkey breasts off the turkey, you can get away with just rubbing the outside and not injecting.
 
VALMET

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1911Ron said:
So next week I will be smoking a turkey for thanksgiving and I need some spice advice.
I'm thinking about making some compound butter to put under the skin.
I'm thinking of using sage for one of the spices but not sure what else to use, ideas are welcome.
Click to expand...
Well, what’s the verdict? How was the bird?
 
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