I might be getting ahead of myself a little bit, but I'm thinking ahead to Thanksgiving. I usually deep fry a turkey after injecting it with garlic butter. It turns out fantastic. This will be my first year having a Bradley around. I have a 4 rack and am looking for ideas on smoking and frying?! Is that going to be overkill? If not what what wood should I try and for how long? Thanks in advance for any help.
HF, I haven't done it but don't see any reason why you can't smoke then fry.
You could do a test run on a chicken.
I know I am going to smoke and then finish one Turkey in my Big Easy.
I was leaning towards a test run in the near future for that reason. I think I will go with Apple unless somebody has a better idea.
I think I'm going to smoke a turkey this year and finish it in the big easy also. I don't see why you couldn't deep fry it after smoking. Let us know how it turns out.
SIA
I don't know, Savanahsmokes might can tell you what you might lose on the smoke if you fry.
You might need to use a heavier wood, but SS will probably clue you in on that.
I might would use my stand up rack for deep fryer and stand up smoke the Turkey and it will be easy to transfer to your fryer plus you will be adding smoke to the inside of your bird.
I agree with CRG on the possibility (probability?) of hot oil "washing away" the smoke flavor. It's not all that deeply set into the meat to begin with and, like a surface rub, would probably end up more in the oil than in the bird. If you want one bird to combine the best of both smoked and fried, The Big Easy is the way to go.
There have been several members that have deep fried their turkey after smoking it. I would do a search, but I'm rushed for time this morning. Do a search and you should find plenty of hits. I haven't done one, but of all that have reported they get a great smoke flavor. I do recall one, and only one member complaining about the color was almost black, but others did not have this problem.
The other day I posted here the results of brine, smoke, and finishing in The Big Easy. I smoke that bird to an internal temp of 120 degrees and them finished in The Big Easy. I use to brine, smoke and deep fry. Same thing, I would smoke to an internal temp of 120. Now this is at a smoking temp set at 180 and that gives me about 3 to 4 hours of smoke. When I deep fried it the smoke taste was reduced somewhat compaired to a smoke bird.
You could cold smoke it for a few hours, wrap in plastic wrap, back into the refrigerator for a day, then fry.
that would give the smoke time to penetrate.
Although others here have done the cold smoke - deep fry with great results.
Quote from: Huntnfreak on October 28, 2009, 07:34:04 PM
I was leaning towards a test run in the near future for that reason. I think I will go with Apple unless somebody has a better idea.
I recently used alternating apple and maple pucks for 4 hours on a 9lb turkey and the results were great.
Thanks for the all the great advice. I'm a little confused on one thing. I was under the impression that the "Big Easy" was frying. Apparently they are two different things. What is the Big Easy.....a normal oven?
Quote from: Huntnfreak on October 29, 2009, 10:37:33 AM
Thanks for the all the great advice. I'm a little confused on one thing. I was under the impression that the "Big Easy" was frying. Apparently they are two different things. What is the Big Easy.....a normal oven?
The Big easy is an "oil-less" fryer. Sort of a propane powered vertical infrared oven.
I don't have one, but it is on the "wanna" list with a Mac/Traeger , etc.
Now I know what you are talking about. I saw one of those the other day, but I didn't have time to check it out. Apparently it must work pretty well. I will have to check it out a lot closer. Thanks for the info.
Huntnfreak, you can do a whole chicken in about 30 to 40 minutes and it is moist and tender. Crispy skin, delicious.
Just use a low sugar rub, the sugar will burn, or use turbinated sugar.
The Big Easy is the best thing we bought in a long time to compliment smoking, grilling and roasting.
Turkey in The Big Easy
(http://i547.photobucket.com/albums/hh471/Savannahsmoker/The%20Big%20Easy/Image00006-1.jpg)
Chichen Quarters, taters and corn
(http://i547.photobucket.com/albums/hh471/Savannahsmoker/The%20Big%20Easy/Image00001.jpg)
New Idea, Oysters in The Big Easy
(http://i547.photobucket.com/albums/hh471/Savannahsmoker/The%20Big%20Easy/Image00003.jpg)
(http://i547.photobucket.com/albums/hh471/Savannahsmoker/The%20Big%20Easy/Image00005.jpg)
(http://i547.photobucket.com/albums/hh471/Savannahsmoker/The%20Big%20Easy/Image00019.jpg)
Classicrockgriller what do you mean by "low sugar" and "turbinated sugar"? I've only been using a brine, so this would be a good time to figure out the whole rub thing.
Here is the brine I use for turkey and all fowl:
For the brine:
1 cup kosher salt
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 gallon vegetable stock
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
1/2 tablespoon allspice berries
1/2 tablespoon candied ginger
1 gallon iced water
and whatever spice a person wants to add.
Just pulled a small yardbird off the big easy, I did a lite smoke at 180 in the obs then in the bigeasy to finish off ,came out great. The only thing i put in my outdoor fryer now is fish, fries,onion rings, blooming onions.
huntnfreak. we tried this very good..........
Deep Fried Smoked Turkey
Ingredients
• 1 whole wild turkey (wild optional)
• Lots of oil as per manufacturer of the deep fryer.
Preparation
There are many options to cooking a turkey this way. Marinating the bird for 24 hours prior to cooking it is one option. Use a sugar/salt cure in a 50/50 ratio, and thoroughly cover turkey and store in refrigerator. After 24 hours rinse and pat dry.
Smoking Method
Cold smoke the turkey for 4 hours prior to cooking it in your deep fryer. Using Apple flavor bisquettes, place the turkey in the Bradley Smoker and cold smoke at 40°C (100°F), turning occasionally. Following the directions of the manufacturer deep fry according to the weight of the bird. Try using peanut oil for extra flavor.
To Serve
The deep frying process seals in the juices of the turkey, but the added flavor from the Apple flavor bisquettes in the Bradley Smoker will amaze you... Serve with traditional turkey feast fixings of gravy and mashed potatoes, along with root vegetables and salad, or try a different turkey menu that includes coleslaw and French fries. A boneless turkey breast or whole chicken can be substituted. Try hickory flavor bisquettes for another flavor sensation!
seemore..........
Seemore that was exactly what I was planning on doing...except my turkey is going to be from the store this time. Thanks for the info. I bought the "test" turkey just before I left on this business trip. I'm hoping to give it a whirl sometime next week. Thanks for all the great info from everybody. I've gotten a lot of good ideas I am going to have to try. The next turkey is going to come straight from the farm though. I have a new contact for farm raised turkeys! I can't wait to give it a try. Going to have to try to get a Big Easy too. Sounds like that will be a nice addition to the Bradley!
freak, the big easy is the bombs. I love mine. If I never did anything other than chicken, I would be happy. Did two chicks today, 65 minutes.
My family loves the birds from the BE.
You are right classicrockgriller. The Big Easy is a great cooking enhancement.
Well my business trip lasted longer than it was suppose to. I got back just in time to start hunting, so I never had a chance to do a test run. So.......my not so test run is in the Digital Bradley now. I thought I had some maple brisquettes left, but I was mistaken, so it's all apple. I'm gonna smoke it for 4 hours at 120 degrees and then into the "NEW" Big Easy I just got. I've been doing a lot of reading on all of this and decided to splurge on the BE instead of using the oil fryer. I would have had to buy peanut oil anyway, so why not spend a couple extra bucks and get the BE I thought. Anyway the ball is rolling now!! I am wondering if I should turn the Bradley down to 100 degrees though. Seemore you commented you were cold smoking at 100 degrees. I don't know enough about smoking to know if that 20 degrees will make a difference. I used a Brine to prepare it.
I don't know about the others but I am setting my bradley to 210, 4 hrs of smoke, continue cooking at 210 till I have an IT of 120, and the BE till IT of 170
I smoked for 4 hours at 120 degrees. I then transferred to The Big Easy to finish. When I made the switch the internal temp was 100 degrees. It spent another 2 hours and 10 minutes in the Big Easy to reach 165 degrees. I then pulled it out, covered in tin foil and a towel until I was done with the gravy, patatoes and dressing. After about 25 minutes I carved into it and served it up. It turned out great. It had a nice smoky smell, but the taste was not overwhelming. I had injected it with garlic butter. It was very moist, juicy and tender. Everybody at the table raved about how well it tasted. I was a little nervous as to how well it would be received since it seemed to smell so smoky. I like it, but I was worried not everybody would. I had no complaints and everyone went back for seconds. Several made a trip back for thirds! I was happy! I thought I was going to have smoked turkey to eat for awhile, but I might have enough left for 2 or 3 sandwiches. Now I wish I would have started with a bigger turkey!! Thanks to everybody for all the great advice. I love this site!
Smoked the 13 lb turkey at 180 degrees for 3 1/2 to an internal temp of 138. Now it is in the big easy and it will come out when the inner thigh meat reaches 180 degrees and breast is about 170.
I think I'm in trouble. I got a request to do another one soon! :o
Quote from: Huntnfreak on November 30, 2009, 02:01:21 PM
I think I'm in trouble. I got a request to do another one soon! :o
That's what happens when you do a good job. ;D ;D
Yep read that tag at the bottom of my post. It says it all.
Glad to here your turkey was the rave of the party, sounds like it turned out perfect and with pepole going back for seconds and thirds proves it.
Quote from: Huntnfreak on November 25, 2009, 08:39:24 PM
When I made the switch the internal temp was 100 degrees. It spent another 2 hours and 10 minutes in the Big Easy to reach 165 degrees.
Am I reading this right, it took 2 hr 10 min to raise the temp of the bird 65 degrees? I thought the BE was like an oil fryer and would only take about 4 min per lb. Can someone in lighten me on this?
I smoked my 9lb birds to IT of 120 and they took about 45 minutes.
You will lose some IT putting your bird on a rack for the BE.
HF, might not have "warmed" his BE up.
Could have been cold outside.
Normally a 3 to 4 lb chicken takes 35 to 45 minutes start to finish.
Thanks CRG I was starting to get concerned that the BE wasnt going to cook like an oil fryer. A 9 lb bird that took 45 min sounds more like what I was looking for, 5 min per lb.
I sent Santa a wish list and the BE is on the top.
CRG was correct. I did not warm my BE up before I used it. I've never used it before, so I just went by the directions that came with it. Next time I will warm it up first. It was also quite cool here in Minnesota when I did it. I don't remember the exact outdoor temp, but it was in the 30's. The wind was also blowing a lot. I had to move the whole unit during the process because the wind changed directions and I was trying to keep it out of the wind.
Quote from: Huntnfreak on December 02, 2009, 11:21:46 AMI did not warm my BE up before I used it.
Because of the way it cooks, there's no reason to preheat TBE. Moving it out of the wind (and cold if possible) will certainly help but preheating won't do anything except burn propane and make it easier to burn yourself when loading.