ok, I just stepped in it, and I need yall's help

Gordon · November 08, 2005, 03:58:31 PM

I have volunteered to smoke the office turkey(s) this year. [:0][:0]

I have about 40 people to feed. I am planning on using apple to smoke, and Olds, you being our version of Yoda, I respectfully request your help on amounts of turkey. I know I can do two in the Bradley, I just don't know if that will be enough. [B)]

I would also like to time the process to put the birds in FTC, then bring them out when ready to carve.

It has also been requested that I smoke the out-laws turkey too, but I figure I will use those special recycled kitty litter bisquettes for that.[:D]

Gordo

jb9 · November 08, 2005, 08:38:20 PM

I'm no pro, but based on a recent experience, I'd say do 12 pound turkeys and cook 4. You might be able to get by with 3, but if everyone wants white meat, even 4 would be pushing it.

1-3 hours FTC would be good. You might want to do 2-3 hours of smoke on a pair ahead of time, then put them in the fridge until the big day. Then you could cook them in the oven at 220ish while you smoke the other two at the same temp. Seems to me they'd come out about the same.

SMOKEHOUSE ROB · November 08, 2005, 11:04:18 PM

just a thought, instead of whole birds( which take longer to cook) buy a bunch of breast to serve, if not, cut the turkeys in half like you do chickens,

BigSmoker · November 08, 2005, 11:15:05 PM

I agree with Rob on this one[;)]. I would also do some kind of test run ASAP to get a feel for the cooking times. Good Luck and I'd go with the 4 turkeys. If there are any leftovers I'm sure you will have volunteers lined up to help you out.

Jeff

Some say BBQ is in your blood, if thats true my blood must be BBQ sauce.

MallardWacker · November 09, 2005, 09:17:24 PM

Gordo,

I'm sorry but I am snickering a little here. Dang that is a moth'a of a job you got yourself into.. May I suggest pork butts instead. You almost can't mess that up.

Hay, what is a Thanksgiving Company Meeting with a butt or two in attendance anyway.[:D]

SmokeOn,

mski
Perryville, Arkansas
Wooo-Pig-Soooie

If a man says he knows anything at all, he knows nothing what he aught to know. But...

Oldman · November 09, 2005, 11:52:44 PM

Sorry I missed your post before now.

The two turkeys should be enough if dark meat is eaten as well as the white. What you might consider is one whole bird and 12-14 pounds of breast meat.

Now I did this recipe from Bassman and it was just great. Now I have never cared for turkey. So it has been years since I smoked a whole one.

Now the whole bird is going to take longer to smoke than the breast. So you have to figure out a way to balance it if you want it all done at the same time. You might think about starting the whole bird in the smoker than about half way through the smoke add your breast. Next once your whole bird has had as much smoke as you want it to then tranfering it to a low temp oven... 190 F. Add more pucks to finish the smoking period of the breast.

An option to this is to get three capons (male chickens) around 8 pounds each. This can be a win win for you. First the breast is more like turkey, and the darker meat is more like ckicken. The wings are better in IMO than turkey wings.

On the whole birds, no matter which ones you use I would brine the birds in just a light salty water for 24 hours. Then I would air dry them for at least 12 hours before I smoked them. Of course I know you are not going to place any stuffing inside of these birds... Correct? Good! I know someone who did...man that was one very sick family. No it was not me. Ya I've done dumb things before.

Good Luck and again I'm sorry I missed your posting.

EDIT: If your whole birds' skin is soft and rubbery after the FTC then just slap it under a hot boiler with the door open part way for a few minutes. [:D]

Olds

Gordon · November 10, 2005, 04:36:12 PM

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by MallardWacker
 Gordo,

I'm sorry but I am snickering a little here. Dang that is a moth'a of a job you got yourself into.. May I suggest pork butts instead. You almost can't mess that up.

Hay, what is a Thanksgiving Company Meeting with a butt or two in attendance anyway.[:D]

<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

You aint just distling whixie! I figure I will get the breasts, brine ingrediants (salt, sugar, maple extract), and all and make it under the budget they gave. I will probably do one whole bird for the dark meat though. Some people like it. I have some pork butts in the freezer too though...I might bring one of them!

Edit: The test run is Saturday. I will get some turkey breats tonight - let them thaw slowly for Wednesday - and do the whole turkey on Saturday - along with four chickens. I give away so many chickens it is funny. I got a couple at Walmart yesterday for 2.67. You would be suprised how happy people are to get one of those.

Gordo

JJC · November 12, 2005, 12:51:19 AM

Hi Gordon,

If you get in a time jam (don't forget that the more meat you have in the smoker the longer the whole kit-and-kaboodle will take, so your test runs won't give you a good sense of the total time needed unless the same load of meat is used), you can always give the birds 2-3 hours of smoke and then finish them off in the oven. FTC works just fine either way . . .

John
Newton MA

Gordon · November 15, 2005, 02:38:06 PM

Hey back, JJC!

Results are in! Twelve pounds of turkey are too much for me and my wife!

But the results were very good. I brined the turkey (and six chickens) with water, salt, maple extract, and raw sugar. I could not find turbinado. They soaked for 24 hours in my ice chest. I cooked the chickens first, and they took around 7 hours - mostly because that is a lot of meat in the Bradley. The wife and I ate the first chicken before we could get it to the table. Juicy just does not seem to cover it - and I mean seriously, it was smothered, moist, irrigated. It was the best chicken yet.

I used apple to smoke them with.

I smoked the turkey last, and it only took a little over 6 hours to get to 178. Maybe brine, maybe strange weather - don't know, but I breasted it out (just like I saw one of yall do here) and cut the breast against the grain. Again, juicy does not cover it. Maybe if I spelled it jooooooooocy. Anyway, the maple and the sugar and the salt do give it a slight ham-y taste. But with turkey, it is better for my blood pressure.

Last night I set the office bird, and the two turkey breasts, in the brine. Then I yellow mustarded up two butts (neither mine) and rubbed with McCormick's Chicken and Rib Rub, then put in the smoker. That was a little before seven. I got up at just before 2 and the temp was 156 - in the throws of collagen breakdown. I got up at 5:30, and the temp was at 159. gonna be a good day. The wife will drop by the house around noonish to make sure of the progress, and then take them out if need be.

I will start the turkey after class tonight.

I'll let you know.

Gordo

Gordon · November 15, 2005, 07:54:42 PM

Ok, the wife met me at the house for lunch (which can be risky considering we have not turned the factory into a playground yet) and my pork shoulder butts were at 185. When I took the first one in, I was able to grab on and slide the bone out. YEEEHAAA!!! The second, a little meat was attached, but it was ALL tender. I had a hard time lifting them from their racks without them falling apart.We had a good lunch.

She loves the bark. Mustard and spices burned to a crisp. Who knew?

Gordo

jb9 · November 15, 2005, 08:59:37 PM

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Gordon
Results are in! Twelve pounds of turkey are too much for me and my wife!<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Well, I think that means you just aren't being creative enough. [;)] We managed to go through a 12 lb bird in just over a week, and only had to eat it once or twice a day.

Gordon · November 16, 2005, 06:25:42 PM

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">
Well, I think that means you just aren't being creative enough. [;)] We managed to go through a 12 lb bird in just over a week, and only had to eat it once or twice a day.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

On the contrary - I boiled the carcass down, and made split pea soup with the broth. Very good!

Today was the day for the office lunch. Everything went like clock work. I put the turkey in the Bradley at 9 ish last night. Slept though the night, and at 6:30, it was at 168. Close enough for government work ( ironically, this is for the federal court). I FTC 'ed it, and it stayed that way until 10:45. It like to have fallen apart. Even the judges asked how I did it.

One of the desserts was awesome, and I will pass it along when she gives me the recipe.

Gordo

SMOKEHOUSE ROB · November 16, 2005, 11:19:21 PM

good job gordon [;)], now you have been biten by the smoker bug [:D]

JJC · November 19, 2005, 02:52:45 AM

WTG, Gordon[:D]!

John
Newton MA