smoking turkey

[GABJR]

any suggestions for smoking a turkey ? do you do anything different for a self basting turkey ?

[Tiny Tim]

The last one I did, the weekend following Thanksgiving, came out AWESOME.  I soaked it overnight in a large pot with enough water to cover, and a 1/3 to 1/2 a bag of Morton Tenderquick mixed in.  Preheated the smoker to 250 or so while the bird sat on a rack over the sink coming up to room temperature and drying off.  Smoked with 4 hours of Pecan, and took another hour to hit my target temp of 160 (I measured it in the breast, others will measure in the thigh).  I tried to help the skin a bit by hitting it with a propane torch when I brought it into the house, but I must not have done it enough.

[Malc]

I use self basting turkeys all the time.  I don't brine them, but I do inject them.  I usually use an even mix of garlic oil, some type of beer(Sam Addams Cranberry Lambic if I can get it) and a little cayenne.  I rub the skin and breast under the skin with a paste of garlic, a little oil, black pepper, salt and a little cayenne.  Let it sit overnight and then smoke away.  I will finish in a 350 oven just long enough to crisp the skin.  Before I put it in the oven I will brush the skin with a little melted butter.  It turns out pretty good.  Nice and moist.