Thinking ahead to Thanksgiving

Huntnfreak · October 28, 2009, 06:49:15 PM

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.

classicrockgriller · October 28, 2009, 07:32:07 PM

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.

Huntnfreak · 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.

smokeitall · October 28, 2009, 07:59:07 PM

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

classicrockgriller · October 28, 2009, 08:02:29 PM

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.

classicrockgriller · October 28, 2009, 08:32:35 PM

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.

Ka Honu · October 28, 2009, 10:28:39 PM

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.

Habanero Smoker · October 29, 2009, 01:42:29 AM

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.

Savannahsmoker · October 29, 2009, 01:56:03 AM

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.

FLBentRider · October 29, 2009, 06:32:51 AM

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.

Smokeville · October 29, 2009, 07:27:43 AM

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.

Huntnfreak · 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?

FLBentRider · October 29, 2009, 10:43:31 AM

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.

Huntnfreak · October 29, 2009, 10:48:43 AM

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.

classicrockgriller · October 29, 2009, 12:11:39 PM

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.