Whole Turkey Questions

[zueth]

I am going to do a test run on a whole turkey in the DBS and then finish off in the SRG.  Here is my game plan, any suggesitons woudl be appreciated.

-inject with garlic/herb butter 4 hours before cooking, rub skin with peanut oil and turkey rub, also rub turkey rub under skin on meat
-Smoke/Cook with Pecan for 3 hours at 240 in DBS
-transfer to SRG with lid up on high until IT of 16o hit in breast

Thoughts?

[OU812]

Thats how I do them but I set my DBS to 250 other wise just the same.

Put the turkey in the SGR basket before you smoke, that way all you gotta do is pull the basket from the smoker and drop it right in the SRG

[zueth]

Ok, normally take about 1 hour in SRG depending on size?

[ghost9mm]

Thats how I do them but I set my DBS to 250 other wise just the same.

Put the turkey in the SGR basket before you smoke, that way all you gotta do is pull the basket from the smoker and drop it right in the SRG

X2 yep !!! depending on the size, from 1hr to 1 1/2 hr IT of 165 is what I look for...

[zueth]

Do you normally brine the Turkey?

[Tenpoint5]

I don't.

[OU812]

Do you normally brine the Turkey?

I dont  ether, most turkeys are allready pumped with some sort of weak brine to enhance the moistness.

I do like to inject some flavor though, the Creole Butter one here is good with turkey.
http://www.cajuninjector.com/cajun-injector-marinades.html

I make allot of my own injections,,,,,,,mostly whatever comes to mind at the time.  ;D

[Rando75]

Have you ever thought of brining your turkey prior to smoking it?  I usually don't smoke my turkeys (fried), but I have discovered that there are some great brining recipes out there.  Here is one of my favorites:

SAVORY TURKEY BRINE
This is for a 12-14 pound turkey (You may want to adjust the ingredients for a larger turkey)
Ingredients:
1 quart chicken and 1 quart vegetable stock
2 quarts water (cool)
1 cup bourbon
1 cup brown sugar
1 ½ cup kosher salt
1 white onion quartered
3 celery stalks (with leaves on) cut into 1/3
3 carrots cut into 1/3
6-8 garlic cloves (peeled)
1 tbsp black pepper
1 tbsp sage
1 tbsp rosemary
1 tbsp allspice
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tbsp thyme
2 tbsp pickling spice
1 tbsp old bay

Directions:
Mix everything except for the vegetables into a pot and simmer over heat until the sugar and salt have dissolved.  *Do not let the water to come to a boil*.  Allow the mixture to cool.  Pour mixture over the thawed turkey in a 5-gallon bucket.  (I use a 5 gallon bucket for cooking/brining).  Fill remainder of the bucket with room temperature water halfway up the leg of the turkey.  Top the rest of the turkey off with ice.  Allow to brine for 18-24 hours.  Keeping the turkey on ice the entire time.
Wash and dry off turkey thoroughly and allow turkey to rest for 30 mins. 

[zueth]

That was my thought if I was going to brine.  Would be to brine, then smoke, then cook in SRG.

Sounds like if I buy a enhanced bird, don't bother with brine.  But if i buy a non-enhanced bird then brine would be the way to go.

[OU812]

I brine wild turkeys as they are much leaner then penraised birds.

If and I say If you find a bird that has not been enhanced then I would brine it.

Some brines make your turkey taste like a ham.

[zueth]

I had a thought on this, has anybody cold smoked the turkey for 3-4 hours the day before, then wrapped and put in the fridge.  Then the next day cook in SRG?  If so how did it turn out?

[OU812]

I had a thought on this, has anybody cold smoked the turkey for 3-4 hours the day before, then wrapped and put in the fridge.  Then the next day cook in SRG?  If so how did it turn out?

I wouldnt.

You want the bird to get above the danger point as fast as you can, the danger point is from 40 to 140 F

When your done with the smoke youll be right about the 140 mark and it needs to finish.

Also the nasties grow faster on poultry than other meats.

[zueth]

I had a thought on this, has anybody cold smoked the turkey for 3-4 hours the day before, then wrapped and put in the fridge.  Then the next day cook in SRG?  If so how did it turn out?

I wouldnt.

You want the bird to get above the danger point as fast as you can, the danger point is from 40 to 140 F

When your done with the smoke youll be right about the 140 mark and it needs to finish.

Also the nasties grow faster on poultry than other meats.

Ok, that makes sense, but I could cold smoke, then after that put directly into SRG?

[OU812]

I had a thought on this, has anybody cold smoked the turkey for 3-4 hours the day before, then wrapped and put in the fridge.  Then the next day cook in SRG?  If so how did it turn out?

I wouldnt.

You want the bird to get above the danger point as fast as you can, the danger point is from 40 to 140 F

When your done with the smoke youll be right about the 140 mark and it needs to finish.

Also the nasties grow faster on poultry than other meats.

Ok, that makes sense, but I could cold smoke, then after that put directly into SRG?

Cold smoking poultry aint a good idea in my book.

I would smoke at 220F for 2 hr then drop in the SRG.

If you put your bird in the SRG basket before you smoke it all you have to do after the smoke is pull the basket outta the smoker and drop it in the SRG

Last bird I did took right about 3 hr start to finish doin it this way.

[hal4uk]

Cold smoking poultry aint a good idea in my book.

Yeah...  I reckon I'll 2nd that.
Awrighten.