First cold smoked thanksgiving turkey

[jbra]

I've been running my mouth about Bradley and my extended family handed me 22lbs turkey and said: There you go, makes us one for thanksgiving.

I've brined 22lbs bird since 12:30pm yesterday in Alton Brown's turkey brine (slightly less salty version), gonna pull it out in 30 mins.  That's 21h of brining.

Gonna pop it into smoker and cold smoke for 2h with cherry, apple and oak mixed.

Then right away transfer to 500 degree oven for 30 mins, then at 350 until completion (Alton Brown way).

Probe will be in breast waiting for 161. Breast covered with foil shield :) That per Alton Brown's recipe should make sure thigh meat is at 180.

Wish me luck. Pics to follow.

[KyNola]

Why are you cold smoking the turkey rather than subjecting it to heat from the get go?  I can see no benefit to cold smoking turkey and the potential for a health issue.

Have a great holiday.

[mikecorn.1]

I would also hot smoke it for a while longer to get more some flavor. In the Bradley. I don't think your gonna benefit much from a two hour cold smoke. Happy thanksgiving. :)


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[jbra]

Here's my, perhaps flawed, reasoning:

It's 52 degrees outside, and turkey has been in the ice cold brine. I can cold smoke it for 2 hours without bring internal temp up much. Should be perfectly safe.

I also want to introduce smokey flavor without it being too strong. Since I have a large group of people to cater to, not everyone likes smokey foods. Cold smoking for 2 hours seems about right.

Also, alton browns recipe for smoking turkey when you start out at 500 degrees is amazing. It makes the skin crispy and seals in the juices. I've made that turkey twice (just in the oven without smoking) and it was by far the best turkey tenderness and juiciness wise I ever had.

This will let me introduce about 52 degree (def less than 70)  turkey into the oven and produce above recipe just with smokey flavour. I am afraid that smoking it in bradley first, might produce different result. Perhaps just as good, but I do not want to take a chance today.

[devo]

Let us know how it turns out. Sometimes thinking outside the box is a good thing. Hope you have a safe and happy thanks giving.

[jbra]

About to come out of the brine. Note my amazing volume displacing vase (did not have enough brine to cover turkey completely):




Into the smoker. No rub or anything, i'll use canola oil and aromatics per Alton Brown's recipe once it's rerady to go into 500 degree oven:






2 hours can't pass quick enough:

[squirtthecat]

Dang that's a big bird.    Let us know how it turns out!   I remember that episode..

[jbra]

Took the bird out and put it in the oven at 500 degrees. It definitely had decent smokey smell to it, but knowing it was only 2h and 22lbs of bird, i bet it's mostly on the surface and not penetrated throughout the meat. Hopefully it will result in a very mild smokey flavour to it like I hope.

[jbra]

30 mins at 500F with plenty of canola oil makes for this:




On goes the freshly crafted Daedric armor:



Now just gonna wait until breast is at 161. I have 2nd probe in the thigh, hopefully it will be right about 181 then.

[jbra]

I forgot my darn camera at home, so once the turkey was delivered to my aunt's house, i took one with the cell. Final result below.

It came out awesome. I think i did everything just perfect. The only thing I'd do in hindside is smoke it for 3h instead of 2h.

The meat was nice and smokey, especialy the dark meat. The breast meat had a very nice and mild smokey flavor going except very center. You could not tell much smoke there, but even that part was still DELICIOUS.

Overall, i'd call this a great success :)

[devo]

Yup I think ya done good there for sure. Now your going to be called to do all the cooking. Great when it all works out and good looking bird.

[Habanero Smoker]

Looks good. I don't see any problems in how you smoked/cooked this turkey. That turkey is a tight fit. Maybe next time, if the turkey is that large smoke it vertically with a vertical roaster, to get some of the smoke inside the cavity.

[jbra]

Maybe next time, if the turkey is that large smoke it vertically with a vertical roaster, to get some of the smoke inside the cavity.

Good idea.I'll need to get one of those.

[Habanero Smoker]

Just make sure you get the type made of wire. Spanek makes the best ones, but they are pricey. Other brands are more reasonable, but what I like about Spanek is that they have kits, with some handy accessories.

Spanek Vertical Roasters

[Fernslinger]

I did something similar last year. But instead of roasting it we fried it...It was very tasty :) That bird looks great!