hot smoked then fried turkey?

[dbboulter]

Hi All,

First time poster long time lurker, have had the bradley for 3 years now and love it. We are doing a Christmas in July dinner this Friday and I'm in charge of ham and turkey.

Normally with a turkey for thanksgiving/christmas/easter I brine it, inject it (redundant I know), cold smoke for 4 hours and then plop it in the fryer for 3.5 a pound at 350 degrees. I won't hot smoke for the whole time as the skin stays rubbery and that's my favourite part (although the meat is fabulous).

I'm not a fan of food poisoning and as it's hot here in the Okanagan, even with the smoke entering at ambient temperature and filling the bottom of the bradley with ice I'm leary of the temperature inside the box because of the outside temperature expected to be high 90's.

What i'm thinking is trying hot smoking as opposed to cold smoking, maybe 2 or 3 hours with the bradley set at 225 degrees then put it in the fryer until it hits 165 it. Has anyone done this? Am i way off base here in thinking it will work fine?

Thanks for your input,

[squirtthecat]

I think that would work just fine.

[Ka Honu]

The problem with what you're describing is that the hot oil tends to "wash" almost all the smoke flavor off and out of the turkey.  We get the result you're looking for (smoke flavor, juicy meat, and crisp skin) by smoking the bird for an hour or so in the Bradley and finishing in an "oil-less" infrared turkey fryer like Char-Broil's Big Easy or Big Easy Smoker-Roaster-Grill.

[Up In Smoke]

The problem with what you're describing is that the hot oil tends to "wash" almost all the smoke flavor off and out of the turkey.  We get the result you're looking for (smoke flavor, juicy meat, and crisp skin) by smoking the bird for an hour or so in the Bradley and finishing in an "oil-less" infrared turkey fryer like Char-Broil's Big Easy or Big Easy Smoker-Roaster-Grill.

right on the money, the oil will definitely wash the smoke out.
KH has you covered, you can also finish on an infrared grill or in the house oven.

[iceman]

The turtle has you pointed in the right direction. I brine,inject, beer can hot smoke then finish in the big easy to crisp the skin up. Comes out like a slice of heaven .  ;)

[dbboulter]

i've done 6 cold smoked and deep fried over the last couple years in the bradley and never found it washes out the flavour, with the brine, cold smoke and fry i find the dark meat more akin to ham then what I knew in my childhood as dark turkey meat. At the right temperature the oil is not penetrating in to the birds flesh it is searing the outside and then the steam on the inside cooks the meat, that is how I understand deep frying to work. My biggest concern is with food born bactiria and if i'm missing the boat here with my process working, as it works with the oil less i take it i'm safe. Tossing it on the rotisserie with the infrared burner is tempting but people seem enjoying the deep fried turkeys lately as it was requested.

I shopped around last winter to get an infrared fryer but wasn't able to locate one, i like the idea of not wasting 12 litres of peanut oil everytime I do a bird, I never can seem to be bothered to filter it and reuse it 3 months down the road it always gets trashed. Might have to take to ebay prior to thanksgiving for that.

Thank you guys for the prompt response i greatly appreciate it.

[Habanero Smoker]

Hi dbboulter;

Welcome to the forum.

Quite a few members have hot smoked and deep fried turkeys, and have reported great smoke flavor. The only concerns I have read, were a few did not like the color. The turkey came out almost black, while others achieved a nice golden color. If you do a search you will find a few post, but they did essentially what you are planning to do.