Smoked up a Turkey with Pics!!!

chevyman · December 19, 2007, 09:46:16 PM

I smoked a turkey tonight. This is only the second time ever smoking a turkey. It was very moist and tender. It had a good smoke flavor but not too powerfull. The only injection marinade that i could find was a type that Eastman puts out and it was not my favorite but it was decent. I brined it for about 24Hrs before injecting it. All in all it was a great turkey and everyone loved it. My dad baked a turkey and in my opinion (and everyone elses) it was not as good. Here are some pics and please tell me what you think!!

The turkey in the brine

The turkey after injection and seasoning

Just out of the smoker and ready to eat!!!!

Artmiester · December 20, 2007, 08:00:57 AM

Hey Chevy, GREAT PIX!
How much did that gobbler weigh? How long for smoke? Was your cooking time all in the Bradley? I'm interested in how the skin turned out (most sacred part of the Tom Bird for me).
Saw Iceman's post on brining/smoking then frying and probably gonna give it a try for Christmas but your bird looks REALLY GOOD. Nice job, and welcome to the forum! ;D ;D

chevyman · December 20, 2007, 12:34:07 PM

Thanks Artmiester. The bird was 14lbs. All the cooking was done in the bradley. I let it smoke for 8 hrs wich was about 1 1/2 hours too long. It was cold out and i didnt want it to not be done when i needed it so it sat a little while but it was still moist. The skin was great...had my wife soak cheese cloth in butter and drape that over the skin. That keeps it moist and from browning too much. If you have any more questions i will help all i can.

Mr Walleye · December 20, 2007, 12:38:06 PM

Ya did a great Job Chevyman!

I had to put plastic over my keyboard here at work!

Drool everywhere! :D ;D

Mike

iceman · December 20, 2007, 02:11:15 PM

I must of breezed through this post to fast cuase I didn't catch the address and invitation date man of 180 from ford. :D ;)
Super good looking bird chevyman! ;) Like Walleye, I'm ruining a lot of keyboards this year!!!

owrstrich · December 20, 2007, 03:32:34 PM

that terkey looks like a glorious feast....

owrstrich

La Quinta · December 20, 2007, 06:41:40 PM

WOW Chevy...awesome looking bird!!! I'm doing you're fatty tomorrow...gonna go with pepper jack and jalepenos (and of course the smushed up little smokies!!) ...you've inspired me and the hubby!!! Thanks!!! :)

levonen · December 21, 2007, 02:46:53 AM

chevyman,
from the pic I see that the ends of the bird legs are out of the brine. And that's wrong. One of the holy rules of brining is that all the meat (in this case a bird) must be covered with the brine at all times.

Artmiester · December 21, 2007, 06:13:43 AM

Chevyman,
At what point did you drape the buttered cheesecloth, before or after smoking and what temp did you use for cooking time? I'm really fired up on this one. My brother and i are smoking two 14# birds simulxxx, simeltxxxx, simultaneouxxx,- at the same time in two different locations Christmas Eve and then frying them in the same fryer later in the afternoon after FTCing. That was the plan, but now i don't know? That Tom suuuuure looks good. Over? ??? ;D

chevyman · December 21, 2007, 04:41:36 PM

Quote from: levonen on December 21, 2007, 02:46:53 AM
chevyman,
from the pic I see that the ends of the bird legs are out of the brine. And that's wrong. One of the holy rules of brining is that all the meat (in this case a bird) must be covered with the brine at all times.

Levonen: For the sake of the pic i had not finished with the bird yet. There was more than enough brine in there but the bird had floated up (like they do) ,so i took the pic and then put lots of ice in and then put a large heavy plate in and then more ice on top of the plate to sink the bird down. But if i had done all that you would just have a pic of a plate covered in ice, and that is no fun. But i guarentee you that it was fully submerged.

chevyman · December 21, 2007, 04:50:50 PM

Quote from: Artmiester on December 21, 2007, 06:13:43 AM
Chevyman,
At what point did you drape the buttered cheesecloth, before or after smoking and what temp did you use for cooking time? I'm really fired up on this one. My brother and i are smoking two 14# birds simulxxx, simeltxxxx, simultaneouxxx,- at the same time in two different locations Christmas Eve and then frying them in the same fryer later in the afternoon after FTCing. That was the plan, but now i don't know? That Tom suuuuure looks good. Over? ??? ;D

Artmiester: The cheese cloth was put on right at the begining of the smoke and then taken off for the last hour so it could brown. If i had to do it again i would have only taken it off for 40-45 min. My smoker was all the way up but it was cold out. My Mavrick thermometer was at about 240* in the smoker. I was really happy with the bird........if i was you i would smoke one and then smoke and fry one and see witch you like best. What ever route you go i would highly recommend the brine and injection. Hope everything turns out good and dont forget to post pics!!!!

charlandk · December 26, 2007, 12:19:17 PM

I just bought one for myself for x-mas. Your turkey looks awesome. What flavor bricquets did you use and if you remember, about how many did you have to go through.

I think that I am going to try to do one of these this weekend for the Pats game (even though I like the steelers) I live in Mass so I usually have a house full of Pats fans.

chevyman · December 26, 2007, 04:47:01 PM

Quote from: charlandk on December 26, 2007, 12:19:17 PM
I just bought one for myself for x-mas. Your turkey looks awesome. What flavor bricquets did you use and if you remember, about how many did you have to go through.

I think that I am going to try to do one of these this weekend for the Pats game (even though I like the steelers) I live in Mass so I usually have a house full of Pats fans.

I used Alder and special blend and used 12 for 4 hours of smoke. Hope your bird turns out good!!! Remember to post some pics!!!

charlandk · December 28, 2007, 04:10:53 PM

I am pretty new to all of this so bear with me....
Is the reason that you brine the turkey simply for flavor? I had thought that the purpose of brining meat was almost more to cure or preserve it. I was planning on smoking a turkey for the Pats game tomorrow but I am glad that I read this further. I would never have had enough time to brine it and let it dry. I am really a Steelers fan so the turkey will now wait until their first playoff game instead! It will be a long wait. Chevyman's turkey looked amazing.

So if I plan to do a turkey for the playoff games (assuming it will be on a Sunday) I should begin to brine the turkey on Friday morning and let it sit for 24 hours in the brine then take it out wrap it in plastic wrap and leave it in the fridge for the next 24 hours then I can begin to smoke it at around 4 or 5 am to have it ready for a 1 pm kick off....?

Any good suggestions on marinades or injections?

One more question for the Chevyman. Did you simply place the turkey on a rack placed at the lowest setting and if so did you have to rotate or turn the turkey at all during the cooking process?

Thanks all,

Kevin

chevyman · December 28, 2007, 05:43:53 PM

Quote from: charlandk on December 28, 2007, 04:10:53 PM
I am pretty new to all of this so bear with me....
Is the reason that you brine the turkey simply for flavor? I had thought that the purpose of brining meat was almost more to cure or preserve it. I was planning on smoking a turkey for the Pats game tomorrow but I am glad that I read this further. I would never have had enough time to brine it and let it dry. I am really a Steelers fan so the turkey will now wait until their first playoff game instead! It will be a long wait. Chevyman's turkey looked amazing.

So if I plan to do a turkey for the playoff games (assuming it will be on a Sunday) I should begin to brine the turkey on Friday morning and let it sit for 24 hours in the brine then take it out wrap it in plastic wrap and leave it in the fridge for the next 24 hours then I can begin to smoke it at around 4 or 5 am to have it ready for a 1 pm kick off....?

Any good suggestions on marinades or injections?

One more question for the Chevyman. Did you simply place the turkey on a rack placed at the lowest setting and if so did you have to rotate or turn the turkey at all during the cooking process?

Thanks all,

Kevin

Hey charlandk:
Ask as many questiond sd you can....thats what we are all here for. I will try to answer all of your questions to the best of my ability and in the order that you asked them, so here goes!!!

You are right that for alot of cuts of meat when you brine it is to cure the meat....Salmon and Jerky come to mind. But for a turkey you are trying to add flavor and moisture to your bird.

I would let the bird air dry for for 4-12 hours. Also after taking the bird out of the brine be sure to rinse the bird INSIDE AND OUTSIDE with cold water well.

As for the recipies for brines and marinades i would look at www.thesmokering.com and go to the forums page. Look under the chicken recipies. Lots of good ones there.

Last but not least i have a 4 rack smoker and i put it 1 up from the bottom and i never moved it or rotated it. I was at work all day..if i was at home i probabaly would have......hope it turns out good for you.