Hand Rub for Turkey

[Cruzino]

Hi Everyone.

I have a group of people coming over for T-Giving and I plan on using my BS to make the best turkey they've ever had.  I'll be cold smoking for about 3 hours with apple and then transfer it to my Weber Genesis for some time on the rotisserie.  

What I'd like to know is does anyone have a rub recipe they'd suggest?  I would like something tha is not exotic or spicy and that would be a good mix of various seasonings.  Some of my favorites would be salt, pepper, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, thyme, rosemery, sage, parsley, etc.  I'm open to any ideas and the rub could have just a few of these or all of them.  

Any ideas?

Please don't suggest I order something on the net.  With only a few days until the big day, I wouldn't be able to get it in time.

Thanks!

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[SMOKEHOUSE ROB]

well you might want to do a brine first, go check out this site, it covers all meat very helpfull
http://www.virtualweberbullet.com/cook.html
i hope this helps you,

[Cruzino]

Thanks.  And now for a rookie question... Why do a brine?  Does a brine simply add more flavor?  I've never understood this but I'm new to the world of smoking.

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[BigSmoker]

cruzino,
Brining will make the bird more tender.  Give it a try, I don't think you will be disappointed.  For a great easy to find herb mixture try herbs de provence.  They should be readily ava. and have most of the stuff you said you like.

Jeff
www.bbqshopping.com
Some say BBQ is in your blood, if thats true my blood must be BBQ sauce.

[Cruzino]

Thanks.  If I were to do this brine:  http://tvwbb.infopop.cc/eve/ubb.x?a=tpc&s=98110183&f=4880069052&m=8380093152 and then do the Herbs de Provence, would that be a good idea?  Or am I risking having too many different types of flavors?  Is the flavor added by the brine mild or intense?

--Mike

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[nsxbill]

You will be removing the brining solution completely by rinsing with water, then drying with towels, etc.  The herbs come next.  I like to get under the skin with herbs, butter and ground fresh garlic, as well as rubbing the skin outside and the cavity.  

Many websites dicuss how to tie up the legs.  As a final recommendation, I also recommend you cut an onion into quarters and put it inside the cavity with some fresh whole garlic...it just adds that little something.  

You then tell the turkey to get on the rack.  If it won't do it, grab it and throw it on and put it in the smoker for a nice long roast.  



Most excellent!  I love Thanksgiving!

Bill

[Habanero Smoker]

Cruzino;
The link you provided on brining appears to be for roasting and not smoking. I was taught that the skin on poultry and fish need to be air dried. If the skin is too moist a good film of smoke will not develop. If you are going to cold smoke, prior to roasting, you should air dry the bird, uncovered in a refrigerator until the skin feels tacky. This may take overnight. If you have a kosher, or self-basting bird, you do not have to brine, but that limits your options of what flavors you want to impart in the bird.

For a basic poultry rub:
4 Tbs. Kosher Salt
2 Tbs. Bell's Poultry Seasoning
2 Tbs. Old Bay Seasoning

The night before, or two hours before cooking; rub a generous amount of mixture all over and underneath the skin of the bird being careful not to tear the skin. Massage the rub in well. Sprinkle more of the rub inside the body and neck cavities. If you apply the rub the night before, wrap the bird in plastic wrap, or put it in a plastic bag.

The above is enough for a 12 pound turkey.

[Cruzino]

Thanks everyone!

So, I guess my last question is that if I do a basic brine such as this:

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Basic Turkey Brine
1 gallon cold water
1 cup Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt
1/2 cup dark brown sugar, packed
Mix in a non-reactive container until dissolved. Makes 1 gallon of brine. Substitute 3/4 cup Morton Kosher Salt or 1/2 cup table salt for Diamond Crystal.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

and then I do the basic poultry rub that Habanero Smoker mentions, should I cut back on the salt in the rub recipe?  Would the salt from the rub and the salt in the brine be too much or does the salt from the brine mostly rinse away?

And to make sure I understand, I could:

1) Soak the bird in the brine overnight
2) Remove the bird, rinse in cold water and let dry in the fridge until tacky
3) Smoke the bird for 3 hours in the BS with apple
4) Finish the bird on the Weber rotisserie

Again, thanks everyone.  I hope others are reading this and getting some ideas too.  I've been boasting to friends how good everything has been in the BS and now I have to prove it!

--Mike

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[Habanero Smoker]

I have used this recipe on kosher chicken, which are chickens that have been pre-brined, and it did not taste salty. If you brine a turkey make sure it is not a self-basting or kosher one. If you rinse the brine of real well, it will not be salty.

If you are concerned, about the salt, just apply the rub to the outer skin only, you will still get a lot of flavor. To be on the safe side, since you have never used this rub, and I don't know how much salt you like; you should apply it to the outside of the skin, and inside the cavity; or before Thanksgiving, apply this rub on a kosher chicken, and either smoke the chicken, or roast it in an oven, as a trial run.

By the way this recipe was given to me by a Chef who teaches at the Culinary Institute of America. I shouldn't have called it a Basic Rub, because it has a lot of flavor, but it is simple to make.

I also came across this rub, while searching my recipe data base. I have not tried this. If you don't like spicy, you can leave out the cayenne pepper. If you don't have lemon zest, you can squeeze the juice of a lemon with one tablespoon of olive oil into a cup. Stir quickly and apply to the outside skin, and cavity.

Poultry Perfect Rub
3 Tbs. paprika
1 Tbs. freshly ground black pepper
1 Tbs. celery salt
1 Tbs. Turbinado sugar
1½  tsp. garlic powder
1½  tsp. dry mustard
½   tsp. cayenne pepper, or to taste
Zest of 1 to 2 lemons, dried and minced

<font color="red">I edited this post, because my first post stated I used "Basic Rub" on a kosher turkey, put I meant to say chicken. I did a "Throne Chicken" or "Beer can chicken" on my gas grill last Friday using the "Basic Rub" and it came out great. I dug out my vertical roaster, and planning on smoking my turkey vertically, with a drip pan to catch the juices. I would have to thank Jeff (Big Smoker) for reminding me it can be done that way.</font id="red">

[phack]

Emeril had a segment on the Food network in which he offered the following recipe for honey brined smoked turkey. I'm going to use his brine and then smoke it in the Bradley for a couple hours then transfer to the oven to finish (if the breast does not brosn in the BS. Does anyone know how the skin will turn out if I try tocook it the entire time in the BS at about 205-215?

 

Honey Brined Smoked Turkey Recipe courtesy Alton Brown, 2004
See this recipe on air Wednesday Nov. 24 at 9:00 PM ET/PT.
 

 
 
Recipe Summary
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Inactive Prep Time: 13 minutes
Cook Time: 4 hours
Yield: 10 to 12 servings
User Rating:
 
 


1 gallon hot water
1 pound kosher salt
2 quarts vegetable broth
1 pound honey
1 (7-pound) bag of ice
1 (15 to 20-pound) turkey, with giblets removed
Vegetable oil, for rubbing turkey

Combine the hot water and the salt in a 54-quart cooler. Stir until the salt dissolves. Stir in the vegetable broth and the honey. Add the ice and stir. Place the turkey in the brine, breast side up, and cover with cooler lid.. Brine overnight, up to 12 hours.
Remove the turkey from the brine and dry thoroughly. Rub the bird thoroughly with the vegetable oil.

Heat the grill to 400 degrees F.

Using a double thickness of heavy-duty aluminum foil, build a smoke bomb. Place a cup of hickory wood chips in the center of the foil and gather up the edges, making a small pouch. Leave the pouch open at the top. Set this directly on the charcoal or on the metal bar over the gas flame. Set the turkey over indirect heat, insert a probe thermometer into the thickest part of the breast meat, and set the alarm for 160 degrees F. Close the lid and cook for 1 hour.

After 1 hour check the bird; if the skin is golden brown, cover with aluminum foil and continue cooking. Also, after 1 hour, replace wood chips with second cup.

Once the bird reaches 160 degrees F, remove from grill, cover with aluminum foil, and allow to rest for 1 hour. Carve and serve.
 

[Oldman]

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