Thanksgiving Bird (Go Figure)

[SmokeBender]

Hey thanks for all the info. And yes the salting does look interesting.
I really appreciate the responses.

Thank you

[La Quinta]

Hope the info on here helps ya out SmokeBender!!  :)

[Habanero Smoker]

Geez Deb you're making me do math!!! A third of a cup is how many TBLs?  ???

Sorry,  sorry -- I don't know either  ;D   I only know a 1/4 cup is 4.  So more than that ;D  So without going to Stargazer's handy calculator (which I have to check out & bookmark, Thanks Stargazer) I would guess double the amount of salt that is in the LA Times article .....   

Habs -- I have the online subscription & will go check it out there.  I usually buy a natural bird because I usually brine. 

Sorry! I forgot to mention, when you do your search look under brined chicken or salt brine chicken. That is what they did the article on, and I believe it was either May or July of last year.

[jslande01]

Try this brine... you won't be disappointed!!!

http://forum.bradleysmoker.com/index.php?topic=8021.msg86456#msg86456

[SmokeBender]

More Stupid Questions!

Do you just lay the bird on the rack, hang it, or put it in a pan?

Also what about drippings. Do you put anything under the bird, maybe on the lower shelf, or do you allow it to drip to the water bowl??



Thank for the help!

[KyNola]

Mine goes straight on the rack and I don't attempt to catch any drippings.

KyNola

[FLBentRider]

Ditto here - drippings hit the V tray and into the bowl.

[Habanero Smoker]

If you have a vertical turkey roaster, the bird smoke/cooks better vertically. When you lay it flat, be very careful when you take the bird out of the smoker, or when/if you rotate the racks. A lot of juices collect in the cavity, and the slightest tilt will spill hot juices on your foot. When I remove whole chicken or turkeys from the smoker I place the rack on a half sheet cake pan to catch any juices that may spill out while moving it from the smoker to the table.

[Smoking Duck]

KY and FLBR are spot on about the drippings.

Habs has stated it perfectly.  You'll know the meaning of pain if the juices hit your hand as well  :o.  Unfortunately, it happened to me.  Now, I never attempt to remove a turkey or chicken any other way than what Habs has stated.

Good luck with the bird!

SD

[Consiglieri]

I did an apple cider brined bird last year (from the recipe site).  We rotisseried the bird and it turned out awesome.  Mowed right through that meal.   That frozen apple juice brine will probably turn out pretty darn good too.

Neps: Did I read TRAEGER???????????

[Smoking Duck]

Oh yeah, Consigs.....my man, Nepas is king of the toys for sure.  He even has a pigtail and that's not meant in a derogatory way.  The dude has cooking meat down to every conceivable way man can cook meat.  I'm waiting for his next invention where he buries flank steak underground for 3 months and it comes out like kimchee.  I am envious of his toys!

SD

[Smokin Soon]

Toys come and toys go.....I just want a Treager now, but wait a minute..... I should get a job first!!!  ::)

[Consiglieri]

I was just funnin' about Neps using a different smoker brand.

But speaking of interesting techniques, Duck, a chef over here told me about an Italian cooking technique where you lay a rib eye on white hot wood coals (that's on the bed of coals itself).  He says the heat is so intense it sears in all the juices.  I don't think I'll try this technique until I see it demonstrated; don't want to ruin a good piece of meat. 

[Smoking Duck]

Interesting Sigs......I'm familiar with the searing technique....just wondering how you would keep the ash off of the steak.  Please let me know if you get a chance to see it done and then if you do it yourself.  Would be very interested in giving this a try.

Ciao,

SD

[Consiglieri]

I'm going to open a bottle of red and ponder this one for a while.   ;D  I asked about the ash and he said it wasn't a problem.  I'm going to follow up.  He has the inhouse wood fire pizza oven that he uses for this technique too.