Thanksgiving Bird (Go Figure)

[SmokeBender]

Got my new digital and loving it for Ribs & Jerky so far.

Trying Turkey for the big day next week. I have read some of the ideas on curing/brining. I there a must do recipe???

13 lb bird how long should I smoke? How long to cook? What temp?
Hickory seems to be popular? Would that be a first choice?

I have a recipe as follows, what do you think? 

1 gal water
4 cups sugar
2 cups salt (seems heavy on the salt)
1 Can frozen Apple juice

And Alder for smoke.

Sorry for all the questions....Want to get it right on the BIG DAY

[FLBentRider]

W E L C O M E to the Forum SmokeBender!

You are on the right track. As for temp, I use aroung 225F, time is trickier, but figure no more than 4 hours of bisquettes and another couple of hours. I wait for an IT of 160.

I use Hickory, Cherry or Apple.

I use the brine from this recipe:

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/honey-brined-smoked-turkey-recipe2/index.html

[pensrock]

I'm doing a turkey breast and the brine I am using is:
1 gal water
1 cup salt
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup honey

Smoke 2-3 hours with hickory or apple
Put into oven till finished.

[beefmann]

welcome to the forum smoke bender you are going to love your smoker... enjoy

[La Quinta]

Hey smokbender...read a great article and recipe in the LA Times food section about a dry salt cure for the turkey...had the recipe and all...We're going to try it...website is latimes.com/food  Salt roasted turkey...gives you the same results as brining without the "spongy" texture of the meat...just and FYI...

[westexasmoker]

Salt and turkey.....match made in heaven (not according to my doctor, but then again alot of things are not according to him)!   ;D

C

[deb415611]

Welcome Smokebender !   

Hey smokbender...read a great article and recipe in the LA Times food section about a dry salt cure for the turkey...had the recipe and all...We're going to try it...website is latimes.com/food  Salt roasted turkey...gives you the same results as brining without the "spongy" texture of the meat...just and FYI...

Hey LQ -- I think I'm going to try salting my turkey this year too.  I saw it in Bon Appetit.  I think there were three different flavor variations --  here is the Bon Appetit link   http://www.bonappetit.com/magazine/2008/11/turkey_salt_it_dont_brine_it    I'm off to read your link.

Deb

[La Quinta]

Kool Deb...I tend to be a purist when it comes to Thanksgiving...but when LATimes test kitchens give it a big endorsement...I gotta try it...don't like their political views...but that has nothing to do with food!!

[deb415611]

Kool Deb...I tend to be a purist when it comes to Thanksgiving...but when LATimes test kitchens give it a big endorsement...I gotta try it...don't like their political views...but that has nothing to do with food!!

LQ-   We do a pretty traditional thankgiving dinner here too.  I'll be doing a herb based one - thyme, rosemary & sage.  There seems to be quite a difference in salt used between the LA times (3 T)  & the Bon Appetit (1/3 cup plus 1T) for about a 15 lb bird.   I guess I need to do some thinking on what the better quantity might be.    Also 3 days (LA times) vs. 18-24 hours (BA)

deb   

[NePaSmoKer]

My bird is going to the traeger with hickory/apple pellets.


nepas

[La Quinta]

Geez Deb you're making me do math!!! A third of a cup is how many TBLs?  ??? Yeah the 3 days is a pain...but...the article says in a pinch you can do 2...air dry...yada yada...I just liked the recipe because I understand the innate principles behind dry curing. Let us know which way you decide to go???

[Stargazer]

Geez Deb you're making me do math!!! A third of a cup is how many TBLs?  ??? Yeah the 3 days is a pain...but...the article says in a pinch you can do 2...air dry...yada yada...I just liked the recipe because I understand the innate principles behind dry curing. Let us know which way you decide to go???

I always forget measurments La Quinta lol  :D

Thats why I keep this bookmarked and always very close by at hand for me.

http://www.calculateme.com/index.htm

Saved my life a bunch of times. Hope this helps you and anyone else too :)

[LilSmoker]

Hey LQ, that turkey recipe looks very good, might look into that for Christmas

[Habanero Smoker]

If you have an online subscription to Cook's Illustrated, or if you have the issue in which they covered salt brining that is also a good article. It may have been published about a year ago. You can fore go that by getting a kosher turkey, though more expensive it is already salt brined. I have been salt brining poultry, especially turkey legs off and on for about a year. It works well, less "messy", and uses less room in your refrigerator.

I haven't read any of the articles that have been posted, but if they haven't mentioned it; you don't want to salt brine a turkey that have been injected with a brine solution when it was processed, and of course you don't want to salt brine a kosher turkey.

[deb415611]

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.