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Smoke a Turkey....Good or Bad Idea? Recipes?

Snachito1

Snachito1

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Jan 12, 2018
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Smoked is good but fried is much better.
I've never had fried turkey but everyone says it's delicious!! I just had some smoked turkey for the first time yesterday and it was out of this world
 
MR. BMJ

MR. BMJ

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Sep 21, 2011
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I loosen the skin on the breast and thighs brine my turkey for 12-14 hours. Allowing the brine to penetrate the meat under the skin makes for a WAY more flavorful bird. I then rub it with butter and seasoning after brining. Rub it under the skin as well.
I melt butter with whole black peppercorns and salt. I get it just to the point of browning but don't let it boil. Get the salt dissolved and the black peppercorns get fragrant.

Inject the bird with the butter right before smoking breast up obviously. I do A LOT of butter!

I put a small aluminum pan of the raw turkey brine on one side or the other of my smoker. I keep it filled and I think the steam helps cook and add flavor, sure smells good. Just do not splash "unheated" brine on your bird.

Smoke 300 then I drop to 250 after 2 hours. Also after 2 hours I put the turkey in an aluminum pan to catch the drippings. I have done the loose parchment paper tent over and not. I can tell no diff. Pull when the bird is 180-182. I cover with foil and let rest 30 minutes before carving.

Never done a spatchcock bird like BMJ but I bet it would cook faster and looks awesome bro.

Do you put the brine pan on the heating shield?

I never thought of that if you do. I know some guys put charcoal on it as well. Have you ever tried that?

Yea man, spatchcocking is awesome.
 
MorganKane

MorganKane

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Nov 12, 2012
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I've never had fried turkey but everyone says it's delicious!! I just had some smoked turkey for the first time yesterday and it was out of this world

Never done a smoked or regular oven turkey since I started frying them.
I usually rub them down with seasoning the night before.
Early in the morning I inject them.
The fry them.

Fry some thinly sliced sweet potato's too.
Season with sea salt.
 
jipped genes

jipped genes

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Oct 22, 2022
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Do you put the brine pan on the heating shield?

I never thought of that if you do. I know some guys put charcoal on it as well. Have you ever tried that?

Yea man, spatchcocking is awesome.
No I just put it on one side of the grate or the other. I have tried that but the shield is at an angle and the liquid boils off real quick. I think with the convection in the smoker the pan on the grate keeps humidity high. Hell it may do nothing. I cook the bird high to start, I believe this seals in moisture. Cooking slow from the start allows the bird to sweat more as I am sure you have seen.

I have another bird on the smoker as we speak. My father in law is coming over today to have a late thanksgiving. We shall see how it turns out.

Morgan, yeah LOVE deep fried turkeys! I just hate dealing with the oil and cleanup after. Plus I think I like smoked a little better. I thought one night as I lay awake in bed...Smoke the turkey for 2 hours then FRY IT! Best of both worlds! Maybe next year.

Those potatoes sound good. Sweet potato chips
 
MR. BMJ

MR. BMJ

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Sep 21, 2011
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No I just put it on one side of the grate or the other. I have tried that but the shield is at an angle and the liquid boils off real quick. I think with the convection in the smoker the pan on the grate keeps humidity high. Hell it may do nothing. I cook the bird high to start, I believe this seals in moisture. Cooking slow from the start allows the bird to sweat more as I am sure you have seen.

I have another bird on the smoker as we speak. My father in law is coming over today to have a late thanksgiving. We shall see how it turns out.

Morgan, yeah LOVE deep fried turkeys! I just hate dealing with the oil and cleanup after. Plus I think I like smoked a little better. I thought one night as I lay awake in bed...Smoke the turkey for 2 hours then FRY IT! Best of both worlds! Maybe next year.

Those potatoes sound good. Sweet potato chips
A smoke-fried turkey has been a pretty big thing this year on some of the BBQ FB pages I am on. I don't have a deep fryer set-up, or i'd try it. I'd have to do 2 in case I jacked up the one getting fried, hahaha.

After skinning the turkey this year, I think i'll keep doing it from now on forward...unless I fry it one day. I've been skinning most of my whole chicken the past year or so, and I really like it. I'll slip in one here and there with the skin because if it crisps up, it's like heaven nectar, lol.

Do you ever put charcoal on the heating shield? I've never tried it myself.
 
jipped genes

jipped genes

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Oct 22, 2022
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A smoke-fried turkey has been a pretty big thing this year on some of the BBQ FB pages I am on. I don't have a deep fryer set-up, or i'd try it. I'd have to do 2 in case I jacked up the one getting fried, hahaha.

After skinning the turkey this year, I think i'll keep doing it from now on forward...unless I fry it one day. I've been skinning most of my whole chicken the past year or so, and I really like it. I'll slip in one here and there with the skin because if it crisps up, it's like heaven nectar, lol.

Do you ever put charcoal on the heating shield? I've never tried it myself.
No never tried it. What is the purpose of charcoal on the shield? How would you control the temp\ on a pellet smoker?
 
MR. BMJ

MR. BMJ

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Sep 21, 2011
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No never tried it. What is the purpose of charcoal on the shield? How would you control the temp\ on a pellet smoker?
I've never tried it either. I read of some guys doing it with their rec-tecs, but I never read into it too much, or how they did it. Last thing I want to do it have it screw my smoker up...not sure it will, but i'm pretty cautious over it, lol.
 
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