First attempt to Smoke a Turkey - This weekend!

[Jim]

Let the games begin! Turkey is in the brine!

 

[Jim]

Oh my, just woke up from the food coma. The turkey was the most moist Turkey we ever ate, no comparison. The skin was gross and that was the general consensus. I only used a few chunks of wood, but it was still a little too much, even for me.




Would I smoke one again? Absolutely!

 

[RiverBottomOutdoors]

Looks light on the rub? Did they think it was over-smoked? Could you bite trough the skin or was it rubber? Did you wrap the bird to finish?

Lots of questions...haven't done a bird yet....trying to learn all I can before I do. Did put the BBQ pit smack down on a butt today.

 

[Jim]

RiverBottomOutdoors » 22 Dec 2013 08:34 pm[/url]"]Looks light on the rub? Did they think it was over-smoked? Could you bite trough the skin or was it rubber? Did you wrap the bird to finish?

Lots of questions...haven't done a bird yet....trying to learn all I can before I do. Did put the BBQ pit smack down on a butt today.

1, Didn't intentionally go light on the rub, Just eye balled it and made sure to cover where I could….under the skin. and a little on top of the skin. I did coat the bird with a very thin layer of olive oil first.
2, They did not think it was over smoked and the turkey meat itself tastes smoked. To be honest I only had 3-4 small golf ball sized chunks of wood and half a handful of left over chips that were at the bottom of the bag of chunks. I thought to myself that I would be short of smoke flavor because of it.
3, No biting through the skin, it was chewy as all heck, I did not wrap the bird. I waited till the thermometer read 165 and took it off. Wait about 15 minutes and carved it.

The Dogs loved the skin! :LOL2:

 

[DrNip]

Chewy turkey/chicken skin is nasty. Got to be crisp or I don't eat it.

 

[fool4fish1226]

:beer: NICE :beer:

 

[Paul Marx]

I never wrap the bird . The skin would have been worse. Next time let it cool a little and rub the outside down with real butter , salt , and crispin it up in a hot oven. Brining doesn't do the skin any favors , only the meat. This is the reason you want it to dry out real good before putting it on the smoker. Plan way ahead and allow at least 24 hours uncovered in the fridge to dry itself out. I can say this " you will never get better skin then fried. "

 

[RiverBottomOutdoors]

Wrapping steams the skin and makes it "bite through". I do this with chicken.

 

[Paul Marx]

RiverBottomOutdoors » Today, 11:06[/url]"]Wrapping steams the skin and makes it "bite through". I do this with chicken.

Yea , personaly preffrence I guess . I like it crunchy or take it off.

 

[juggernot]

I smoked 2 10/12lb. Turkeys a few years ago for Thanksgiving. One w an Asian spiced brine w soysauce and ginger, the other traditional spiced, cranberries,bay leaf,black peppercorns, orange juice and peels, tyme and rosemary etc and both were outstanding. I have a horzontal barrel smoker/grill and I soaked split pieces of white oak overnight and drip dryed while the first batch of charcoal smoked a few hours w apple chips soaked in apple cider. When the heat started dropping I layed 2 pieces of the damp Oak on the coals and it kept the heat constant for 4 more hours. I sprayed the birds w apple juice about every hour of the last 4 and both birds were beyond delicious. I prefer unbasted or all natural Turkeys for brineing but they are hard to find and more expensive. I've read that larger Turkeys are harder to smoke well than smaller ones as the outer will overcook before the center of the breasts but when brined well it's about impossible to dry them out IMO.

 

[switchback]

Going to smoke one tomorrow (today now) lol. Smoked one for Thanksgiving and used mesquite. First one I've done. It smelled really strong with smoke but didn't taste that way. Everyone loved it. This time I'm going to use a small amount of mesquite chips mixed with alot of apple wood chips. All I do is thaw it out, rinse off and pat dry really good. rub with my favorite pork and poultry rub and put in electric smoker on 225. Same with whole chickens. ohhh and stuff a cut onion in cavity.

 

[RiverBottomOutdoors]

Try oak or hickory. They produce a milder smoke.

 

[ChrisBoat]

Only thing I can add is to try one that has been Spatchcocked (Cut the backbone out to lay flat). I usually brine mine and then just seasalt and pepper for a rub. Smoked Turkey is some of the best if you ask me.