Thanksgiving Turkey

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Pelkster

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Hey Guys and Gals,

Have a few questions about smoking a turkey. I want to do one before the holiday, but honestly I haven't a clue about what I'm doing. Do you smoke it with or without stuffing? Do you marinade it, inject it, or both? What do you use? What about rub? Cooking times? This is nothing like smoking a brisket lol.

Thanks for the help. It's always appreciated! :-D
 
I inject and rub with Yardbird, no stuffing. Pit temp is 350F and I take it off when the breast hits 165F.

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The best Thanksgiving turkey of my entire life (I'm fifty) was smoked on my Weber kettle. I didn't have clue what to do, but my instincts actually worked for me. It was for me and the wife, and a couple down the street. We all decided not to go visit the parents that year. We all cooked together, and had an incredible meal.

I injected my bird with a mixture of olive oil infused with garlic, and chicken broth. I cooked indirect at roughly 300 to 325 until done.

The skin turned black on the top side of my turkey, which worried me, but I pealed the skin off, and we had a flavorful and really moist and tender turkey.

I have done several turkeys on the Weber since then that had nice skin, and tasted great, but that first one was the best, as far as taste and moisture.

In my case, ignorance truly was bliss. I hope your first turns out as well as mine did.

CD
 
Oh, I would personally not suggest stuffing the bird with dressing. I sometimes stuff some aromatic veggies in the cavity, but I make my dressing separately.

CD
 
Do not stuff the grand bird with stuffing you'll risk poisoning yourself and all your guests that eat it.

I've made turkey on my UDS that has been brined and was fantastic. I've also injected and it also was fantastic but I think the overall favorite of all who comes to my Thanksgiving dinners was the brined turkey.

I've posted this brine before but it is very good.

1 cup kosher salt
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/2 gallon water
1/2 gallon apple cider
1 tablespoon crushed black pepper
10 cloves
1 gallon iced water

1 red apple, sliced
1 green apple sliced
1 fennel bulb quartered
2 oranges quartered
1 large lemon quartered
2 carrots chopped
2 celery sticks chopped
1/2 onion, sliced
1 cinnamon stick
1 cup Jack Daniels Tennessee Whiskey
1 handfull each rosemary, flat leaf parsley, sage & thyme

Take the first six ingredients and bring to a boil, stir until well mixed, let cool then add the ice water.

Add the rest of the ingredients and the turkey (I like to add a little bit more of the JD)
marinate overnight.
 
Definitely brine the bird. No 2 ways about it. I never inject it although I'm not opposed I just don't feel I need it. Blue Howler's brine sounds good but I only use water, kosher salt, brown sugar and rosemary, thyme, sage. Go easy on the sage it's pretty potent. I like to just mix all the ingredients with hot tap water instead of boiling water. I can get it cooled down faster using less ice this way and it's warm enough to dissolve the salt and sugar. I stuff mine with wedges of oranges and onions and I love the flavor that it imparts in the meat. I usually stuff butter under the skin rub the skin with oil and smoke at 325-350. Pull when thigh is 170-175 and breast is 160--165.
 
Brine and definitely do not stuff. I usually brine overnight and then let air dry in fridge for at least 12 hours. Brush turkey with canola oil and sprinkle some type of rub on top. I use Conrikos Cajun seasoning works great for me.
 
Has anyone tried Myron Mixon's smoked turkey recipe on page 43 of his book?
 
WOW! So many great suggestions here. I knew that you all would come through. I'll reply back when I make my test drive, and I'll try to get some pics up to show the results.
 
I brine for 24 hours in a 5 gal bucket in the fridge, and then air dry. Stuff the cavity with a quartered onion and fresh rosemary sprigs, rub with evoo and your favorite poultry rub. Make sure to separate the skin from the breast and get some rub up in there. Into the drum at 375-400, w/ apple or cherry for smoke. I pull it off when it's 180 in the thigh, around 3 hours.
 
Soooo many good methods and recipes and only 1 bird to smoke.....your work is cut out for you, now which door do you choose? :doh:
 
what is the largest bird you can fit on a uds when spatchcocked? is spatchcocking really that much better than just leaving the turkey intact because i would probably be able to fit a larger bird if i didnt spatchcocked on my uds with a weber domed lid
 
I'm assuming you will want to make gravy as well. What I usually do is cook a couple turkey legs separately in a pan with onions, carrots and celery. I have had mixed results using the drippings from a brined bird. On occasion I have found the gravy to be a bit salty. I guess it depends how much salt is in your brine.
 
To change things up a bit. I dry brine my turkey. I find that besides less mess the meat is tastes better and has more moisture than a wet brine.
 
dealm9 said:
what is the largest bird you can fit on a uds when spatchcocked? is spatchcocking really that much better than just leaving the turkey intact because i would probably be able to fit a larger bird if i didnt spatchcocked on my uds with a weber domed lid
Click to expand...

a lot of people like to spatchcock, it cooks faster. I leave my birds intact and stuff some aromatics in the cavity. The sky's the limit on the size of bird you can fit with a domed lid.
 
Spatchcock, a little butter under the skin, salt and pepper rub, pecan and oak smoke. My wife describes it as... BEST. TURKEY. EVER.
 
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