First time Smoked Turkey (pron)

Smoked a 20# turkey on my Meadowcreek offset tonight. Brined using PatioDaddio's recipe with slight modifications due to available ingredients. Brined overnight in a tub in the refrigerator. Drained and rubbed down with canola oil. Seasoned with Montreal Chicken Seasoning top and bottom.

Following 'Daddio's advice I brought the offset up to 325* before dropping the bird on the lower grate. Put it on breast side up straight on the grate. Had a large aluminum foil pan for later.

Fired up the pit using about 5 lbs unlit K topped with a full chimney of K followed by two small cherry splits. Let the fire get good and hot before closing the door and slowly bringing down the vents. About every 30 to 40 minutes after I got her up to temp I dropped one or two small cherry splits onto the fire to keep the temp up to 325*. Temps varied from 325* to 365* for about 4.5 hours.

The end result shattered my highest expectations for a smoked turkey. Having never smoked a turkey I tried to follow other's advice (PattioDaddio thanks again). The breast meat was tender and incridibly juicy. I don't think the pron does this bird justice. With about an hour left in the cook I put the bird into the foil pan to catch some gravy drippings.

Pulled the dark meat and sliced the breast meat for later. Have all the bones in a stock pot and all the drippings and skin in the oven cooking down for gravy. I will never eat another turkey that isn't brined and isn't smoked. Thanks for looking.

Phubar said:

Last pic says it all...pink n juicy...and it has the "bend" factor.

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I've never had carved turkey breast that came even close to being that juicy and tender. Truly a tribute to Brine, and to Daddio's awesome recipe.

By the way, I have about a gallon of Turkey Stock now in the freezer and whipped up a big pot of gravy using the drippings, a couple cups of the fresh stock, a bit of salt and pepper and some flour and water to thicken it up. Had a taste (at 5:00 a.m.) and its "eat with a spoon" gravy! Very tasty, followed a simple gravy recipe at

http://allrecipes.com//Recipe/savory-turkey-gravy-2/Detail.aspx

but using the fresh stock and strained drippings made all the difference. And the whole house smells like Thanksgiving!

Garyclaw said:

A fine looking bird you made there. How do you like your Meadowcreek?

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I love it! This is my first experience with a stickburner/offset. They are more work for sure but there is something about messing around with a good hot fire that is great. I have a maverick digital thermo that allows me to keep an eye on pit and meat temp from inside my house so keeping the temps where I want them is much easier. I don't have to stand there next to it to know what's going on. The Meadowcreek is really built well. Everything about it is solid and heavy duty. Can't wait for a brisket or shoulder now.

zwylde1 said:

Yo 42BBQ that looks absolutely AMAZING! Awesome job. I will be doing the exact same thing this Saturday with my buddy Tom02. Going to get it in the brine tonight for about 36 hours or so. Did you put anything in the cavity?

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Nothing in the cavity this time. Wanted to chop taters, quarter onions, mix up with oil, salt and pepper but was out of taters so left it empty.

Here are some pics of an open faced turkey sammie topped with some of the homemade gravy.

Gravy recipe: Took the skin, fat, some small chunks of meat, and all of the drippings and put them into the pan the bird sat in for the last hour. Added about two cups of water. Put it in the oven on 300* for about 2-3 hours. Removed from the oven and strained in a pasta collander. Added about 3 cups of the turkey stock cooking on the stove top. Brought to a boil and added 1/4 cup of flour mixed with one cup water. Simmered about 30 minutes. Added a bit of salt and pepper. Best gravy I've ever had.