I think Ruby can cook

[dwfisk]

Kind of a sucky day for cooking.

But fortunately, I started cleaning out my barn so I can put up my winter hay so we had plenty of cover to cook.

Had a 21 pound turkey in the freezer that needed to get used so defrosted, hit the cavity with Oakridge Game Bird & Chicken Rub, a bunch of herbs, couple of onions and a couple of oranges. Trussed it up, slathered with butter and into the cooker at 325* running on pecan splits.

I was expecting a 4-1/2 hour cook but it started showing done at 3 hours (breast bumping 160*, thighs at 165*-170*) so I took it off, wrapped in foil and set it in the oven (off, no temp) until dinner in an hour or so.

This was Ruby's first cook. The build thread is here:
http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=184141

I'm really impressed with this cooker, even with the crappy paint (see the build thread; I'll be taking it back to bare metal and repainting soon). Very easy to control temps even burning splits and very low fuel use - I started it with a chimney of Stubbs and only used 6 splits for the whole cook.

I'll try to remember to get some shots of the carved bird at dinner.

 

[SmittyJonz]

:eusa_clap. Next run let's see some flames......... :thumb:

 

[Titch]

Nice little Bird.
Your grass is so green and neat

 

[SmittyJonz]

I'm ready to see a Piglet hanging by his toe nails..........

 

[Wickedcajun]

Yum!!

 

[dwfisk]

I'm ready to see a Piglet hanging by his toe nails..........

Maybe if I can make to the Bash . . . . now ya got me thinkin:wink:

 

[Stingerhook]

That is one fine lookin bird and smoker.

 

[bluetang]

Dang fine job on both the cook and the cooker!

 

[TropicDad]

Fine looking bird you got there! Raining like heck here too.

 

[landarc]

Nice! Perhaps you can find a bigger bird next time

 

[dwfisk]

It was very moist and pretty dang good!

But I've been consuming some other kind of Turkey too so now I need a nap.

 

[pjtexas1]

Damn nice looking bird! Now you have me wondering if mine will run on just wood. I have a lot of pecan. May have to give it a try.

 

[dwfisk]

Damn nice looking bird! Now you have me wondering if mine will run on just wood. I have a lot of pecan. May have to give it a try.

FWIW, I put down a chimney of Stubbs on the leftover charcoal from yesterday's seasoning burn (probably another chimney or so). Then I started adding splits, I broke the normal splits down to about the size of a 2x2 and added 2-3 of those at a time every 45 minutes or so. Eventually the coal bed was looking so strong, I just added full sized splits for the last couple hours. Never had a hint of nasty white smoke, burned clear blue the whole time. Best of luck!

Edit: my normal splits are 16" long.

 

[landarc]

If you wrap it in foil from the start, it stays super moist :thumb:

 

[Blythewood BBQ'er]

Fine looking everything there man! Food, smoker, barn, and land!

 

[SmittyJonz]

Is this Fine Smoking Machine Still For Sale..?.!??..?

 

[dwfisk]

Is this Fine Smoking Machine Still For Sale..?.!??..?

Well yes it is. Still need to sand blast off all that red chit and put on a proper paint job plus I think it needs a couple handles so I'll add those but the first $1,500 gets it. I'm actualy finishing up another cooker and planning on taking them both to sand blasting the last week of April and painting the first week of May.

 

[SmittyJonz]

Someone is gonna get a NICE Smoker !

 

[Sausage Warrior]

Like your bird better than this one! Love the smoker too!

 

[Big George's BBQ]

Very nice color on that bird