Turkey Tactics

I’d prefer to smoke it. But the location of supper, timing of arrival, and transport/availability of cooking devices just makes that too difficult. So I guess I’ll be injecting and frying it instead.


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Bonzo, it would seem to me, you above all people on this site should be eating in hog heaven:smiley: After all, you do have connections to the food elite! I try to make that stuff and can’t find the fu-fu ingredients! Truffles are special order!:wink::smiley::smiley: I wouldn’t know what a Truffle even tasted like, if I had them growing with in my back yard! Best I could come up would be maybe, truffle oil so I could get a taste of it! :smiley:

quote:
Originally posted by jughed

Brine then air dry.

Rub under the skin with olive oil/rosemary/garlic/salt/pepper, rub skin with olive oil.

Fill cavity with aromatics - apples/onions/garlic/rosemary.

Fire up stick burner (smoker)

Smoke at 275 with a mix of apple/oak until done.

Drink beer while staring at smoker - while women do everything else.


Question, What does rubbing Olive oil, Etc do for it?

My plan is to brine tonight, pull it out tomorrow night and air dry in the fridge until Thursday morning, then smoke @ 275 with a mix of apple and cherry. Won’t be able to drink beer and watch smoker because we always kick off Thanksgiving day with a early AM duck hunt.

Another question, would filling the cavity not prolong the cooking time by not allowing the smoke/heat to circulate through the bird?

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quote:
Originally posted by Black Bart

Good stuff, everyone! I have to agree with CRM, TB’s brine recipe sounds awesome! TB and PV, does the brine help even if you’re frying the bird, or does it have more of an effect if you’re baking or smoking it?


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I can’t answer with 100% certainty because I am new to brining, but I believe it is more for smoking. I’m not sure if it would help or hurt you when frying. All the birds I have fried were tender and juicy with just a creole butter injection before it went in the oil.

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You don’t want to stuff a smoked turkey! Never done one, but everything I’ve read on the subject, say’s don’t even think about stuffing it!

quote:
Originally posted by pitviper0404
quote:
Originally posted by jughed

Brine then air dry.

Rub under the skin with olive oil/rosemary/garlic/salt/pepper, rub skin with olive oil.

Fill cavity with aromatics - apples/onions/garlic/rosemary.

Fire up stick burner (smoker)

Smoke at 275 with a mix of apple/oak until done.

Drink beer while staring at smoker - while women do everything else.


Question, What does rubbing Olive oil, Etc do for it?

My plan is to brine tonight, pull it out tomorrow night and air dry in the fridge until Thursday morning, then smoke @ 275 with a mix of apple and cherry. Won’t be able to drink beer and watch smoker because we always kick off Thanksgiving day with a early AM duck hunt.

Another question, would filling the cavity not prolong the cooking time by not allowing the smoke/heat to circulate through the bird?

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^^^this!^^^

I think traditions like this are as cool as the food and football! Anybody else hunt or fish the day of, or have any long-standing or recently-implemented Turkey Day traditions?


“I’m not a hundred percent in love with your tone right now…”

Here is a brine recipe from the BBQ Pit Boys. This video also walks you through cooking on the grill.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-nxXUl1-KUg

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Olive oil can help crisp/brown up the skin. On a smoker, or other low temp cooking, you don’t want to stuff it (reasons including it can slow down the cooking too much, doesn’t allow heat/smoke to circulate, etc.). You want the temp of the bird to hit 140 in LESS than 4-hours, hopefully sooner for safety reasons.

I plan on cooking mine on my Kamado Joe, natural wood charcoal, apple/hickory wood chunks. My own rub on the bird, fresh herbs under the skin, maybe an onion/apple in the cavity. I did a 6.5 lb roasting chicken last week as a test run, and was quite pleased!

15’ Ocean Kayak Scupper Pro

quote:
Originally posted by xman

Olive oil can help crisp/brown up the skin. On a smoker, or other low temp cooking, you don’t want to stuff it (reasons including it can slow down the cooking too much, doesn’t allow heat/smoke to circulate, etc.). You want the temp of the bird to hit 140 in LESS than 4-hours, hopefully sooner for safety reasons.

I plan on cooking mine on my Kamado Joe, natural wood charcoal, apple/hickory wood chunks. My own rub on the bird, fresh herbs under the skin, maybe an onion/apple in the cavity. I did a 6.5 lb roasting chicken last week as a test run, and was quite pleased!

15’ Ocean Kayak Scupper Pro


I did the manual smokers for years and have cooked ribs, butts, brisket and chicken on almost every type of smoker, but have never attempted to smoke a turkey for some reason. Probably because frying one is soooo good!! But what used to be several friends coming over and all pitching in on oil and us frying 12-18 turkeys with around 4-5 pots going has been reduced to usually just me cooking two for us, so the expence has risen.

I cheat now because I have a GMG pellet smoker. I set the temp and let it roll. I only have to make sure it doesn’t run out of pellets. :sunglasses:

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quote:
Originally posted by Easy

I eat it until it runs out. Love me some turkey sandwich’s with lots of mayo! As far as I’m concerned the sandwich’s are the best part of turkey day.


X2, wife can make one heck of a pot pie as well. Brining is a must and injection with Tony’s as well if baking. Haven’t injected too when frying…afraid of it being to active in the pot and burnt tasting.

X2 on the sandwich, I like to make them and we also chop up some of the meat to simmer in gravy and do an open face with a baked tater. Makes a quick meal without eating a whole bunch plus the wife doesn’t like a whole sandwich.

16’ Bonito 65 Johnson

Its not fully stuffed, just has some apples/onions placed in there. They will steam it from the inside… great flavor.

quote:
Originally posted by jughed

Its not fully stuffed, just has some apples/onions placed in there. They will steam it from the inside… great flavor.


10-4

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quote:
Originally posted by Happy Bob

Since it’s just the 2 of us, we usually roast a turkey breast in the oven, but this year my wife wanted to do a whole turkey. I figured she’d get a 10-12 lb. bird & man was I mistaken about that. I looked in our big freezer to see how long it would take to defrost, and lo and behold, there was a twenty two pound monster in there. I’m glad I looked when I did. From my calculations at 4 lbs. per day, it was going to take 5 1/2 days to thaw that sucker out. It’s been in the fridge since Thursday night & it doesn’t appear to have made a lot of progress. I planned to start brining Wed. morning. Then into the oven on Thurs. noon or so. Only time will tell. We may be having Thanksgiving on Sunday.:smiley:

Edit: And she doesn’t even like the legs or thighs! White meat only.

Bob Van Gundy
Marine Designs,Inc.
Custom Aluminum Fabrication
803-727-4069


I have out the bird in the bath tub for 2 days with water and it seemed to un thaw fine. As far as a recipe,I use garlic butter,crown royal,spiced rum,or whatever your favorite adult beverage is, injected into every part of the bird and either fry it or bake/roast or smoke.My family seems to like it so that is what I stick with.All these other recipes sound good I will try them 1 day.

Double D.

I would have gone the bathtub route, but the ol’ lady pitched a fit. I even told her I would clean, sanitize, and sterilize the tub, but she wouldn’t hear it. I checked on it yesterday and I think we’ll be good. As far as the brine, vegetable stock, apple juice, salt, brown sugar, thyme, rosemary, candied ginger, and sage.

Bob Van Gundy
Marine Designs,Inc.
Custom Aluminum Fabrication
803-727-4069

turkey in the bathtub??? How bout a cooler instead? An ice water brine will defrost a turkey in about 24 hours and keeps it cool enough to prevent spoilage.

I’m not a food safety police nazi - but something tells me keeping a turkey in a room temp bath tub for two days will quickly place the bird in the danger zone for bacterial growth.

My turkey as of 5pm yesterday was enjoying a spa day to relax before the hustle and bustle of Thanksgiving prep. For a brine, I used a gallon of apple cider, heated it up enough to dissolve 1 cup of kosher salt and a cup of dark blown sugar. Cooled it down with ice, threw in 1/4 cup of apple cider vinegar, 4 oranges quartered, 10 crushed garlic cloves and a chunk of ginger root sliced up.

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14# turkey from earthfare. 2 day brine in yellow curry, brown sugar, salt, onion, garlic, celery and thyme. 24 hours drying out. 6AM will hit hickory at 225 degrees. Will post results…

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Came out pretty good for my first smoked bird!! It was tender, juicy and had a ton of flavor!!

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Turkey was great. 225 for 9 hours.

Lot of good tips in this thread. Thanks to all.

Happy thanksgiving

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Some got to win, some got to lose…