Smoked Turkey

Brent Dowell

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My folks were out this weekend for one of their yearly visits. Since it's around Thanksgiving time, I decided to test out my little MES electric smoker on a 14# turkey.

I chopped out the backbone to use for making stock, and injected the turkey with some seasoned butter.

Put it in the smoker. The temp was around 300, or at least that's what it registered. I used a little mix of maple and cherry pellets for the smoke, but only enough to provide smoke for about an hour.

Honestly, I think my smoker is so well 'seasoned' at this point, anything I put in it would come out smoked even if I didn't use pellets at all!

Turned out great! Just like having a second, albeit smokey, oven.

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Awwww sweet! We're doing the same thing! How long? Treatment like rub...injection...brine?

Well, I tried brine it overnight, but it was frozen solid, so doubt it did any good.

No special treatment. Just an injection of butter/seasoning salt. Brushed the outside with butter and then rubbed a mix of kosher salt and coarse ground black pepper.

1 hour of smoke with maple/cherry mix.

It took about 4 hours to cook, but started off kind of fast. I was moderating the temp manually through the process to extend the cooking time actually.

It did turn out tender and juicy though!
 
Brent, I think you missed your career calling; should have been a professional chef! That turkey looks soooooooooooooooooooooo good, I'm salivating! :thumb:
 
I love eating smoked turkey, and love smoking them, too. Unfortunately, SWMBO doesn't like smoked meats, so I've not smoked one for quite a few years. :rolleyes:
 
I usually make the turkey on the weber grill. Usually takes around 3 hours, and generally has more of a smoke flavor than this one did.

But the cherry and maple gave it a really nice, very light, slightly 'sweet' smoked flavor. Looking forward to turkey sandwiches for lunch!
 
Brent, I think you missed your career calling; should have been a professional chef! That turkey looks soooooooooooooooooooooo good, I'm salivating! :thumb:

I had really thought about it at one point, but like many other things, figured why take something I enjoy and turn it into a chore!
 
Turkeys are showing up in the stores now. I had been looking for a skin on, bone in breast for several months...only found two and I really can't smoke those :rolleyes:. They are showing up now so we'll probably get 2 turkeys and a couple breasts for the freezer...turkey is good all year long!! Was looking for non-injected 2% water...blah blah blah...for brining practice. I remember Darrin doing pork in brine for several days, little salty up top but good everywhere else. I have Apple, cherry and hickory. Going to do the practice run on hickory. Years ago my estranged brother did a turkey on a Charbroil H20 smoker on heavy apple...wasn't a fan. I used oak for years in mine and may have a lash at that again.
 
That's a great looking turkey, Brent! I can imagine how great it tasted!!!

We've been waiting for turkeys to show up in the stores - cheap turkeys, that is! It's time to have a couple of good meals, then stock the freezer for the next few months. I usually smoke a couple of 20lb turkeys after brining them overnight with salt, sugar and citrus. Much like you, I inject with a butter mixture that I make by steeping onions, citrus and herbs, then straining it and adding lots of butter. I usually just butter the outside but last time I gave them a little rubdown under the breast skin with some poultry rub. Smoke 'em at 250-275 for 6-8 hours and try to keep the neighbors away!
 
In addition to brining, I like to stuff the body cavity with apples, onions, and celery. I quarter the apples and onions, and cut the celery into 2" to 3" chunks. The stuffing gets tossed before carving the turkey, but it adds nice subtle flavors to the meat. And as I recall, I've used mostly mesquite for the smoke.
 
I will chime in that the turkey was heavenly.

When he said he was going to smoke it, I cringed at first. Only because, while I love smoked turkey meat for sandwiches and stuff, I didn't want it for my TG turkey. He did a heavy duty smoke one year and I really didn't like it (the turkey was incredibly tender, but I couldn't get past the smoky taste for what I think a TG turkey should taste like with all the traditional sides).

However, his light smoking did work out quite pleasantly and I'll let him do it again in a few weeks :thumb:

BTW, all the sides were incredibly delicious as well :) I love having two TG's in a row :wave:
 
That looks delicious. So the trick is to brine overnight, inject with real herb butter, lightly smoke and then just use the smoker as an oven at about 300F for the rest of the cooking??
 
That looks delicious. So the trick is to brine overnight, inject with real herb butter, lightly smoke and then just use the smoker as an oven at about 300F for the rest of the cooking??

The amount of smoke is a matter of individual taste preference. I've done a relatively light smoke and the turkey is great. In some cases, I've done a much heavier smoke such that the skin is unusable and the breast actually has a bit of a smoke ring but is still fall-off-the-bone tender and moist. The condition of the skin is irrelevant to us since we toss it anyway.
 
That looks delicious. So the trick is to brine overnight, inject with real herb butter, lightly smoke and then just use the smoker as an oven at about 300F for the rest of the cooking??

That's pretty much how I did it. Only put enough pellets in the smoker to last for about an hour out of the 4 hour cooking time.

Around our house, the skin has to be crispy and edible (Gotta make sharon happy!)
 
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