Best recipie for a smoked turkey....

[luckysaturn13]

Ok go! lol
Last year I smoked a bourbon brine turkey and it was the first turkey that my wife and I actually liked. what have you guys had luck with before?

 

[memphsdad]

We started doing the deep fried turkey thing about 4 years ago, and have never looked back.

 

[sdbassman]

Less smoke, not more.

Check out amazingribs.com for a great start.

 

[Lomey]

A 12-16 lb turkey is best to smoke. Anything bigger takes too long and stays in the danger zone temp wise too long in my opinion.

 

[knw247]

A 12-16 lb turkey is best to smoke. Anything bigger takes too long and stays in the danger zone temp wise too long in my opinion.

100% agreed!!!! Also cook at 325. This will insure you break thru the danger zone with no issues. It also does a better job rendering the fat in the skin at this temp. I brine rub and inject before smoking mine.

 

[memphsdad]

you should always rub it before injecting it, keeps em happy

 

[knw247]

you should always rub it before injecting it, keeps em happy

Actually, you need to rub it before you inject. Otherwise, all the juice gets pressed out.

 

[Mossome]

I only smoke turkey breasts and legs. I don't brine them anymore. Unless your buying some damn free range locally sourced artisanal hipster turkey, they are already injected with a brine solution. Brining again can make them too salty. I don't inject anymore either. Not fond of getting those pockets of flavor. I do use my rib rub on them and use a cran-apple/molasses/bbq sauce glaze for the last hour. I smoke them fairly hot, above 275, to get the skin crispy and to help keep them moist. You're just really looking to infuse them with smoke flavor. Since there isn't a lot of fat or connective tissue in them that needs to break down, low and slow doesn't really serve any purpose.

 

[memphsdad]

I only smoke turkey breasts and legs. I don't brine them anymore. Unless your buying some damn free range locally sourced artisanal hipster turkey, they are already injected with a brine solution. Brining again can make them too salty. I don't inject anymore either. Not fond of getting those pockets of flavor. I do use my rib rub on them and use a cran-apple/molasses/bbq sauce glaze for the last hour. I smoke them fairly hot, above 275, to get the skin crispy and to help keep them moist. You're just really looking to infuse them with smoke flavor. Since there isn't a lot of fat or connective tissue in them that needs to break down, low and slow doesn't really serve any purpose.

 

[knw247]

I have a few free moments so I'll elaborate on my "process" with Turkey.
Picking your bird:

• I won't buy a bird larger than 16 lbs for smoking. I prefer under 15 but will go to 16 in a pinch.
• I only buy unfrozen, natural birds with no additives or salt added. As stated above, Brining is useless if your bird is already injected with Salt. Zacky Farms are affordable and meet this requirement. Sheltons are also awesome, but 3 times the price.

To Brine or not to Brine:

• The answer is "Brine". But don't get too fancy, only salt is needed for a good brine. I use a bit of sugar in mine as well, however most science supports its a waste. If you get fancy with your herbs and spices, and fresh cut onions, know that it does not have any impact on the bird. It does however make the kitchen smell nicer while prepping your Bird.
• Be sure your brine is cold prior to adding your bird. This is often a forgotten step. Using Hot water to dissolve your brine and not cooling it prior to your bird going in can put parts of your bird in the danger zone unneccessarily (even if its in the fridge).
• Brine for 12-24 hours
• Don't rinse, just pat dry with a towel. Rinsing only serves to spread raw bird juice all over your kitchen.

The Rub:

• Any rub will do. I used to use a spicy Creole rub. These days I make a turkey rub with tradional flavors (Tyme, Rosemary etc) along with my Basic BBQ rub (Doug's Rub) for spice and complexity).
• Don't just rub the outside of the skin. Your rub will not penetrate the skin and you will have all your flavor in the skin. Get you hand between the breast and the skin and apply the rub generously in there. That's right, I just told you to take your bird to second base.

Injecting:

• If you Inject, remember the rule, noting hot goes in there. It will start to warm parts of the bird and increase the chance of hitting that danger zone (over 40) prematurely.
• I use one part honey, one part maple syrup and one part melted butter. Allow to cool before injecting.
• Hit all the meaty areas. Also spread out the injections about every inch or so. The injection will absorb the meat around it so you want to have an even spread. Also be prepared for some of that juice to spray out the other holes you just make.

Icing your Breast:

• I've not seen many people talk about this, but its a great tip to keep your breast from over cooking. When you start prepping your bird, that a bag of ice and set them on the breast. The will keep the Breast cold while the other areas begin to adjust to the temp of the kitchen. Remember to included the prep-time as part of your 4 hours to get the bird over 140 degrees. so don't let that bird spend more than 20-30 minutes out while prepping it. The result of icing your breast will give the dark meat a head start and increase the likelihood of having the breast and dark meat finish together. Another approach is to foil the breast near the end of the cook to slow them down while cooking.

To Stuff or not to stuff:

• Don't stuff. Just don't do it. It's dangerous. The stuffing keeps the hot air from getting to the inside of the cavity. This dramatically increases the chances of having parts of the bird in the danger zone for too long. Let that smoke tickle every inch of your bird. Also, don't tie your birds feet together. For the same reason. It creates areas where the heat and smoke can't reach. Let that bird sprawl out and enjoy the process.

Cooking Temp:

• 325 is optimal if your rig can reach that temp.
• If you cannot get that hot, consider smoking smaller birds (12 lb range). Remember, you want to get that bird from 40 to over 140 in less than 3 hours. (remember, you lost an hour on the prep table)
• There is a lot of science behind cooking at this temp. Low and slow does not do anything for your bird. Its far too lean to need it. The skin will be rendered, and you will get all the smoke you need in that time.

When to pull the bird:

• I pull my bird when all the meat reaches at least 160. Some old books will tell you 165, but those are outdated. Many celebrity cooks also us dated numbers. In a perfect world, I want the dark meat to be 165 (just in case) but 160 is my target breast temp.

To Rest or not to Rest:

• I typically rest in a loose foil tent. Although this year, I don't plan to. I've read recently that its is probably a waste of time.

Carving:

• I pull the breast off as one large piece and then cut against the grain. Those old photos of slicing the breast while still attached are great photos, but flat out the wrong way to do it.

To anyone attempting this for the first time, remember the prime directive... Don't make anyone sick (which means respect the danger zone). Ask any of your guest and they will tell you, they prefer a crappy turkey that does not make them sick over a tasty one that has them in the bathroom all night.

 

[ColdSmoke]

My additions:

spatchcock your bird if you're worried about uneven cooking...Tried this once and have never changed since.

Don't foil the bird when done...it will just make your skin soggy.

Injections are unnecessary in my opinion; plenty of natural flavors from the bird, rub, herbs, and butter. (all added at prep)

 

[MyFathersKeeper]

spatchcock your bird

Didn't recognize the term, but I am familiar with the process. Used it recently on a whole chicken over charcoal. Excellent results.


And good stuff from @knw247 there too.

For those unfamiliar with the 40F-140F Danger Zone, it's the likeliest temp range for bacterial growth within 4 hours or less. A pretty good catch-all, if not a little conservative. Growth can occur at lower temps, or even within the lower end of the range, but the time it takes is measured in days. 70F-120F is the excessively dangerous zone that should be most avoided. But, follow the rule-of-thumb and you'll be safe.

Lastly, minor missteps in cooking technique(s) can be overcome by overserving your guests with good wine and bourbon before, during, and after dinner.

 

[luckysaturn13]

Well the turkey we had was 17 lbs.... to big to smoke Imo so we decided to do a roasted smoke house n beer recipient in the oven

 

[Cigary43]

So many ways to prepare the bird....the most important thing is that it's done at the proper temperature to ensure that it's cooked. Everything else is about taste whether it's smoked, cooked, fried, BBQ'd or whatever. I love turkey and everybody should experiment with different ways to prepare them...that's just half the fun.