How are you making your thanksgiving turkey? Here is mine.
  • scoobscoob
    Posts: 16,617
    I will be brining my turkey and then smoking it with pecan and apple wood

    First off the brine recipe:

    1 cup sea salt
    1/2 cup brown sugar
    6 bay leaves
    2 tablespoons black pepper corns
    1 tablespoon garlic powder
    3-4 fresh rosemary sprigs
    1 tablespoon rubbed sage
    1 tablespoon coriander seeds

    Bring half a gallon of water to a boil and add in brine ingredients, I give it 5 minutes at a simmer and kill the heat, add in another half gallon of ice water and allow it to cool in the fridge, once cool brine the bird for 24 hours in the fridge or other suitable cold location in a bucket or jumbo zip-lock (meant for sweaters.)

    Remove bird from the brine and rinse, prior to the brining I seperate the skin from the breasts and thighs to allow better brine contact and so I can season the bird under the skin prior to cooking.

    Now the roasted garlic and herb butter:


    3 large heads of garlic, unpeeled, top 1/3 inch cut off to expose garlic
    3 tablespoons olive oil
    1/2cup (1stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
    2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
    2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
    1/2 teaspoon salt
    1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

    Preheat the oven to 350 degrees,
    I arrange the garlic cloves in little foil nests to keep them upright and leak free, drizzle the oil over the top of each head, cover with foil and roast for about an hour, then remove and cool enough to handle. Squeeze the garlic from the skins into a processor, add the butter and other ingredients and blend till smoothe, transfer to another bowl if made ahead of time for storage in the fridge.

    And now... The bird.

    I take the bird out to come close to room temperature, I start slathering a load of the herb butter under the skin and inside the cavity, a little on the skin for nice color and stuff the bird with chopped carrot, celery, and onion. Truss if needed, and park on the smoker for about 40 minutes per pound at 230-250 degrees, after hitting it with some smoke I tent the breast to keep it cooking at the same rate as the rest of the bird, I also keep the bird in a cheapie aluminum pan so i can build a gravy from the drippings, sweet jeebus, yes.... smoked turkey gravy!
    Jesus didn't wear pants
  • BenvarineBenvarine
    Posts: 1,606
    What does tent the breast mean toward the end? Sounds great.
  • scoobscoob
    Posts: 16,617
    I cover the breast meat with a sheet of foil so the breast meat is cooked to doneness at the same time as the dark meat without overcooking
    Jesus didn't wear pants
  • ThymThym
    Posts: 121,586
    I'll be doing roughly the same thing, though i will probably put the pan below the grill grate to collect the drippings and place the bird directly on the grill. all of the coals will be off to the side so it will get indirect heat. if she isn't roasty golden done when its close to the end, i'll shift her over above the coals, and use tin foil to keep the juices from creating a flame up.... at least that's what im thinking about doing right now. i may do a tester with a chicken tomorrow to see how this works out.

    oh, and i may inject the meat with a little olive oil and butter too..
    The only thing between me and a train wreck is blind luck..... - Kenny
  • scoobscoob
    Posts: 16,617
    Try injecting the bird with "creole butter" you can find it at your local grocer, I love that stuff for injecting poultry, not spicy, just flavorful.

    I love my offset smoker, it was a bit of a learning curve over my old vertical bullet smoker, but I love the results now that I know what I'm doing on it!
    Jesus didn't wear pants
  • scoobscoob
    Posts: 16,617
    Lakewood said:

    send it to me and i'll upload it to your post



    Done
    Jesus didn't wear pants
  • frydogbrewsfrydogbrews
    Posts: 44,679
    i am making smoked backstrap for turkey day, because i didn't grow any turkeys or murder any turkeys this year.

    but i want to do this:

    http://therunawayspoon.com/blog/2011/10/bacon-blanketed-herb-roasted-turkey/
  • BenvarineBenvarine
    Posts: 1,606
    If you want some pheasants, I'll bring some. If you want them thawed, let me know and I'll take em out now. So, how many and thawed or frozen. Arrive Wed near noon.
  • FuzzyFuzzy
    Posts: 49,655
    Benvarine said:

    If you want some pheasants, I'll bring some. If you want them thawed, let me know and I'll take em out now. So, how many and thawed or frozen. Arrive Wed near noon.



    yes i do. i'll be at work until 4, so just leave them on the porch.
    The pinnacle of lame and awesome in one singular moment. -Lake
  • frydogbrewsfrydogbrews
    Posts: 44,679
    Benvarine said:

    If you want some pheasants, I'll bring some. If you want them thawed, let me know and I'll take em out now. So, how many and thawed or frozen. Arrive Wed near noon.


    i would love some pheasants! frozen is fine, i will brine them and smoke them most likely.
    weren't we going to trade something for them? i don't care what it is, i'm in for the trade.
    crappie or something? i don't know, and don't care. whatever you can spare.
  • BenvarineBenvarine
    Posts: 1,606
    Just tell me how many, three? I have 18.
  • BenvarineBenvarine
    Posts: 1,606

    Benvarine said:

    If you want some pheasants, I'll bring some. If you want them thawed, let me know and I'll take em out now. So, how many and thawed or frozen. Arrive Wed near noon.



    yes i do. i'll be at work until 4, so just leave them on the porch.


    Just give me directions. I hope you don't live in Az. They might be a bit thawed.
  • scoobscoob
    Posts: 16,617
    Benvarine said:

    Benvarine said:

    If you want some pheasants, I'll bring some. If you want them thawed, let me know and I'll take em out now. So, how many and thawed or frozen. Arrive Wed near noon.



    yes i do. i'll be at work until 4, so just leave them on the porch.


    Just give me directions. I hope you don't live in Az. They might be a bit thawed.


    I always miss out on the free pheasant!
    Jesus didn't wear pants
  • frydogbrewsfrydogbrews
    Posts: 44,679
    Benvarine said:

    Just tell me how many, three? I have 18.



    three would be awesome! thanks!
  • FuzzyFuzzy
    Posts: 49,655
    Benvarine said:

    Benvarine said:

    If you want some pheasants, I'll bring some. If you want them thawed, let me know and I'll take em out now. So, how many and thawed or frozen. Arrive Wed near noon.



    yes i do. i'll be at work until 4, so just leave them on the porch.


    Just give me directions. I hope you don't live in Az. They might be a bit thawed.


    go towards chicago. if you see the city, you've gone a little bit too far.
    The pinnacle of lame and awesome in one singular moment. -Lake