Anyone smoking a Turkey this year?

[Cueball]

I've taken a liking to all things smoked and want to do a turkey for Thanksgiving. Don't really have a game plan yet, just seasoning and either hickory or mesquite. If any ideas come to mind I'd be sure to stea..., use them.

[Atomic Punk]

Wet or dry smoking? I don't have much experience but have a wet smoker and have concentrated on ribs only for now. Mesquite puts a strong flavor in ribs, but hickory with apple cider in the wet bowl works for my particular setup.

I've read where you could use apple and cherry wood as mesquite woill over power the turkey. I think mesquite is more for beef rather than poultry and pork.

For injecting the legs and breast:

- inject 1/2 cup chicken broth with 3 Tsp melted butter, 2 tsp lemon juice, and a tsp of cajun spices that are finely ground so they don't clog the injector.

Never tried it, but that's what the book says.

[indyfrisco]

For 7 years, I brought turkeys in to my job back in Dallas when I lived there for our company thanksgiving dinner. Always did 4 or 5 18-20 lb turkeys. Years 1-5 I just brought in fried turkey. Year 6 I decided to try smoked in addition to the fried.

I smoked a couple 20 lb. birds over mesquite. While AP means well, mesquite will not overpower the bird. You just need to be sure not to put too much in the firebox. When smoking poultry, I only add wood for 40 minutes or so. That's all it takes to infuse the bird with the smoke flavor. BEyond that, I simply add more charcoal. Sure, you could use a milder wood but why waste the wood?

One thing AP is correct on though is the use of fruit woods with poultry. A much different but very tasty change to mesquite. I used peach wood on a chicken and cornish game hens before. Very nice flavor, but I'm still a mesquite kinda guy.

Here's some base indredients I use in my injected marinade. Can't remember the exact portions offhand but this is close.

8 oz. italian dressing strained (don't want the veggies clogging your needle)
6 oz. terriaki
1 stick butter
1 T cayenne
1 T Tony Chacheres
1 T Garlic Powder
2 T mustard

Combine all ingredients in sauce pan until incorporated. Use whisk to stir. Let cool a bit before injecting.

One tip...I always inject the bird after the bird has been setting out for about 2-3 hours. If you inject a butter marinade into a cold turkey, then the butter hardens right away and does not have a chance to penetrate the meat. So, after a few hours of the bird sitting at room temp, inject the bird. As you inject, slowly pull the needle out as you press in the plunger. The marinade will try to ooze out. I hold the tip of my finger over the hole and massage it as the marinade soaks into the surrounding meat. Also, I inject 3 times in the same hole. 45/90/45 or "\" then "|" then "/". Once the injection is done, I take some peanut oil and Tony's and rub the outside of the bird down with it. Good coat of oil first then sprinkle the Tony's on it. Before putting on the smoker, cut a couple lemons and an orange in half and stuff the bird with these. Let the bird sit another 2-3 hours at room temp before putting in the fridge for the night

Smoke the bird and cook on indirect heat at about 300 degrees for 3-4 hours or until the breast is 160 degrees. Place in paper bag lined ice chest until ready to carve.

And fuck cranberry sauce. If you have Brent's BBQ Sauce, by all means, serve that with the bird.

Anyhow, back to my work story. Year 6 I brought in the smoked turkeys. People loved them...but the vast majority still prefer the fried version as do I.

[Dinsdale]

but why waste the wood?

The U&L laughs.


Oh, and hickory and poultry don't mix.

[Goober McTuber]

Poultry sitting at room temperature for 2-3 hours is a good thing?

[Mikey]

Smoked a load of chicken parts with cherry wood. Came out great...it was almost sweet.

[indyfrisco]

Oh, and hickory and poultry don't mix.

I never said it did.

[Headhunter]

I've always used a combination of woods for smoking a turkey. I start off Brining the Turkey, and then fire it up with Mesquite. I only hit the mesquite on the first round. From there I switch to Pecan wood. The combination of the two woods works really well on the Turkey.

[indyfrisco]

Poultry sitting at room temperature for 2-3 hours is a good thing?

Yeah, getting the bird from an icebox state to room temp is a good thing when marinating and just before cooking as well. I never throw any meat on the grill/smoker that has not sat out for a couple hours at least, poultry included.

[indyfrisco]

but why waste the wood?

The U&L laughs.

Hey, when I lived in Texas and had pecan wood at my beck and call, no biggie. Here in "Hickoryland", I preserve my smoking wood. I never use hickory on anything. Just not a big fan of it. Mesquite is not cheap around here

[Dinsdale]

Goes back to my "native hardwoods" schpeil.

Around here, hickory and mesquite come in bags from the store. Cherry, alder, and apple come from the trimmings/windfall from the backyard (OK, no alder in the backyard, but it ain't exactly rare around these parts).

Got a decent stack of cherry, matter of fact.

But I can't envision a day where U&L Guy would go to the store to buy wood scraps... we spend too many hours cleaning them up all winter.


Alder, cherry, apple, oak, maple, walnut... bring it on. How much do you need? Hickory, mesquite... keep your bags of wood.

[indyfrisco]

If I had access to loads of cherry, apple and peach wood, I would use them all the time. I do not, however.

Bagged wood is just as good as wood picked up off the ground save for the expense. With the use of water, I can make a 10 lb bag of mesquite last for about 12 hours of slow and low cooking. $5 for the bag and it's really not that bad a deal.

But like I said, if the usefullness of the wood is over with, no need to continue to use it if you don't have to. And I got hickory trees all around me. I'd rather buy mesquite than use hickory for free.

[Truman]

An emphatic IN from the Barbecue Capital!

So much to play with here…

Year 6 I brought in the smoked turkeys. People loved them...but the vast majority still prefer the fried version as do I.

Fried turkey rocks, but I took my smoker head-to-head against a deep-fryer last year and came away with a clean platter. Smoked turkey done right buries fried....

The U&L laughs.

The U&L laughs.

…And the Bell-Weather laughs at the U&L.

Oh, and hickory and poultry don't mix.

Are you frickin' kiddin' me?

Good Lord.

Yet another category where we find the U&L somewhat lacking

Sucks to be you, Dins, but apparently, Oregon hickory can't compare with Missouri Ozark hickory, because this statement is clearly the most ignorant and ill-informed you have EVER posted.

Much as the Dennis Dixon Oregon spread offense can't hang a candle to the version mastered by Mizzou's Chase Daniel…

But I digress.

Dinsy, your rhetoric is one of the Top Five reasons why I log onto this Board. But you are CLEARLY in over your head here…

"Hickory and poultry don't mix"?

Bwahahahahahahahahahahahhahahah

OMG! Lemme know when you want your credibility back. You just posted the Internet version of building decks with simple galvanized nails…

Seriously, Dude, back away from this discussion.

I've always used a combination of woods for smoking a turkey. I start off Brining the Turkey, and then fire it up with Mesquite. I only hit the mesquite on the first round. From there I switch to Pecan wood. The combination of the two woods works really well on the Turkey

^^^^^^^^^^^

Gets it. Fuckin' Rack HH. A simple brine on a carefully smoked turkey kills deep-fried…

Hey, when I lived in Texas and had pecan wood at my beck and call, no biggie. Here in "Hickoryland", I preserve my smoking wood. I never use hickory on anything. Just not a big fan of it. Mesquite is not cheap around here

A Texan living in Indy who doesn't believe in hickory wood? And you expect folks who know barbecue to take your sauce seriously? Ummm... Whatever dude....

[Dinsdale]

Truman looking to blow his own horn is always funny.


Regardless how BODElicious you think you are, I still don't like hickory on poultry(and I'm apparently not alone).

Although granted, hickory isn't as bad on poultry as it is on fish (which is a big "no-no").


And I guess that I shouldn't be suprised that my "The U&L laughs" in response the the phrase "wasting wood" was lost on you. Uhm, Tru... there's more wood in my backyard than there is in your entire state. Light coming on yet, or should I just resign myself to explaining EVERY joke I make on here to you?


And I'm not so bad as you make out... in fact, I even resisted the temptation to post a hearty "BWAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!" when Adel referred to "fresh seafood" in Missouri(even though there's no such thing).

[Truman]

Truman looking to blow his own horn is always funny.

Funnier still is Dinsdale offering up a "take" on barbecue….

Regardless how BODElicious you think you are, I still don't like hickory on poultry(and I'm apparently not alone).

Color me not surprised, Dinsdork. Clearly, you have never had really good barbecued chicken or turkey. Just like you have never enjoyed a really good steak.

But we digress…

Although granted, hickory isn't as bad on poultry as it is on fish (which is a big "no-no").

Is that right?

Good God, Rain-Man, not laughin' with you….

Seriously, dude, you just broke the tard-o-meter. Back away from the barbecue thread and all is grand….

And I guess that I shouldn't be suprised that my "The U&L laughs" in response the the phrase "wasting wood" was lost on you. Uhm, Tru... there's more wood in my backyard than there is in your entire state. Light coming on yet, or should I just resign myself to explaining EVERY joke I make on here to you?

Naw, dude, you just need to go ahead and resign. Sorry pal, but chuckin' a hand-full of backyard cedar duff on your electric smoker fails to impress. Seriously, Dins, this topic is clean over your head.

And I'm not so bad as you make out... in fact, I even resisted the temptation to post a hearty "BWAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!" when Adel referred to "fresh seafood" in Missouri(even though there's no such thing).

Um, yes you are. Benevolence and three bucks will get a latte at Starbucks. A-dork is a complete dumbass. Body of work out front shoulda toldja. Fresh seafood in Missouri is an oxymoron comparable to good barbecue in Oregon…

[indyfrisco]

Hey, when I lived in Texas and had pecan wood at my beck and call, no biggie. Here in "Hickoryland", I preserve my smoking wood. I never use hickory on anything. Just not a big fan of it. Mesquite is not cheap around here

A Texan living in Indy who doesn't believe in hickory wood? And you expect folks who know barbecue to take your sauce seriously? Ummm... Whatever dude....

I don't like the taste of hickory. Doesn't mean I can't queue. Like HH, back when I lived in Texas, I would mix the mesquite and pecan as well. Just can't get pecan around here. When I go back sometime in my truck, I'll be sure to load up on mesquite and pecan. Until then, I'll make do with the stuff I gotta buy here.

As for my sauce, you can't knock it till you've tried it. And I have yet to have anyone say it isn't any good. The most negative comments left here are that it was either too spicy for some (Mikey's wife) or not sweet enough (orc). Off the top of my head, I'd guess about 25 people here have tried it. I'll stand by my sauce and let the feedback of those who have tried it speak for it as well. Bitter anonymous internet tough guy just don't rate.

[Atomic Punk]

For me, Brent's Hot version of the sauce is the only way to go, if you want. Nothing like those smoked spare ribs over hickory with that sauce on them. A buddy of mine said to try the spicy or hot version (?) of KC Masterpiece next round. I used to use Stubb's but never on a smoker.

I took a bunch to work last week and people were like, "Where did you buy those?"

[Truman]

Hey, when I lived in Texas and had pecan wood at my beck and call, no biggie. Here in "Hickoryland", I preserve my smoking wood. I never use hickory on anything. Just not a big fan of it. Mesquite is not cheap around here

A Texan living in Indy who doesn't believe in hickory wood? And you expect folks who know barbecue to take your sauce seriously? Ummm... Whatever dude....

I don't like the taste of hickory. Doesn't mean I can't queue. Like HH, back when I lived in Texas, I would mix the mesquite and pecan as well. Just can't get pecan around here. When I go back sometime in my truck, I'll be sure to load up on mesquite and pecan. Until then, I'll make do with the stuff I gotta buy here.

As for my sauce, you can't knock it till you've tried it. And I have yet to have anyone say it isn't any good. The most negative comments left here are that it was either too spicy for some (Mikey's wife) or not sweet enough (orc). Off the top of my head, I'd guess about 25 people here have tried it. I'll stand by my sauce and let the feedback of those who have tried it speak for it as well. Bitter anonymous internet tough guy just don't rate.

Color me less than impressed, Indy. Two reasons to question your bonafides:

1) Like it or not, hickory is the signature wood of barbecue. Oh, mesquite is fine for fajitas and the occasional turkey, and pecan offers a nice change-of-pace for briskett, but I defy you to name a smokehouse worth its accolades in the Carolinas, Memphis , or Kansas City that uses your scrubwood of choice as its primary source of smoke.

2) A thin-skinned anonymous Internet pussy jocking barbecue sauce on a smack board just doesn't quite cut it either. Toldja before: Enter your sauce in serious competition, or content yourself marketing it to brain-dead Calis.

[Atomic Punk]

I hope you're not saying I'm brain-dead. My point is that IF you're going to use Brent's sauce, then his hot version is the only way to go.

A buddy of mine that runs a smoke house didn't like Brent's sauce and I forget why, but he is the one that suggested KC Masterpiece. He named a few others but I'm going one step at a time.

[Truman]

I hope you're not saying I'm brain-dead. My point is that IF you're going to use Brent's sauce, then his hot version is the only way to go.

A buddy of mine that runs a smoke house didn't like Brent's sauce and I forget why, but he is the one that suggested KC Masterpiece. He named a few others but I'm going one step at a time.

No, AP, I'm not. I just have a tendency to get my Irish up debating Dins and it oft-times carries to other posts.

Barbecue is regionally subjective. You're pal probably has his own sauce, or is loyal to a particular brand with which he serves his 'cue.

Masterpiece is a fine sauce, AP, but the brand is now owned by Kingsford. Conglomo sauce, like conglomo beer, sets my teeth on edge. You can do better. The barbecue sections in my town span 16 feet of shelf space, and offer up almost 200 different varieties of local sauce. Don't be afraid to experiment. My best friend now distributes a product called Clyde's Sooner Sauce (Best Sauce North of the Red), but on the rare occasion that I run out, I'll trot down to the market to try something new.

Rack Brent for having the cubes to market his own sauce. Even if the fucker won't 'cue with hickory.... :wink:

[Mikey]

Barbecue is regionally subjective. You're pal probably has his own sauce, or is loyal to a particular brand with which he serves his 'cue.

I'm glad you added that. I was beginning to think that you'd never been outside a narrow swath of the midwest and southeast.

For a different style bbq, especially on spare ribs, this stuff rocks...