hoss210 wrote:i was asked from the church to fix a turkey(even though i dont eat turkey im a ham man) to cook a turkey and dont have the frist idea how to HELPPPPPPP so i thought i would smoke it
hoss210 wrote: hoss210 wrote: hoss210 wrote:i was asked from the church to fix a turkey(even though i dont eat turkey im a ham man) to cook a turkey and dont have the frist idea how to HELPPPPPPP so i thought i would smoke it
Wow Hoss you shurrree did take on the most difficult method for your first time outta the gate, but I'll bet you can do it.
Do you own a smoker, or can you borrow one? First you'll need that, next you'll need to get ahold of some wood and coal or at the very least wood chips soaked in water for a few hours. Then I will pass the ball to Ricksrealpitbbq (another member here) to give you step by step details, he even has a camera and can explain & show you how with a little more detailed accuracy than myself. Good Luck and welcome to SpicePlace forums!
Step one: Make user you have everything together before you start. The turkey needs to be completely thawed. Remove all the stuff inside and trim off any excess skin. Remove any pop up timer devices, wash in cold water and pat completely dry.
Step two: Prepare your smoker. You will want to build a fire to hold a steady temperature right around 230 degrees F. Since most smokers start hot and cool down as the fire settles into a good smoke that you plan on putting the turkey in at about 250 degree F and let the smoker drop down to the cooking temperature
Step three: Putting the turkey in at this point will give you a great meal. However there are several options you can follow to enhance the flavor of your bird. One option is to use a brine. This will require you to soak the turkey in the brine for a good 24 hours before you cook. You could also apply your favorite dry rub. Of course the simplest method would be to brush some olive oil to keep the skin moist and help your turkey develop a rich deep tan.
Step four: Put the turkey in the smoker breast side up. You can use a roasting pan or heavy foil to help reduce any mess or just set it on the rack.
Step five: Wash everything. Once I get a piece of poultry on the grill or in the smoker I like to sterilize everything that might have come into contact with it. Salmonella is not something to take lightly. Once everything is completely clean you can relax. Check the smoker temperature every hour or so to make sure it's behaving properly but you won't need to do anything with this turkey for several hours.
Step six: Calculating 30 minutes per pound at about 230 degrees F, determine the approximate time that the turkey could be ready at the earliest. This is when you want to start testing for doneness. Using a good meat thermometer to test the internal temperature turkey in two different places, leaving the thermometer in long enough to get a good reading. Remember, don't test too close to bone. When you have two reading about 165 degrees F. then you can take the turkey out.
Step seven: Let the turkey rest for about 15 minutes and carve. Giving the turkey a rest will allow the meat to relax, the juices to flow and the temperature to come up a little and even out. This is one of the secrets to a great bird. Don't rush to carve or your turkey will be dry.
Step two: Prepare your smoker. You will want to build a fire to hold a steady temperature right around 230 degrees F. Since most smokers start hot and cool down as the fire settles into a good smoke that you plan on putting the turkey in at about 250 degree F and let the smoker drop down to the cooking temperature
Step three: Putting the turkey in at this point will give you a great meal. However there are several options you can follow to enhance the flavor of your bird. One option is to use a brine. This will require you to soak the turkey in the brine for a good 24 hours before you cook. You could also apply your favorite dry rub. Of course the simplest method would be to brush some olive oil to keep the skin moist and help your turkey develop a rich deep tan.
Step four: Put the turkey in the smoker breast side up. You can use a roasting pan or heavy foil to help reduce any mess or just set it on the rack.
Step five: Wash everything. Once I get a piece of poultry on the grill or in the smoker I like to sterilize everything that might have come into contact with it. Salmonella is not something to take lightly. Once everything is completely clean you can relax. Check the smoker temperature every hour or so to make sure it's behaving properly but you won't need to do anything with this turkey for several hours.
Step six: Calculating 30 minutes per pound at about 230 degrees F, determine the approximate time that the turkey could be ready at the earliest. This is when you want to start testing for doneness. Using a good meat thermometer to test the internal temperature turkey in two different places, leaving the thermometer in long enough to get a good reading. Remember, don't test too close to bone. When you have two reading about 165 degrees F. then you can take the turkey out.
Step seven: Let the turkey rest for about 15 minutes and carve. Giving the turkey a rest will allow the meat to relax, the juices to flow and the temperature to come up a little and even out. This is one of the secrets to a great bird. Don't rush to carve or your turkey will be dry.
If you're new to smoking and are going to buy a new smoker, I'd suggest getting an electric smoker. I have a brinkman electric smoker I got on sale from Home Depot a few years ago for like $50 and I've used it like crazy.
Purists might not like electric outdoor smokers, but it simplifies smoking a ton, and you can leave it unattended for hours at a time without worrying about the wrong temperature. Use wood chunks rather than chips. I soak mine overnight, then make foil packets of the chunks and arrange them around the heating element.
I don't add extra wood after I've started cooking. By the time what's in there runs out, your meat has cooked beyond the point of absorbing more flavor and more wood would just be wasted, imo.
As for turkey, I've brined and not-brined. Either way comes out great, but you may want to season more heavily if you decide not to brine. I do like brined a little better. Just make sure to get a "natural turkey" without anything pre-injected or else it'll get too salty and/or develop a weird almost slimy texture. When I brine I use 1 cup of brown sugar, a cup of kosher salt, some cloves of garlic smashed with the flat side of a knife and a can of apple juice concentrate per gallon (roughly) of water. I soak the thawed turkey overnight or up to 24 hours. When I'm ready to start it, I rub butter under the skin as much as I can and stuff the cavity with cut up citrus fruit (grapefruit, oranges, lemons--whatever the trees out back have handy).
I cook it breast up so the dark meat is closer to the heat and take it off once my probe thermometer reads 160 in the middle of the breast. Tent w/ foil and let it rest 15mins-1hr before carving.
I usually use pecan, cherry or hickory chunks. I don't like mesquite.
Purists might not like electric outdoor smokers, but it simplifies smoking a ton, and you can leave it unattended for hours at a time without worrying about the wrong temperature. Use wood chunks rather than chips. I soak mine overnight, then make foil packets of the chunks and arrange them around the heating element.
I don't add extra wood after I've started cooking. By the time what's in there runs out, your meat has cooked beyond the point of absorbing more flavor and more wood would just be wasted, imo.
As for turkey, I've brined and not-brined. Either way comes out great, but you may want to season more heavily if you decide not to brine. I do like brined a little better. Just make sure to get a "natural turkey" without anything pre-injected or else it'll get too salty and/or develop a weird almost slimy texture. When I brine I use 1 cup of brown sugar, a cup of kosher salt, some cloves of garlic smashed with the flat side of a knife and a can of apple juice concentrate per gallon (roughly) of water. I soak the thawed turkey overnight or up to 24 hours. When I'm ready to start it, I rub butter under the skin as much as I can and stuff the cavity with cut up citrus fruit (grapefruit, oranges, lemons--whatever the trees out back have handy).
I cook it breast up so the dark meat is closer to the heat and take it off once my probe thermometer reads 160 in the middle of the breast. Tent w/ foil and let it rest 15mins-1hr before carving.
I usually use pecan, cherry or hickory chunks. I don't like mesquite.
Gee Orange - I will have to start using the electric smoker more. My wife bought it and tried some pork chops on it by placing a single piece of hickory on the lower rack. Didn't come out well at all and I told her to soak the chips overnight and actually cover the element with them. I use the Cajun Cooker to smoke with and have never used the electric one but may start now.