Home Smoked Turkey
Ingredients
| 2 Gallons filtered water | ||
| 1 cup kosher salt | ||
| 1 cup brown sugar | ||
| 1bunch each of fresh thyme, sage and rosemary | ||
| 2 tbs whole black peppercorns | ||
| 1 head of garlic sliced cross ways (leave skin on) |
Turkey is very lean, consequently it can many times turn out to be very dry. Whatever method of cooking that you choose, brine-ing and basting your bird is essential. It will keep your turkey moist, and develop the best flavor. You may find it difficult to brine a turkey, simply because of it’s size and limited room in most refrigerators. We recommend a method that works very well. Once your brine mixture is prepared and returned to room temperature, place the brine in a cooler with 3 to four large resealable bags of ice. It is important to keep the brine-ing solution very cool over an extended period of time to avoid any bacterial growth. You can even use those re-freeze-able cold packs. Have some in your freezer ready to go so you may add them to keep the brine-ing solution cold. Once the brine has chilled sufficiently, you mad add your turkey. You are going to brine overnight, so pay attention to the temperature! Make sure that the turkey stay’s submerged in the solution by weighting it down.
Directions:
- Add ingredients to large stock pot . Using medium heat simmer for 20 minutes, stirring frequently to dissolve the sugar and salt.
- Take off heat and bring to room temperature.
- Add ice packs and turkey to cooler, close lid
- Brine overnight, adding more ice pack’s if necessary
Turkey:
- 12 to 15 lb fresh turkey
- Basting Mixture 1 cup turkey or chicken stock and 1 cup melted butter mixed well.(You my also inject the bird with the basting liquid if desired)
- Aromatic vegetables to add to cavity of turkey. Carrot, Onion, Lemon, etc. use you own judgment.
Directions:
- Start smoker. Follow manufacturers instructions.
- Use a smoker with a thermometer. You should maintain a heat of 180 to 200 degrees during the smoking process.
- Use either hickory or oak wood, which has been soaked in water for 1/2 hour prior to smoking.
- Rinse and dry turkey thoroughly.
- Add charcoal to your smoker or large kettle grill. When the coals are gray, add your soaked wood chunks or chips.
- Place turkey on the rack, breast side up. Make sure you have a drip pan under the turkey.
- Stick in your remote thermometer in the heavy part of the breast. turkey will be done at 165 to 180 degrees. A 12 to 15 lb turkey should take 3 to 4 hours to cook.
- Baste turkey once per hour( do this quickly so you don’t loose too much heat)
- Monitor the temperature and adjust by adding more coals and or wood if necessary.
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