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Author Topic: Change of plans: Turkey SMOKING Tips  (Read 8283 times)

Offline majorvices

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Re: Change of plans: Turkey SMOKING Tips
« Reply #15 on: November 24, 2009, 09:10:43 am »
I just have one of those cheap bullet shaped wal-mart smokers. It takes a ton of charcoal and is difficult to keep the temps even. If it was just any other day I would just managed to work with it but I don't want to screw around with the bird on T day and I don't really have enough room in my oven to get everything done by 2 o'clock. So I though, slow roast the bird in the oven and finsih it in the smoker. You guys think this is a bad idea?

I am tempted to run to wal-mart and buy an electric smoker and just smoke the bird over night..... hmmmm.

Offline nicneufeld

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Re: Change of plans: Turkey SMOKING Tips
« Reply #16 on: November 24, 2009, 09:50:22 am »
I'm not sure if the bird is about fully cooked how much woodsmoke will permeate the meat...then again, I haven't tried.  The cheap bullet smokers can be hard to control and an electric should be easier.  Hey wait a second, isn't this majorvices, the guru of fermentation temperature control, who can't maintain temps in a ECB?   ;D  ;)

Offline majorvices

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Re: Change of plans: Turkey SMOKING Tips
« Reply #17 on: November 24, 2009, 09:53:16 am »
lmao!!!

Offline capozzoli

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Re: Change of plans: Turkey SMOKING Tips
« Reply #18 on: November 24, 2009, 07:31:49 pm »
I cant remember how long I fried those hens. I think it was about 10 min-15mins. Just have to keep the heat in the medium zone. Well, you know too hot and they will be well done on the outside and underdone on the inside. Just right heat and you can let them go till they get really tender as they cook through to the bone.

We fried them once with out any batter. They are good that way too. If I remember we deep fried them plain and use sweet and sour chili sauce.

The Southern fried hens were fantastic.

Last year I did a smoked turkey and pork shoulder. I brine cured them a few days in advance using curing salts. Morton's Tender Quick to be exact. Mixed with brown sugar kosher salt, bay leaf, rosemary, fresh cracked black pepper. 

Cured them for a few days them cold smoked them for quite some time. The day that I served them I roasted them till done.

Man they were frickin good.

This year TG is at my sisters house. Im not cooking, only making a few pies.
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Offline bonjour

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Re: Change of plans: Turkey SMOKING Tips
« Reply #19 on: November 24, 2009, 07:35:53 pm »
Start and smoke the bird for a couple of hours then oven.  If you wish finish the bird in the smoker.  Most of the smoke flavor occurs early in the process.  Long and slow is always a great tenderizer.

Fred
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Offline bluesman

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Re: Change of plans: Turkey SMOKING Tips
« Reply #20 on: November 25, 2009, 05:31:55 am »
Start and smoke the bird for a couple of hours then oven.  If you wish finish the bird in the smoker.  Most of the smoke flavor occurs early in the process.  Long and slow is always a great tenderizer.

Fred

+1

2-3 hrs on the smoker...then into the oven until the internal temp reaches 170F.

Ron Price

Offline majorvices

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Re: Change of plans: Turkey SMOKING Tips
« Reply #21 on: November 25, 2009, 07:02:04 am »
Cool. That is what I will do. I have a 9.5 lb turkey. Thinking about smoking it for 8 hours and then ramping the temp up to 400 in the oven to crisp the skin. Think that will be ok?

Offline nicneufeld

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Re: Change of plans: Turkey SMOKING Tips
« Reply #22 on: November 25, 2009, 07:32:57 am »
Depending on what temps you do 8 hours could be a long time.  I would check internal temps throughout that time period, more towards the end.  You don't want to dry it out, and if temps are higher than expected you may get the thing done sooner than that.

But otherwise, smoking, then finishing in a hot oven should work fine...I've done that for a lot of stuff.

Offline majorvices

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Re: Change of plans: Turkey SMOKING Tips
« Reply #23 on: November 25, 2009, 08:43:14 am »
I'm pretty handy with smoking Chickens and Que - shouldn't be a problem. I just have never smoked a turkey before, so I'm a little more nervous. Usually when I do Que (pulled pork) if it takes too long I put it in the oven, but with Chicken it never is a problem. Hopefully it will be about as simple with the turkey.

Offline bluesman

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Re: Change of plans: Turkey SMOKING Tips
« Reply #24 on: November 25, 2009, 11:24:12 am »
Cool. That is what I will do. I have a 9.5 lb turkey. Thinking about smoking it for 8 hours and then ramping the temp up to 400 in the oven to crisp the skin. Think that will be ok?

Just keep monitoring the temp every 1-2 hrs as it smokes. You might be surprised as it may be finished on the smoker before 8 hrs.
Ron Price

Offline capozzoli

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Re: Change of plans: Turkey SMOKING Tips
« Reply #25 on: November 28, 2009, 05:33:35 pm »
How did that turkey come out?

My sister ruined the roasted turkey she made. Dried out mess it was. yuck.

Oh well, next year it is at my house, I will insist.
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Offline majorvices

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Re: Change of plans: Turkey SMOKING Tips
« Reply #26 on: November 29, 2009, 05:53:39 am »
It was drier than I had hoped - not so dry you couldn't eat it but not perfect either. I had a hard time getting the internal temp past 150 and was running out of time and slapped it in the oven, which pushed it over the edge. SHould have just built the fire on the smoker up one more time. Luckily my MiL brought a turkey she had roasted and it was good this year for a change.

OTOH I made some hot turkey open faced sandwiches on some good french bread for dinner with the smoked turkey and left over gravy last night and they were great!

Offline capozzoli

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Re: Change of plans: Turkey SMOKING Tips
« Reply #27 on: November 29, 2009, 01:03:48 pm »
Next time you smoke a turkey or pork. Brine it for a longer time. Also get one of those brine injectors (looks like a big hypodermic needle), even the cheap plastic ones work well. Works great for smoking the turkey and for just roasting it. A good brine infused meat will be juicy every time. Even if it gets a little over done.

Also another thing that works well is to cook the bird breast down. This because the parts of the bird that yeild the most juice are on the back. The back bone, the wings and thighs. The fats and juices of this part of the bird will drip down through the breats meat while cooking.

Then for the last third of the cooking time. Baste baste and baste.

We all have a year to practice before next TG.  ;D
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Offline bluesman

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Re: Change of plans: Turkey SMOKING Tips
« Reply #28 on: November 30, 2009, 10:54:35 am »
Also another thing that works well is to cook the bird breast down.

Interesting idea...I may have to give that a try sometime.
Ron Price

Offline capozzoli

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Re: Change of plans: Turkey SMOKING Tips
« Reply #29 on: December 01, 2009, 04:34:27 pm »
If you try it, oil the bird well with some veg oil and oild the roaster pan. This helps keep the skin on the breast from sticking and tearing off.

I usually roast it two thirds of the time breast down covered in foil or lid then uncover it turn it back over to brown the skin on the breast for the last third of the cooking time. Works great for chicken too.

Or just spatchcock the bird across the breast.

There is a famous Georgian dish that is made with ether turkey or chicken. It is marinated in a mixture of olive oil, grape seed oil with garlic, herbs, spices and chopped walnuts.  It is semi de-boned, spachcocked and splayed out with several skewers prior to the marinade. Then it is slow grilled high on the fire till golden brown. You have to be careful not to burn your nuts.
« Last Edit: December 01, 2009, 05:21:27 pm by capozzoli »
Beer, its whats for dinner.

http://theholyravioli.blogspot.com/

http:// www.thecapo.us