Ping Thirdeye - Thanks

troutman

I have been trying to make the perfect pot of beans using your recipe and finally did it. I roasted some Anaheim peppers off my plants along with a head of garlic. I smoked some turkey legs for dinner on Tuesday, and a couple extra for the beans.

I finally found epazote, so I followed your recipe almost exactly. Only differences:

- 2 cups pinto beans and 1 cup of black beans, all soaked for 24 hours

- no chili powder, used two fresh chopped jalapeno peppers off my plants

- drained the Rotel (regular style) before pouring in the beans with the Worcestershire

I have to say that these were not only the best beans I've ever made but the best I've ever eaten. The whole family agreed.

The mix of black beans and pintos made everything darker, but the taste was fabulous. THANK YOU for the recipe and the advice on brining and cooking turkey legs.

No action photos, but here is the final result.

thirdeye

Boy, those are some good lookin' beans. Glad they went over so well, it makes a big difference starting from scratch (when there is time to do so).

Did you go with the full 24 hour brine on the legs?

troutman

I brined the turkey legs for 3 days in the fridge, then soaked them in cold water for about 4 hours. Took them out of the water and left in the fridge on a rack for about 8 hours, then smoked them to 165-170 degrees at about 250 with a little bit of pecan wood.

I started the beans on the stove for about 30 minutes then moved to the Egg at 325-ish dome temp for about 3 hours. Uncovered the first hour, then covered for the last two. Added the Rotel and Worcestershire and cooked 30 more minutes.

These are great, and the turkey meat just makes them. I liked the epazote too, first time for us.

My only regret is that I should have made some jalapeno cornbread to go with them.

Next time I may try 50-50 on the pintos and black beans, and definitely will have hot cornbread.

Thanks again, I've learned a lot from you and many of the other great cooks here.

Susan Egglaine

I see the pinto bean recpie on Third eyes site but no mention of smoked turkey legs. Am I looking at the right one? What did you brine the legs in? Do you need to brine for 3 days or is that just what you did? I need a perfect pot o beans

troutman

Susan, I'll try to fill you in on what I did. I followed Thirdeye's turkey leg prep using a brine much like he describes. I didn't have any Tenderquick so I just used Lawry's Adolph tenderizer.

I brined them for three days because I got delayed on the cook. I originally planned to brine them one day, rinse, and cook. So I just soaked them in fresh water after the three days, dried them out and cooked for dinner. Cooked indirect with a bit of pecan smoke (apple is also good on turkey legs) until they were approaching 170 degees.

I wrapped the two remaining legs in plastic and in fridge. Soaked the beans, including an additional cup of black beans, for a day. Then I brought the beans to a boil in the dutch oven on the stove, reduced to a simmer, and added most of the other ingredients in his recipe. Simmered 30 minutes, added the two turkey legs, then onto the Egg indirect at 325 uncovered for about an hour. Stirred and covered for another 2 hours (approx.), then added the Rotel and Worcestershire, uncovered, and cooked 30 more minutes.

After they cooled a bit I pulled the skin back on the turkey legs and shredded the meat into the beans. You can see the slivers in the picture.

I didn't use any chile powder because the rest of the family doesn't like it, but I did use two fresh jalapenos (no seeds) chopped up in it.

Hope this helps, and hope I can repeat this soon. This pot was/is awesome. I completely surprised myself.

Susan Egglaine

Thanks! I was wondering why you put the legs in the fridge to air dry but you answered that. I will give them a try but I will double the recpie, 3 cups of beans just does not seem like enough. :laugh:

Gunnar

Here's the link for the Turkey Legs...the beans and cornbread sound good.

http://playingwithfireandsmoke.blogspot.com/1997/04/turkey-drumsticks.html