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Smoked Turkey

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Comments

  • hondabbq
    hondabbq Posts: 1,980

    I read alot of posts about brining a turkey prior to egging it.

    What is the reason for brining the turkey and is it necessary?

  • Mickey
    Mickey Posts: 19,669
    Lots of people do brine, I just find the spatchcocked turkey juicy w/o it. I am lazy.
    Salado TX & 30A  FL: Egg Family: 3 Large and a very well used Mini, added a Mini Max when they came out (I'm good for now). Plus a couple Pit Boss Pellet Smokers.   

  • RocEGG
    RocEGG Posts: 89
    Mickey said:
    Lots of people do brine, I just find the spatchcocked turkey juicy w/o it. I am lazy.
    Good idea on the previous post about doing two birds. Might try that this year. I do miss the skin along with the slices of breast meat.


    hondabbq said:

    I read alot of posts about brining a turkey prior to egging it.

    What is the reason for brining the turkey and is it necessary?


    It isn't necessary, but it does result in a much more moist bird. I have found that when I don't brine the turkey, it is usually a bit dry. I started brining 4 years ago and will never go without now.  Another advantage to brining is you can add some flavor to the bird, whatever you choose is infused throughout.There are a million recipes out there, I have tried a few and like Alton Brown's, but I usually experiment with it a bit each year. I also find that being able to just dump the whole bird in a big tupperware bin with the brine in it straight from the freezer simplifies my life. No separate defrosting. That of course assumes you live somewhere that is cold enough outside. I leave mine in the garage to brine/defrost til ready to cook.
    Rochester, NY  - XL BGE
  • SmokeyPitt
    SmokeyPitt Posts: 10,490
    Last year I got a brined bird from Trader Joes and spatchcocked it and it turned out really good. I think whole foods also sells the birds already brined.  Just another option if you don't want to do it yourself ;).


    Which came first the chicken or the egg?  I egged the chicken and then I ate his leg. 

  • Fred the Smokin' Guitar player has an excellent instructional video on his site:

    http://www.fredsmusicandbbq.com/category_s/230.htm

     "Where the weak grow strong and the strong grow great, Here's to "Down Home," the Old North State!"

    Med & XL

  • jlsm
    jlsm Posts: 1,011
    henapple said:
    The only thing my wife hated about my smoked turkey was no broth...about how much broth. Should I cut up the neck, etc and add? Thanks for the help.
    I generally use two quarts. I don't use the neck etc. 
    *******
    Owner of a large and a beloved mini in Philadelphia
  • Little Steven
    Little Steven Posts: 28,817
    edited October 2012

    I generally make my own stock cause the backs, necks, wings and drumsticks are on sale.

    Start with turkey parts necks, backs and wings.
    image
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    Roast the parts at about 350* until golden
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    Add mirepoix, two parts onion to one each carrot and celery
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    Roast until mirepoix is caramelised and bird parts are very dark.
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    Remove the stuff to a stockpot, I'm using a large pasta pot cause I like the strainer. and cover with cold water
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    Now your roasting pans are going to look like this
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    Add a bunch of decent white wine and boil and scrape the brown bits off.
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    Pour into the stock, get everything
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    Put some herbs in a double layer of cheesecloth, great way to use the stalks and stems
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    Tie with butcher twine and tuck it into the mix. I pull thiis out after an hour or so.
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    This will simmer for six or seven hours, I'll pull out the strainer and put the pot on a snowbank overnight.

    Steve 

    Caledon, ON

     

  • Brownie
    Brownie Posts: 1,023
    Sunday I stuffed a bird with apples and cinnamon sticks and rubbed the outside with tsunami spin. (I had to lose the v rack... too tall) After cooking, I stuck it in the fridge whole. Monday I stripped the breasts (whole) and sliced for lunch meat. The legs, thighs and wings got pulled to bite size chunks and put in the freezer for turkey noodle soup at a later date. The bones and skin and other waste got boiled down to stock and was strained and then frozen as well for my soup base later. A little turkey goes a long way.
    image
  • Mickey
    Mickey Posts: 19,669

    Little Steven  "This will simmer for six or seven hours, I'll pull out the strainer and put the pot on a snowbank overnight."

    You are saying you don't have to worry about a moose peeing in it <:-P

    Salado TX & 30A  FL: Egg Family: 3 Large and a very well used Mini, added a Mini Max when they came out (I'm good for now). Plus a couple Pit Boss Pellet Smokers.   

  • Little Steven
    Little Steven Posts: 28,817
    I forgot to mention the lid Mickey

    Steve 

    Caledon, ON

     

  • nolaegghead
    nolaegghead Posts: 42,102
    Thank goodness wildlife doesn't have thumbs.
    ______________________________________________
    I love lamp..
  • Little Steven
    Little Steven Posts: 28,817
    Moose don't but they are damn good eating!

    Steve 

    Caledon, ON

     

  • SmokeyPitt
    SmokeyPitt Posts: 10,490
    Steven I'm glad to see you got your photobucket back!  That looks great.  


    Which came first the chicken or the egg?  I egged the chicken and then I ate his leg. 

  • Little Steven
    Little Steven Posts: 28,817
    SP, Wish! I just learned how to copy old posts. Still trying to contact a living being at photobucket.

    Steve 

    Caledon, ON

     

  • Doc_Eggerton
    Doc_Eggerton Posts: 5,321
    A little OT Little Steven, but I frequently take the chicken corpses after a cook (meaning what is left after we eat and pick all the meat we are inclined to eat off) and toss them in a pot of boiling water.  Makes great stock, using stuff that we would have thrown out.

    XXL #82 out of the first 100, XLGE X 2, LBGE (gave this one to daughter 1.0) , MBGE (now in the hands of iloveagoodyoke daughter 2.0) and lots of toys

  • Little Steven
    Little Steven Posts: 28,817

    Doc,

    I save every bit of every bone and shell from anything I cook. I go to an Oriental market that butchers hundreds of chickens everyday and get 10lb of bones for a buck. There is an Italian Grocery not far from me that gives me all the veal bones I want for nothing. I think stockmaking is the key to good cooking. I do most of it in the winter because I can leave the stock in the garage

    Steve 

    Caledon, ON

     

  • nolaegghead
    nolaegghead Posts: 42,102
    +1 on the stock making. 
    ______________________________________________
    I love lamp..