Did you dry brine? Really ups the juiciness of the bird. Last year put on an hour of smoke at 225 then roasted at 400 until the thigh was 175 and it came out perfectly.
Smoking Meat Questions and Discussion
- Thread starter Statefan515ISU
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You ever use a smoke tube? thinking about using one for the first hour to give it a little extra smoke flavor but wasn't sure if it would overdue it on turkey?
My last turkey was cooked at 275. It took about 4 hours spatchcocked. I’ve never had much success with the skin so I removed it when I carved it.
Dry brine is rubbing the turkey with kosher salt (0.5 to 1 tsp per lbs) and keeping in the fridge overnight up to 24 hrs. The salt pulls moisture from the surface then osmosis redistributes the salty brine into the meat. Add your herbs before the smoke.
I use one for pork and beef, but never tried with poultry. I'd be interested how it turns out, I've always read that you don't want too much smoke on poultry.
You ever inject your bird? I’m pretty sure I have before but seems like you would want to do it before you put it on the smoker. Not do it the night before. Correct?
I tried once and made a big mess. I don't think it matters to much. In the fridge the butter is going to solidify.
I will get a fresh turkey from Fareway usually. I will wet brine using Alton Browns recipe. I will brine for at least 16 hours to 24 hours. I will also put herbed butter under the skin along with putting sage, rosemary, and time springs in the cavity. I will finish with cut up apple and onions that I have microwaved to get them warm to allow the flavors to permeate the turkey.
The fresh turkey does not have the salt solution added to it, so it will not be oversalted when you brine it. Never had a bad turkey yet the last 5 years I have done it.
The fresh turkey does not have the salt solution added to it, so it will not be oversalted when you brine it. Never had a bad turkey yet the last 5 years I have done it.
Very similar to what I do, fresh turkey from Fareway, except I switched to dry brining a few years ago. Herb butter under the skin, onion/carrot/celery/rosemary in the cavity, olive oil/salt/pepper over the skin then into the oven on a rack with chicken stock and veggies in the pan. I go high heat, 400-425.
I wet brined for many years, then a few years ago switched to dry brining. Both are good but I like the results from dry brining a little better, plus it's not nearly as much work.
Stage one- dry brine update: strongly recommend putting some kind bucket around your turkey when you leave it in your garage fridge for a week. Otherwise the god damn thing may leak all over your fridge and your kids may “forget to tell you” they saw it leaking several days ago.
rub it with butter every so often to brown and crisp the skin. Did that last year and it was beautiful.
