Turkey

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May 27, 2011
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Thinking about smoking a turkey on christmas. Never done one before so any advice would help. I've watched videos on it on youtube and most say it takes four days for the whole process. And since it goes directly on the cooker you kind have to brine it for about 24 hours to keep It juicy. And if I make my own brine that will take 24 hours as well unless I took the easy way out and made a simple brine like orange juice and apple juice.
 
If you want to brine, be sure to get a fresh "not enhanced" turkey or you will brine an already brined turkey. In order to get a large enough container I used a turkey oven bag in a 5 gallon bucket so there were no food grade issues. It is cold enough in Ohio that I could leave it on the screen porch, if not in your area make sure you have room in your fridge. Good luck with it, keep us posted.
 
You could always use a cooler, they are insulated. I don't know what brine you are making, but my brine only takes about 20 minutes to throw together. From adding the salt to simmering water to adding the turkey at the end. It is suggested that if you brine you do so for no less than 4hrs up to 24hrs.

Just so you know, I smoked a turkey like I do every year for Thanksgiving. I was going to brine it, but ran out of time. So I stuffed the cavity of the bird with 3 apples (any kind you want to use) and 3 oranges, all of which I quartered. I did however use an injection. Which was an easy one.

2 cups of a good chicken stock
4 tablespoons of unsalted butter (sweet butter)
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
just place all in a sauce pan, stir constantly on simmer until the butter melts, remove from heat and inject.

But yes I did not brine this year and the turkey actually turned out juicer than the years that I spent brinning.

Here is a picture , a before and an after.

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Hope all this typing helps you out, and if you have any other questions just ask. :P
 
Alright thanks guys, ill take pics and post em when im done. Still have a few weeks to research brines or injections for it and decide how I wanna prepare it.
 
Think I may cook one too here before too long. Seem to recall a leftover bird from the T Day bargain bin..taking up valuable space in the freezer section as we speak. I'm steadily getting motivated..lol.
 
Try it breastes down sometime. Think the extra juicy lucy aspects might surprise a person. Took me forever to get that strategy through Emeril's thick head. He is a dumb Portuges yankee from Falls River Mass. He brings his pushed pork to 160. Aint that special.
 
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