Creole Smoked Turkey

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LarryWolfe

Chef Extraordinaire
Joined
Jan 4, 2005
Messages
15,035
Location
Bealeton
I typically either brine or inject a brine when I smoke turkeys and they come out great. But the same old turkey gets boring after awhile, so I kicked it up a notch and made an brine injection of Zataran's Creole Seasoning and water, no additional salt was needed. This turkey was for our work Christmas Party.

Brine Injection
1/2 Cup - Zataran's Creole Seasoning
4 cups - Cold water

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Pumping all four cups of brine into the bird.
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I let it set in the fridge for a couple hours and then onto the smoker it went.
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I had an audience. Isn't it cool......looks like he has sunglasses on.
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While the turkey was smoking I was taking advantage of Nature's fridge while enjoying a decent day out.
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Five hours later, the bird is done. No sliced pic's, it was sliced at work. But the flavor and moisture was one of the best turkeys I've smoked.
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Very nice looking color on the turkey. Do you cover the bird with foil at a certain point to keep the skin form getting to dark?

Our Thanksgiving bird came out real nice but the skin was almost black by the time it was ready to come of the WSM. I brined and then spatchcocked a 14 pound bird. It was cooked at a higher temperature range of about 350 degrees. It only took a couple of hours before it was done.
 
Always wanted to try spatchcocked or split turkey but just never quite got a round toit. Now did you do him breastes up or down?

bigwheel
 
Smokey Lew said:
Very nice looking color on the turkey. Do you cover the bird with foil at a certain point to keep the skin form getting to dark?

Our Thanksgiving bird came out real nice but the skin was almost black by the time it was ready to come of the WSM. I brined and then spatchcocked a 14 pound bird. It was cooked at a higher temperature range of about 350 degrees. It only took a couple of hours before it was done.

Nope, never foiled a turkey other than when I do pulled turkey.
 
Smokey Lew said:
Very nice looking color on the turkey. Do you cover the bird with foil at a certain point to keep the skin form getting to dark?

Our Thanksgiving bird came out real nice but the skin was almost black by the time it was ready to come of the WSM. I brined and then spatchcocked a 14 pound bird. It was cooked at a higher temperature range of about 350 degrees. It only took a couple of hours before it was done.

Hey Lew try doin em' at 225*. It takes right at 4 hours to do one and the skin is a shade or 2 darker than Larry's but they are fantastic! Even cold and reheated. Ive done them at 350* on my weber kettle and they are good (& take about 2 hours) but way better at the lower temp cook. Merry Christmas to all you guys........and girls. db

I should have added I was talkin about a 14lb. bird.
 
BeeRich said:
Ya my birds come out darker as well. What's your secret Larry?

Give me details on how you are cooking your birds and what you are putting on the skin.
 
320'F
Lump charcoal
No spicing
Wood 1 = Cherry @ 0
Wood 2 = Pecan @ 30
Wood 3 = Cherry @ 60
Wood 4 = Cherry @ 90
Goal = thigh temperature 170, breast 165
Sand in the pan, man.
3.5 hours done.
Score 18/20
Skin was dry, but I'm not a big fan of turkey skin, all jokes aside.
 
BeeRich said:
320'F
Lump charcoal
No spicing
Wood 1 = Cherry @ 0
Wood 2 = Pecan @ 30
Wood 3 = Cherry @ 60
Wood 4 = Cherry @ 90
Goal = thigh temperature 170, breast 165
Sand in the pan, man.
3.5 hours done.
Score 18/20
Skin was dry, but I'm not a big fan of turkey skin, all jokes aside.

Why are you adding wood in intervals? Place the wood around in spots before you light the smoker. This gives the wood time to heat up and burn, versus smolder. I doubt this is the cause of it being so dark, but is the only thing I can think of. How does the turkey taste? The wood 'could' not be seasoned all the way and creating soot. Is it bitter at all on the skin? Since you don't eat the skin, on the next turkey, rub your finger across it and taste it. If it's bitter, your wood is green and or it's not burning properly. How is your top vent set?
 
Because I can't have that much soaked wood chips on a fire. Soaked woods only smolder.

The turkey was great. Just black. The skin was fine, but just dark. There was nothing wrong with the bird. It was just dark. I was asking you about the colour of your bird. Did you use any wood?

Top vent is always open. Bottom three were open as well, to get the high temp.
 
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