Let us show you how to smoke a great tasting
Turkey
One
of the great things about cooking Turkey is the fact that the best part
of of the time spent smoking one is done during your sleep!
Turkey
is undoubtedly one of the best poultries to smoke as its dense meat
will only allow the smoke to penetrate a few millimeters, meaning that
the bird will not be overly smoky and therefore is hard to “over-smoke”.
Due
to a Turkey's size, it is a winner when you have a large number of
people to feed, and it is remarkably easy to slice up into pieces and
serve with sauce or vegetables as a starter.
One of
our favorite smoked Turkey recipes utilizes a vertical charcoal fuelled
water smoker, and is really easy to do. Here it is..
Preparing your Turkey
Start out
by brining a large bird, around 18lb's, or a little less, in weight,
overnight in a refridgerator by using a half cup of salt per quart of
water.
When you
are ready to start cooking, take out the Turkey and remove it from the
brining solution and pat dry with paper towel and let it sit for a few
minutes.
Take some
olive oil, and rub liberally all over the Turkey's surface.
In a
spice or coffee grinder, grind down 2 tlbs of black whole peppercorns
and rub all over the bird.
Place a
10 pound back of charcoal into a chimney starter and bring up to
temperature. Avoid using lighter fuel to light charcoal as this greatly
impairs the flavor during cooking. It is better that your Turkey tastes
of smoky wood than lighter fuel!
Best-selling BBQ Smoker Accessories
Smoking the Turkey
Fill the
water pan with water, and place the prepared charcoal into the smoker
along with mesquite or hickory wood chips. (Don't forget to soak the
chips in a little water first before adding them to the charcoal).
Place the
Turkey on the highest grill, place the cover on, and avoid opening the
smoker during cooking.
Avoid
opening the vents or lid to take a peek at the Turkey during cooking as
you simply don't need to do so.
The best
way to cook the Turkey is to start smoking it in the evening just
before bed, and then allowing it to cook for around 10 to 12 hours
until done.
When you remove the Turkey from your smoker in the morning,
there will be little heat left, and it will be cooked to perfection
having been slow smoked all night.
This is
as simple as smoked Turkey gets, and is succulent, full of flavor and a
joy to eat.
A Note
About Smoking Turkey and other Poultry
Poultry
smokes well at higher temperatures, too. Try smoking your next chicken
or turkey at 325 degrees Fahrenheit and the results will not be
desirable.
Always protect the wing tips and legs with foil to prevent
burning.
