Food Smokers and Smoking Tips/Tricks/Techniques

I'm not a turkey fan in general, but I do an orange/honey brine on my turkey day birds and then smoke them. Come out super moist and tasty. I don't do dark meats much I'm not a fan of the greasy mouth feel to be honest. I used to deep fry my turkeys but since I started the brine and smoke I haven't gone back.

 

Good job on those meat's look tasty. Some of us on here have Pellet Poopers and I am one of the ones who now swear by them. Just got more pellets the other day so i can do a brisket here soon and for the turkey on turkey day.

 

BLASPHEMY!!!! Dark meat or go home

 

Nope lol I agree with @Kanyon71. I love turkey, but wont touch any dark meat.

 

On those turkeys, I like both. Never done just a breast but not against it. Except I feel dark makes the best meat to mix in with gravy.

I used to brine in a cooler with salt water and oranges overnight with ice cubes. The acid in the oranges helps tenderize the meat but can't really soak all the way through the thicker parts very well. Last couple of years I dry brine the skin overnight and it makes perfect crispy skin. And I now inject my secret ingredients into the meat. I have had it shoot it out and hit the ceiling before LOL don't get over zealous but make sure it takes as much as it can.



OK my secret ingredients are not so secret anymore. I prefer local honey and just a little real maple sugar. Fresh cut thyme and bay for savory balance, OJ and butter all simmered for ~20 minutes.

I also prefer to catch the drippings for gravy. And even better if they drip on carrots, onions and taters to help them cook in the turkey drippings. Strain them and you have the base for perfect gravy.



But one of the best was last year where the drippings fell directly on the fire and the smoke from that gives the turkey a profile that I really enjoy.



Starting with a great turkey helps. A young 12 pound hen is going to taste a lot better than a 20 lb. tom. Can count on it.

Never done just a breast but like I said have absolutely nothing against it, not sure how I'd do it. Really like to make gravy out of the drippings and add some of the dark meat to it. And eat most of it as I strip the legs of meat LOL.

But my favorite Thanksgiving meal is to go out and shoot a ruff grouse. Breast it, it is all dark meat by the way

Coat with home made fine grain Shore Lunch batter and fry it up in some bacon grease. Better than turkey white or dark IMO.



Hoping the snow stays away and do it again this year. But 18° at noon and an inch already last night, not looking good. Snow gets too deep the dog can't work in it.

 

Last few years I had to put my thermal blanket on the smoker. Helped A LOT.

Ya I inject even after the wet brine. I like to add the flavor profile everywhere.

 

Has everyone gotten their votes in?!?!? A couple of cook-offs ending Sunday night!

Pitfaced BBQ Category

Open Category

 

Spatchcocking the turkey definitely helps with the turkey not drying out... the few that I have done (chickens and turkeys) are both moist and flavorful and can be added to by using a brine.

You certainly have to be aware when using a brine about salt content as most frozen turkeys are already injected with some sort of saline solution.

When you can smoke a whole turkey around 90 minutes (at 350), there's plenty of time to practice a few different techniques before the big day. There are so many flavor combinations and techniques to try I don't see how anyone could ever get bored with this hobby.

Try something new today!

 

Webe kettle for the win!

 

I always brine also and inject. Like you said super moist and tasty

 

You vote yet Paul?... VVV click sig pic VVV

 

Local TW members house burned down in the Camp Fire unfortunately. Posting for a heads up.

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/norcal-spotted-and-bs-thread.53517/page-6755#post-19104369

 

So I went into BJ's wholesale club this morning to get a couple Eye of Rounds. Roll up to the meat case and Eye of Rounds are priced at $2.89 a pound which is $0.50 cheaper than last week. The butcher just happens to be standing there so I ask if there is a price cut if you buy by the case. Yep sure is! Take another $0.20 off per pound. I tell him I'll take a case. He then proceeds to bring out a case weighting 74.05 pounds. I get home and open up the case and there are 12 of those little devils in there.

Time to get to work!

2 are sliced and marinating in Veri Veri Teriyaki and cure #1 to be dehydrated late tonight into tomorrow (8.44lbs of wet meat)
2 are sliced and marinating in soy, Worcestershire, ghost pepper (about 25 of them), black pepper, crushed red pepper, honey and hot sauce (8.03lbs of we meat)
3 will start their a 21 day cure process ultimately finishing into Bresaola in about 14 weeks
1 will start their a 21 day cure process ultimately finishing into dried beef
1 will be slated to be sous vide'd for 18 hours and made into Chicago style Italian beef
2 will get sliced later this week for jalapeno jerky
Last one will get frozen for use sometime later

 

Vote for???

 

Well done!

 

Pitfaced contest...

 

I kinda saw the post. Post the link again and I’ll vote in a bit

 

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/tacoma-world-cook-off-pitfaced-bbq-meat-massage-category.572471/

Not swaying votes anyway... Just linking...

 

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/tacoma-world-cook-off-open-category.572470/

Link for open category