Howdy y’all!

At the request of a couple of folks, I’ve started a smoked meat/BBQ thread...

I am far from being an expert pitmaster, but I can turn out some relatively edible bbq. Since it’s Thanksgiving, I though I’d show y’all how I’m doing my bird. 

Two things....

1) we are having our turkey dinner on Friday, as our guests are on call Thursday. 

2) this is my first smoked turkey, so it’s a bit of a learning experience for me. Please feel free to chime in, and slap me on the head if it appears I’m doing something stupid. I like to learn from other people and their experiences, so comments and suggestions are welcome.

This will be a real time, ‘live action’ thread, so I’ll show you what I do, and how I do it, as it happens. 

That all being said, let’s get cooking, y’all!

First, we open the ‘cooking wine’, and lubricate the cook. Tonight’s choice is a Yellow Tail Chardonnay. 

Next, we start the brine. I use the Alton Brown turkey brine method. If you’ve never used AB’s method, have a look here: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/good-eats-roast-turkey-recipe-1950271

A gallon of vegetable stock, a cup of kosher salt, 1/2 cup brown sugar, peppercorns, allspice berries, and some candied ginger go into the pot. Bring this to a boil to dissolve all the solids.

Afterwards, turn it off, and let it cool down. We don’t want to dunk our bird into hot liquid...

While this cools, I’m gonna drink some more ‘cooking wine’, and  get the brining bucket and the bird ready. Please stand by!

 

I haven't smoked a turkey in  years, Can't wait to see the finished product.

Me either!!

 

Now that the brine has cooled a bit, I put the turkey into a food safe 5 gallon bucket (available at your local Lowe’s store), along with the brine, 10lbs of ice, and cold water. 

Snap the lid on, and let it soak in the brine solution for at least 1 hour per pound of bird. We have a 23lb turkey, but we’ll let it soak for about 36 hours. I check the ice every 6-8 hours and refill as required. 

 

Now, we drink more wine, and we wait. 

Because I’m a Star Wars geek...

Checked the bird this morning, and topped off the ice. Nothing exciting is going to happen until tomorrow morning, when we prep the bird and pop it into the smoker. 

Tex’s ‘famous’ cornbread and sausage dressing....

I will be following this page, thanks. 

Things are happening fast and furious at DT’s household this morning.

I’ve started my mothers homemade bread. 

Pulled the turkey from the brine and rinsed it, and patted it dry. 

Rubbed it down with canola oil, and then a liberal coating of rub. Stuffed the cavity with a cut up apple, red onion, and some fresh herbs. Put the poultry hook into the bird. 

Set up the fire box for the PBC and lit the chimney. Once we get a nice set of coals going, I’ll put it in the smoker. 

 

Coals are ready. I added some applewood chips that I have been soaking in water. 

Brid is on, and will cook to a temperature of 165* with my probe stuck in the thickest part of the breast. 

 

Mom’s bread (actually, according to my sister, it’s my great grandmothers bread recipe) is rising nicely. Time to tidy up a bit and drink some good bourbon while the bird cooks. 

Yeehaw! 

What temp the smoker at?

With the PBC you don’t so much worry about temp of the smoker. That’s one of the reasons this thing is so easy, no futzing around with the fire, dampers, or anything. Set the vent at the bottom according to your altitude, and forget it. 

 I would estimate it’s about 225*. May break out my infrared thermometer just for kicks. 

Bird reached 165*, (a little quicker than I had expected) so I pulled it off the smoker. Holy hell, it’s tender. 

Gonna let it rest, then we’ll have a sample....

It’s really hard to tell by this pic, but holy smokes, this turkey is moist, and tender!!! Not too much smoke...totally amazing!

Winner winner, turkey dinner! Chalking this one up as a success. 

 

Lessons learned. 

Next time I’ll use butchers twine to secure the legs. The skin flap didn’t hold them to the poultry hook as well as I would have liked. 

I used a rub I never used before...one of the PBC brand rubs. It’s a little spicy, I’d probably use my own tried and true rub next time. 

Other than that, this turkey turned out delicious!! Guests will be here soon, time to get our grub on!

Nice!

 

I can’t believe how good this turkey tasted. Moist, tender, and an amazing flavor. The bread turned out fantastic too! 

Mrs Tex and I (and the tactical weiner dawg, too!) are on the couch, rubbing our bellies, we’re all done for the night!

Thanks for hanging around with us!

 

Tex

Thanks for sharing your day with us DT! I bought a smoker once and never used it.....I wound throwing it away and my wife won't let buy another one. A smoker is not like a new gun that I can just sneak in when she falls asleep!

I will show her your pics and hope she will reconsider!

DT,

That bird Looks Delicious.

Great Job

Thanks Tony. It was very tasty. In fact, I’m snacking on a roll and turkey now

It didn’t make a good presentation, but that didn’t really matter to me. I carve the bird in the kitchen and plate the meat on a serving tray. We don’t make a show of carving the bird at the table, like my folks used to. 

10 hours ago, JohnnyB said:

 A smoker is not like a new gun that I can just sneak in when she falls asleep!

I thought you knew that guns are like rabbits, leave two alone in the closet and next thing you know they reproduce!

 

Great Job, DT. Sure looks good.

Can I be your friend?

26 minutes ago, Ray Ray said:

Can I be your friend?

Oh, I’m going to encourage it every opportunity I’m afforded!!!

 

Lol!

The next DT’s smoked meat thread will be Christmas. I’ll really get y’all drooling then. We are smoking a brisket. 

Once you put my meat in yo mouf, you gonna want to swallow!!

 

@ChrisJM981 we off da hook bro! Top gun hi 5

23 minutes ago, Displaced Texan said:

Lol!

The next DT’s smoked meat thread will be Christmas. I’ll really get y’all drooling then. We are smoking a brisket. 

Once you put my meat in yo mouf, you gonna want to swallow!!

 

No spittin

On 11/24/2017 at 4:04 PM, Displaced Texan said:

What's that black thing at 8 o'clock? Did you burn a wing off? It looks like you cooked it in the fires of Mount Doom...

Wing skin got pretty crispy, but the meat was nice and tender. The wings belong to the tactical weiner dog...she didn’t seem to mind!

Since we're talking BBQ ... I went to Charleston SC for the Thanksgiving break and came across a place called Lewis BBQ that specializes in central TX BBQ, my favorite!  The owner John Lewis help Aaron Franklin get his place established.  Amazing brisket!

Nice!!! I’m doing a bbq brisket for Christmas dinner! 

1 hour ago, Displaced Texan said:

Nice!!! I’m doing a bbq brisket for Christmas dinner! 

That’s two of us.

5 hours ago, tomk62 said:

Since we're talking BBQ ... I went to Charleston SC for the Thanksgiving break and came across a place called Lewis BBQ that specializes in central TX BBQ, my favorite!  The owner John Lewis help Aaron Franklin get his place established.  Amazing brisket!

I don't get why someone in South Carolina would want Texas BBQ.  Both sections of the US have top notch BBQ.