# Smoked Turkey Recipes



## Bluecape (Sep 29, 2016)

I am planning on smoking a turkey for thanksgiving, anyone want to share their recipe and process?


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## Jason (Oct 2, 2007)

When looking fer advice or tips, I go back to another forum I am a member on....Don't have to have a BGE but it helps.... I'm also smoking one tonight fer work tomorrow!!!

http://eggheadforum.com/


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## etrade92 (Jul 30, 2015)

The Egg Head Forum is super resourceful. I plan to smoke a turkey as well this week, and have done many in the past. IMO it is one of the best tasting smoked meats. You'll never fry one again.

Just make sure you brine with salt and water 12-24 hours before putting it on. Get the smoker going at a steady 300 degrees with plenty of wood chips. Make sure the turkey is dry and almost room temp. Put her on for 3-4 hours and that's it. Quick and easy.


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## redlegs (Oct 1, 2007)

etrade92 said:


> The Egg Head Forum is super resourceful. I plan to smoke a turkey as well this week, and have done many in the past. IMO it is one of the best tasting smoked meats. You'll never fry one again.
> 
> Just make sure you brine with salt and water 12-24 hours before putting it on. Get the smoker going at a steady 300 degrees with plenty of wood chips. Make sure the turkey is dry and almost room temp. Put her on for 3-4 hours and that's it. Quick and easy.


Replace the water with like amount of apple juice for a slight sweetness.
Crab boil for a slight "cajun" taste.
I'm a fan of the apple juice, is the way I smoke mine.


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## 192 (Oct 1, 2007)

Dry brine if it isn’t shot full of the typical saltwater solution. I will be smoking the breast of a wild bird along with a whole farm raised. Wild bird will have a light rub and wrapped in bacon to keep it moist. Farm bird will be traditional and rubbed with Herbs de Provence. Pecan is my wood of choice.


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## old school (Nov 16, 2007)

*Turkey*

I take one other step. I take butter and let it get soft. Them mix in garlic, rosemary, and thyme in the butter. You can take this in your hand and push it between the skin over the breast and thigh.


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## Crazy Old Phil (Aug 29, 2014)

I also put a drip pan under the turkey while it is smoking, mix a little of those drippings in with your standard gravy for some extra goodness!

Smoked is far and away my favorite!


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## ChileRelleno (Jul 7, 2012)

*Easy No-Boil Brine*
2gal Water
2C Kosher Salt
1.5C Brown sugar

Brine for 10-12 hours, rinse well and pat dry very thoroughly.
Spatchcock the bird and pat dry again.
Combine 1lb of softened butter with herbs/spices, use whatever you like to attain desired flavor profile.
Rub the butter inside and out, and under the skin.
Save remaining butter to baste with.
Setup smoker with a nice sweet fruit wood, set temp at 275'-300'.
Smoke until thickest section of the thigh reads 185' on a reliable digital thermometer.


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## ChileRelleno (Jul 7, 2012)

*Easy No-Boil Brine*
2gal Water
2C Kosher Salt
1.5C Brown sugar

Brine for 10-12 hours, rinse well and pat dry very thoroughly.
Spatchcock the bird and pat dry again.
Combine 1lb of softened butter with herbs/spices, use whatever you like to attain desired flavor profile.
Rub the butter inside and out, and under the skin.
Save remaining butter to baste with.
Setup smoker with a nice sweet fruit wood, set temp at 275'-300'.
Smoke until thickest section of the thigh reads 185' on a reliable digital thermometer.


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## Jason (Oct 2, 2007)

Ive had mine in a brine of kosher and sea salt then added a bunch of cajun seasoning. Gonna take her out tonight and rub her down w/OO and dust her with coffee rub!


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## Breeze (Mar 23, 2012)

Question about smoking a turkey.... you guys are smoking it at about 300 degrees. My smoker only goes up to 275. How do I keep the skin from turning black and rubbery? Is it a lost cause in an electric smoker that only goes to 275? I dont mind the black skin cause I peel it off and the meat tastes great, but the wife hates it and would rather have a golden crispy skin.. not sure if thats possible though. Thoughts or ideas?


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## Jason (Oct 2, 2007)

The skin is my favorite part Doug...Usually turns a blackish cause of the smoke. I try to smoke mine at the 275-300 mark anyways and never noticed bad skin. I usually eat the skin and carve the rest...


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## ChileRelleno (Jul 7, 2012)

Breeze said:


> Question about smoking a turkey.... you guys are smoking it at about 300 degrees. My smoker only goes up to 275. How do I keep the skin from turning black and rubbery? Is it a lost cause in an electric smoker that only goes to 275? I dont mind the black skin cause I peel it off and the meat tastes great, but the wife hates it and would rather have a golden crispy skin.. not sure if thats possible though. Thoughts or ideas?


That my friend is one of the great mysteries in the smoking world. :whistling:

The color of the skin can be somewhat controlled and/or varied by the type of wood used, the consistency of the smoke generated, how long smoke is applied and the rubs/bastes used.

1) Light smoke, the elusive _Thin Blue Smoke_, not a thick white smoke.
2) Less smoke, smoke for just the first 1-2 hours or until a desirable is achieved.
3) Go light on the seasonings/rub on the skin and don't let it burn.
Try mixing seasonings/rub in oil or butter and rub them under the skin rather tan on it.

But that rubbery skin, that lack of crunch is one of the most vexing things to many smokers of fowl the world over.
Achieving a _'bite-through consistency'_ that isn't akin to chewing on a big rubber band is much sought after.
A decent _bite-through_ is attainable but it is still usually far from any sort of crispy crunch, more of a snap or pop as the teeth pierce the skin.
Why? Because using normal smoking temps is not conducive to rendering fat from the skin, so unfortunately moist and chewy skin is the norm.

There are things we can do to help the process without moving the bird to a grill/oven or other methods to achieve a good _bite-through_,

1) Turn up the heat, 350°-375° is ideal.
2) Lack of humidity, 
no water tray should be used and avoid basting or spritzing with anything but perhaps a little oil or butter for color.
2) Dry the skin, a good pat dry followed by a thorough (12-24 hours) air dry in the fridge.
3) Cornstarch, rub the skin with cornstarch.
4) Spatchcock and cook skin down towards heat source.

Other methods which involve removal from the smoker before final internal temp is achieved include finishing the skin by, 

1) Roasting at 375°-400° in the oven
2) Direct high heat on a grill
3) Deep fryer


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## Breeze (Mar 23, 2012)

ChileRelleno said:


> That my friend is one of the great mysteries in the smoking world. :whistling:
> 
> The color of the skin can be somewhat controlled and/or varied by the type of wood used, the consistency of the smoke generated, how long smoke is applied and the rubs/bastes used.
> 
> ...


I can't go any higher then 275 so higher temps would have to be done in the oven. I do try to keep the smoke at the thin blue smoke level however I normally run smoke the entire cook time. I also never put any water in the pan no matter what I am smoking. Going to have to try stopping the smoke early. I normally rinse it and pat it dry then put a light coat of cooking oil on it when I put it in the smoker. Will try leaving the oil off and putting corn starch on it next time. Thanks for the tips!

Sent from my LG-V410 using Tapatalk


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## Breeze (Mar 23, 2012)

Jason said:


> The skin is my favorite part Doug...Usually turns a blackish cause of the smoke. I try to smoke mine at the 275-300 mark anyways and never noticed bad skin. I usually eat the skin and carve the rest...


I like the skin too but not when it is rubbery.. Prefer it with a little bit of a crunch to it.

Sent from my LG-V410 using Tapatalk


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## Jason (Oct 2, 2007)

I put my turkey on yesterday afternoon....Had a upper GI yesterday and was tired as heck! By at 2300 the internal was about 152 so I pulled it, and wrapped it then cranked up the grill a bit. By midnight it was 120 something!!! I told momma I GOTTA GO TO BED!!!! She stayed up with it cause I had to be up by 0430 to get ready fer work. She told me this AM the turkey might be TOAST!!! When I wrapped it, somehow the thermometer was pulled out and wasn't registering correct!!!! I guess I'll see at noon when I cut it open fer my peeps at work!!!!!!!!! Hate it too, it was smelling GOOD last night!!!!!!!!!!


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## speckledcroaker (Mar 23, 2012)

Wirelessly posted

I use an orion cooker, Handful of dry apple wood in bottom. I shoot turkey up with creole butter, rub it down with slap yo mama. Takes about 2 1/2 hours in cooker, turkey falls apart when you pull it out.


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