My first run smoking a 14.3# young turkey for Thanksgiving

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remmy700p

Meat Mopper
Original poster
Jun 10, 2013
220
22
Inland Empire, CA
Got the Brinkmann TMLE out and set up in the morning...


Built the coal bed with Ozark Oak lump with citrus chunk. Started the fire with 3/4 full Weber chimney. Once I had a nice, hot coal bed, the rest of the fire was fueled entirely with citrus wood, apple wood and a little maple wood for color and sweetness.


No brining. Just spatchcocked, an herbes-de-provence butter massaged between the skin and the breast and thighs, and my home-made "citrus poultry rub" on the outside.


Breast temps hit 150F right at about 3 hours. Average pit temps were 300-325F. Basted twice with melted herb butter. Here it is right after taking it off.


It was the best turkey I've ever had. Plus, the added fact that it was not taking up my kitchen oven made the whole dinner SO much easier. I let my father-in-law have the carving honors and he just loved the idea of the spatchcocking; said it was a breeze to get it taken apart. The pic above makes it look a bit darker than it really was.

Had the usual trimmings suspects: Yukon Gold mashed taters, seasoned bread stuffing, made a smoky gravy from stock simmered with the neck/giblets and the smoker pan drippings, and the special request from my wife -- my carrot souffle w/ melted brown sugar top:


Hope you all had as nice a Turkey Day as we did!!
 
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