- Oct 23, 2007
- 206
- 10
Wow, thanks to all the excellent info on this forum our turkey and ham came out better this year than ever before.
Sunday night - took the 37 cent frozen turkey out of the freezer and put in the refrigerator.
Tuesday evening - took everything out of the turkey, and placed in my turkey fryer stock pot in a brine. 3 gallons water, with 1 cup kosher salt per gallon just covered the bird in that pot. Some spice and orange and lemons sliced up. Into the refrigerator. Good thing we have a second refrig in the garage.
Thursday morning about 8:30 am. Turkey taken out of brine, rinsed in clear water, rubbed with butter and black pepper, and into the gasser Smoke Hollow. The one in the middle with the round temp gauge.
http://www.olp-inc.com/products_smokers_vertical.html
Spent the first hour adjusting the temp to get somewhere around 325F on the door gauge. My digital probe was in the air above the turkey and registered from 275-300F. Water in the pan.
2nd hour put water soaked apple chips in the smoke pan in foil with holes poked in the foil.
3rd hour replaced the apple chips with fresh chips.
4th hour removed the bird from the smoker. Internal breast temp was about 155F, thigh was lower.
Put the bird in the electric roaster similar to this one:
http://www.jcpenney.com/jcp/Products...ItemID=1285280
Placed the digital probe in the thigh which was easily seen as the coolest part of the bird after the smoke.
Stuffed the bird with sliced apples and pears. Tied the legs together with butcher's twine. Made a simple baste of olive oil, ground black pepper, and a small amount of red pepper flakes.
Added about 1 inch of canned chicken stock and water in the roaster pan.
Brought the bird up to 170F in the thigh area in the roaster, basted once in the process. Turned it down to a low warm temp. to let it rest.
Carved to platter and served about 1:30 pm.
My sister-in-law used 4 cups of the chicken stock/turkey/smoke drippings from the roaster to make a fabulous gravey.
Now, while all this was going on, the spiral cut, fully cooked ham went into the smoke hollow smoker after the turkey was removed with a new charge of apple chips. Heat was turned down to lowest gas setting, which was around 250F for about 1.5 hours.
We have two electric roasters, so the ham went into the second roaster set on about 150F and stayed good and warm until the Turkey was carved. I put the honey glaze on the ham that came in the store bought packet. The roaster bottom took 2 12 oz. cans of Dr. Pepper and some added water to get about 1 inch of liquid.
IMHO, the smoke times are plenty to get flavor into the meats. The electric roaster gives you precise temperatures and a moist environment which "washes over" the bird and ham as the steam drips from the curved lid. It's really easy to get your finished temps and serving timing using the roasters. I have my garage floor finished out with epoxy coating, so we back the cars out and use it as an additional room for the holidays when everyone comes over. Having the roasters inside the garage contributes to temp control vs the smoker outside where the weather and winds can make things difficult.
The built-in ovens in the kitchen were kept plenty busy by my wife cooking all sorts of side dishes, such as the dressing. Another reason to use the roasters.
First time I've ever used apple chips. Great suggestion from here on the forum. Everyone on both sides of the family loved the meats. That 11 lb bird was almost all gone, very little leftovers.
Thanks for making me look good all!
Jerry
Sunday night - took the 37 cent frozen turkey out of the freezer and put in the refrigerator.
Tuesday evening - took everything out of the turkey, and placed in my turkey fryer stock pot in a brine. 3 gallons water, with 1 cup kosher salt per gallon just covered the bird in that pot. Some spice and orange and lemons sliced up. Into the refrigerator. Good thing we have a second refrig in the garage.
Thursday morning about 8:30 am. Turkey taken out of brine, rinsed in clear water, rubbed with butter and black pepper, and into the gasser Smoke Hollow. The one in the middle with the round temp gauge.
http://www.olp-inc.com/products_smokers_vertical.html
Spent the first hour adjusting the temp to get somewhere around 325F on the door gauge. My digital probe was in the air above the turkey and registered from 275-300F. Water in the pan.
2nd hour put water soaked apple chips in the smoke pan in foil with holes poked in the foil.
3rd hour replaced the apple chips with fresh chips.
4th hour removed the bird from the smoker. Internal breast temp was about 155F, thigh was lower.
Put the bird in the electric roaster similar to this one:
http://www.jcpenney.com/jcp/Products...ItemID=1285280
Placed the digital probe in the thigh which was easily seen as the coolest part of the bird after the smoke.
Stuffed the bird with sliced apples and pears. Tied the legs together with butcher's twine. Made a simple baste of olive oil, ground black pepper, and a small amount of red pepper flakes.
Added about 1 inch of canned chicken stock and water in the roaster pan.
Brought the bird up to 170F in the thigh area in the roaster, basted once in the process. Turned it down to a low warm temp. to let it rest.
Carved to platter and served about 1:30 pm.
My sister-in-law used 4 cups of the chicken stock/turkey/smoke drippings from the roaster to make a fabulous gravey.
Now, while all this was going on, the spiral cut, fully cooked ham went into the smoke hollow smoker after the turkey was removed with a new charge of apple chips. Heat was turned down to lowest gas setting, which was around 250F for about 1.5 hours.
We have two electric roasters, so the ham went into the second roaster set on about 150F and stayed good and warm until the Turkey was carved. I put the honey glaze on the ham that came in the store bought packet. The roaster bottom took 2 12 oz. cans of Dr. Pepper and some added water to get about 1 inch of liquid.
IMHO, the smoke times are plenty to get flavor into the meats. The electric roaster gives you precise temperatures and a moist environment which "washes over" the bird and ham as the steam drips from the curved lid. It's really easy to get your finished temps and serving timing using the roasters. I have my garage floor finished out with epoxy coating, so we back the cars out and use it as an additional room for the holidays when everyone comes over. Having the roasters inside the garage contributes to temp control vs the smoker outside where the weather and winds can make things difficult.
The built-in ovens in the kitchen were kept plenty busy by my wife cooking all sorts of side dishes, such as the dressing. Another reason to use the roasters.
First time I've ever used apple chips. Great suggestion from here on the forum. Everyone on both sides of the family loved the meats. That 11 lb bird was almost all gone, very little leftovers.
Thanks for making me look good all!
Jerry
