Thanksgiving Turkeys

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pops6927

Gone but not forgotten. RIP
Original poster
OTBS Member
SMF Premier Member
Jul 23, 2008
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Fort Worth, Tx.
Had to start my Thanksgiving curing earlier this week, purchased 3 mid-sized turkeys (approx. 15 lbs. each) and thawed them out and put them in the curing brine.

Thawed out, net and wrap, giblets, neck, thermometer, and tails removed (necks, gizzards, livers, hearts and tails boiled up for munchies). Put in buckets and rolled out to the back fridge
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Then, this morning, prepared 6 gallons of brine and covered them, weighing them down

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with a couple plates.

More to come!

Smoking Day!

Got the turkeys out of the curing brine, Sacked them up and hung them in the smokehouse, inserted individual probes in each (pous one to monitor the smokehouse temp through the door) and started the propane burner:

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Started them at 9am (this was taken at 11:48) and pulled them at about 6:15 pm when they hit 160°. Unsacked them, put them in buckets:

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And rolled them out to the back fridge! All Done! Let them cool...
 
Looking good!

Made 6 pounds of Fassett’s breakfast sausage this morning. 4 pounds linked, 2 pounds patties. So simple and so good!
 
Yesterday I gave in to temptation and got a frozen turkey breast. It's thawing in the fridge and it might be ready for smoking tomorrow or the day after. I suppose I could hurry things and thaw it in brine.

Now I'm sitting on the fence, will I use the offset or the Weber kettle? I could go either way. I've done turkey on the offset before, with good results. I've done chicken on Webers but never a turkey.
 
"]Question Pops, in a previous thread you mentioned you get the cheapest store brand birds. Does it matter if the birds are 'enhanced' or does the brine equalize that out?[/QUOTE]

Yes, the curing brine dissolves any enhancements, replacing it with the curing brine. I've done Butterballs, (which don't have butter, they are enhanced with vegetable oil), store brand, fresh, frozen - all types of birds and they all come out the same: juicy, with a ham flavor and smoky goodness! Yesterday when I put the curing brine in the bucket I remarked, "OK Turkeys! Here comes the MAGIC!"
 
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Hey Pops...
I'm in charge of the turkey this year. I just bought my first smoker over the summer and I have done lots of beef and pork but this will be my first big bird. Any tips would be great as well as any good recipes. THANKS!
 
Hey Pops...
I'm in charge of the turkey this year. I just bought my first smoker over the summer and I have done lots of beef and pork but this will be my first big bird. Any tips would be great as well as any good recipes. THANKS!

I know one tip.
You need to get the turkey up to a safe temperature within 4 hours.
You should be watching at about 3.5 hours for it to be near 140°. If it's not close, take it out and pop it in a hotter oven to finish.
People cure them so they taste good and you don't worry about the 140 temp and time thing.
 
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Had to start my Thanksgiving curing earlier this week, purchased 3 mid-sized turkeys (approx. 15 lbs. each) and thawed them out and put them in the curing brine.

Thawed out, net and wrap, giblets, neck, thermometer, and tails removed (necks, gizzards, livers, hearts and tails boiled up for munchies). Put in buckets and rolled out to the back fridgeView attachment 343397

Then, this morning, prepared 6 gallons of brine and covered them, weighing them down

View attachment 343398

with a couple plates.

More to come!
Newbie. In charge of the turkey this year. Any chance i can get that brine recipe??
 
Well, curing time is up! Pulled the turkeys, sacked them, hung in the smokehouse and got the burner going, and inserted all the probes; 3 in the turkeys and one for the smokehouse:

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Smoking up the back yard!

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Love the smell of hardwood smoke in the morning!
 
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Reactions: whistech
Hi Pops. How long do you brine for. In your Pops brine thread it says overnight to 2 or 3 days for chicken or turkey. I would like to give turkey a try this coming weekend.
 
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