JUST JUDY & I & A 22 LB. TURKEY

[SmokinAl]

Well since I'm going in for surgery tomorrow, we had Christmas by ourselves. We were invited to a couple of parties & we usually have friends over for Christmas dinner. But I was afraid to be around anybody for fear of getting sick & then they would postpone the surgery. So I had already bought a 22 lb. Butterball. I spatchcocked it & removed the thighs. So if the thighs or breast got done sooner than the other I could easily pull them out. I didn't brine it, but I injected it with low sodium chicken broth, butter, & Mrs. Dash's Roasted garlic with herb seasoning. I'm trying top keep on a low salt diet. I really pumped the turkey full. What was left over I just put in the pan with carrots, onions, celery, & garlic. Then put the turkey on top of the veggies. Into the Lang running around 270-280. It seems to like that temp so I just add a stick every now & then & it just stays there. The bird took about 4 hours to hit 157 in the breast & 175 in the thighs, right at the same time. I pulled it out & after about a 30 minute rest on the counter the breast was reading 165 & the thighs 180. Which is where we like both. I didn't get any photo's of the prep, but here she is right out of the smoker.

While the turkey was cooking I fried up some of that Berkshire bacon I made the other day, cause we were thinking of having a turkey bacon Club sammie for lunch.

Of course we had a couple of Judy's homemade buns to put the sammie on.

I sliced up all the meat from the breast & thighs. This was a very juicy turkey.

Separated the dark & white meat & all the little scraps.

Then put the carcass & the pan juice with all the veggies in a large stock pot & boiled it down.

While that was cooking it was time for our turkey Club sammie. The bacon was ready.

All that is left is to slice up a tomato & put some mayo on the bun & put the sammie together.

That was lunch. Dinner was just mashed potato's & turkey, with the gravy Judy made from the boiled down carcass.

Nothing fancy this year, heck we didn't even have any dessert. But we do have enough leftovers to last a week. We are already thinking, turkey pot pie, turkey tacos, more Club sammies, turkey fajitas. And the list goes on. Don't know how hungry I will be after my hip replacement surgery, but there will sure be plenty to eat if I want it.
Thanks for looking guys & Judy & I wish all our SMF friends a very Merry Christmas & a Happy & Healthy New Year!!!

Al

 

[griz400]

nice looking meal Al, and good luck with your hip ...

 

[Rings Я Us]

Yeah.. very juicy! Nice Sammies.. You could have one of those instead of hospital food. ;). Take your phone in with you and look at the forum on it..
Good luck!

 

[troutman]

Excellent cook Al, should have invited the folks over anyway, who's going to eat all that turkey? Love the sammie with the bacon, my kind of meal in a bun.

Good luck tomorrow, hope all ends well. I trust it will.....

 

[motocrash]

Word on the street is smoked turkey and cured Berkshire belly has exemplary healing powers when taken together;)

 

[chopsaw]

Most people bank blood before surgery , you bank smoked meat and homemade bacon !

 

[smoking gun]

Great looking bird Al, and good luck with your surgery!

 

[noboundaries]

Fantastic looking bird and sammie! The doc told me after my hip replacement he wanted me eating well. He said "No diets. Pretend it's the holidays and eat all you want. Eating helps you recover more quickly." Looks like you are all set, Al!

Heck, I'm still following that doc's advice ten years later. He forgot to tell me when to stop!

 

[Co4ch D4ve]

Al, That is a great looking bird.

We are doing the same thing today as my son is having his wisdom teeth out tomorrow.

Good luck with your procedure...

Dave

 

[whistech]

Al, sending up a prayer for your quick recovery after surgery. Oh, and the turkey looks really good.

 

[tropics]

Al That is a great meal I would love some of that soup now,have a nasty head cold.God luck and a speedy recovery Buddy
Richie

 

[BGKYSmoker]

Al

All looks very good.

 

[tbrtt1]

I like the looks of that sammich!

 

[yankee2bbq]

Good job on the turkey! Looks real good!

 

[SmokinAl]

Thanks fellas!
I had turkey for breakfast, lunch, & dinner yesterday!
Looking forward to getting this hip thing over with, and eating some more.
Al

 

[MarkM]

I’ve had quite a few clients over the years with hip replacements. The most important part of your long term recovery and ability is the quality of your physical therapist and the effort you put in to your rehab.

Best of luck.