# 4 - Turkey Thanksgiving Smoke!



## pops6927 (Nov 20, 2012)

Put down 4 turkeys last week in curing brine, smoking them today.  Some Qview:

Soaked them in a huge bucket:













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Pulled them out, 1 by 1 into a 5 gal pail and sacked them in the sink and hung in the smokehouse (figured I'd have room for 4 more.... next year!)













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Got the smoke started, using the plum wood my son cut down for me last spring and chunked up!   No pellets this time, but there will be more!  of course, it is billowy at first...













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But will settle down to thin blue quickly, about 5 minutes, then add a chunk every 30-40 minutes....













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Now we're smoking!  Keeping it at about 235° - 240°, will check back when they're getting golden!


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## rbranstner (Nov 20, 2012)

Great looking birds. I did four myself last weekend. I love hanging the birds in the netting. Thanks for turning me onto that idea. I did have one cheaper bird that the netting wanted to stick to the skin and and a good chunk pulled off the other 3 birds were just fine. You ever have issues with the skin wanting to stick to the netting even when you rub them in oil?


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## pops6927 (Nov 20, 2012)

About 4pm, took my first temp probe:













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5 hrs into the smoke:













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9pm, 149°, almost there!  Moved them all to one stick so I can easier probe them.  Don't leave it in, just take their temps then close the door.













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My bucket of plum wood, used about half.  Going to do some more Canadian bacons (sister LOVED it, said it was EXACTLY like Dad used to make!  I was honored, as she is critical and honest!) and save it for then plus run some corncob pellets in the AMNPS!  (What a wonderful invention!  You are a god, TJohnson!)













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## BGKYSmoker (Nov 20, 2012)

Thanks Pops

Now im missing my smokehouse even more.......Just yanking your chain

Fantastic turkeys ya got hanging.


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## s2k9k (Nov 20, 2012)

Great looking birds there Pops!!! Can't wait to see them out of the bags!! Cured turkey, if this is anything like your "bacon on a stick" I'm going to have to try it!


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## pops6927 (Nov 21, 2012)

Oh yes!  Had to get them out of the smokehouse, on the table, strip off the sacks and into the fridge as they were pretty juicy; here's a shot of them in the fridge tho, stacked up!













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All to bed for the night, have to deliver 1 Wed. afternoon to my Chiropractor and his wife.  My Gawd... you wouldn't believe the aroma coming from that fridge; I had all I could do not to rip a wing or leg off and munch down!  The rest go to my oldest son George Jr., youngest son Robert, and 1 for us!  Great color, though!


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## mneeley490 (Nov 21, 2012)

You're showing a lot of restraint, Pops. I would be eating turkey sandwiches about now.


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## diggingdogfarm (Nov 21, 2012)

Looks great, Pops!



~Martin


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## sigmo (Nov 21, 2012)

One of those would be missing a big slice if it was me.  :D

They look great!


Phoned in.


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## smokinhusker (Nov 21, 2012)

Those look phenomenal! Man I wish I had a smokehouse like that!


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## rbranstner (Nov 21, 2012)

Pops I was curious how you go about reheating them on Turkey Day? I've always just put them in my big roaster pan and added some chicken broth to the bottom and reheated them at around 225-250 for 2-3 hour until they are warm. Just curious if you had a better method.


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## herkpilot (Nov 21, 2012)

I'm trying my first smoked turkey for Thanksgiving, using a gas Perfect Flame vertical smoker. I have lost my owners manual and was wondering what Temp to cook at, and approximately how long it will take for a 13.5# turkey. Also I see Pops use of a net to hang the turkeys. Where can I get some of this netting and what is it made of. The turkey is brined and I plan to use apple wood for the smoke. Any help/suggestions will be greatly appreciated.


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## thoseguys26 (Nov 21, 2012)

Beautiful.


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## vegassmokeout (Nov 21, 2012)

awesome


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## packer backer (Nov 21, 2012)

How big were those birds to start with Pops? Everyone was concerned with a bird over 20 on the forum. just curious.

look great.

I did my first one last week friday, but it was 20# so I spatchcocked it. LOVE them...plan on another one this weekend.


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## jarjarchef (Nov 21, 2012)

Beutiful color! I love the tan line on the top right one where a wing was.........


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## orthogonist (Nov 21, 2012)

Thanks again Pops! I am on my way home to carve into one of those tasty birds. Had to stop in and see the process. You are a true Smoke Master!


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## mcgray73 (Nov 21, 2012)

Boy those look good!


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## pops6927 (Nov 21, 2012)

rbranstner said:


> Great looking birds. I did four myself last weekend. I love hanging the birds in the netting. Thanks for turning me onto that idea. I did have one cheaper bird that the netting wanted to stick to the skin and and a good chunk pulled off the other 3 birds were just fine. You ever have issues with the skin wanting to stick to the netting even when you rub them in oil?


Catch up on the questions! Sorry, son gave his employees a great Spaghetti dinner he fixed personally today (with the Italian sausage links we made last weekend!) that we attended then had to deliver the bird to my Chiropractor Dr. Michlin and get my adjustment (if he doesn't like it, I dread next week's adjustment! lol!  He loved it when I showed it to him today, tho..!), Then got home, went to the store, wife's baking her famous pies, helped her and did cleanup while she rested.  As like any holiday at everyone's house, it's been busy!.

Yes, I strip them as soon as possible after pulling them.  On this Qview:













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...you can see where s strip of skin ripped on the top right one and a larger one on the bottom left.  But, it happens.  Just try to be careful, but with all the weight hanging, some is bound to stick.  It's all going to be eaten, anyways!


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## pops6927 (Nov 21, 2012)

S2K9K said:


> Great looking birds there Pops!!! Can't wait to see them out of the bags!! Cured turkey, if this is anything like your "bacon on a stick" I'm going to have to try it!


  Please do!  It is a delicacy, for sure!   See my Dixee Chicks post too, those I skinned before curing, they turned out great too!


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## chilefarmer (Nov 21, 2012)

Pop's awesome job. loving the color. CF


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## pops6927 (Nov 21, 2012)

rbranstner said:


> Pops I was curious how you go about reheating them on Turkey Day? I've always just put them in my big roaster pan and added some chicken broth to the bottom and reheated them at around 225-250 for 2-3 hour until they are warm. Just curious if you had a better method.


Well, on Turkey Day we're going to have Thanksgiving at our oldest son's house with a fresh 25 lb. turkey he ordered.   I'll give the cold birds to my two sons and how they heat them up I will have no idea.  However, for us, I'm going to cut ours up tonight into parts and into ziplocs into the meat crisper and pull out parts'n'pieces and reheat in the microwave or oven for several dinners and lunches, boning out first on most items, nom nomming on the wings, lol!  Back bone to the dog! (after I munch on the meat parts, lol!  She and I shared all the necks and giblets, too!)


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## pops6927 (Nov 21, 2012)

Herkpilot said:


> I'm trying my first smoked turkey for Thanksgiving, using a gas Perfect Flame vertical smoker. I have lost my owners manual and was wondering what Temp to cook at, and approximately how long it will take for a 13.5# turkey. Also I see Pops use of a net to hang the turkeys. Where can I get some of this netting and what is it made of. The turkey is brined and I plan to use apple wood for the smoke. Any help/suggestions will be greatly appreciated.


My smokehouse I run at about 225° - 240°. Time is so hard to tell, but these took me 12 hours.  The ham bags I get from Butcher Packer, but other suppliers carry them too.  It is a cotton weave.  Look at my signature line at all the links, they're all there to help you.


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## pops6927 (Nov 21, 2012)

Packer Backer said:


> How big were those birds to start with Pops? Everyone was concerned with a bird over 20 on the forum. just curious.
> 
> look great.
> 
> I did my first one last week friday, but it was 20# so I spatchcocked it. LOVE them...plan on another one this weekend.


They were 12 - 15 lbs.

However, time was not important because I cured them first with a sodium nitrite curing brine that retards botulism so you can cook them low and slow.  (see Pop's Curing Brine on my sig line).  It will give them a ham flavor and pink highlights, and they are a delicacy!   They took 12 hours to get to fully cooked stage.


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## pops6927 (Nov 21, 2012)

jarjarchef said:


> Beutiful color! I love the tan line on the top right one where a wing was.........


LOL!  That is actually a skin rip, haven't touched them yet, but that one's going to get cut up in a few minutes, as soon as I get done here, lol!


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## pops6927 (Nov 21, 2012)

BTW, just a side note, did you know you can decifer the actual time of the post vs. "7 hrs 29 min"?   Just hold your mouse over it and the date and actual time will appear!


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## driedstick (Nov 22, 2012)

those look great happy t day


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## smokey bill (Nov 22, 2012)

Looks good smokeing one this week for church will brine in cranburry juice and try netting will post pictures soon


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## java (Nov 22, 2012)

looks great pops! turkey is one of the things i have yet to smoke.


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## hoity toit (Nov 22, 2012)

Gosh , that looks DadGum  Goooood  !!!!!!


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## redheelerdog (Nov 22, 2012)

Fantastic Pops - Thanks so much for sharing with us all you know - have a great holiday!


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## pops6927 (Nov 22, 2012)

redheelerdog said:


> Fantastic Pops - Thanks so much for sharing with us all you know - have a great holiday!


I could live to 100 or have another stroke tomorrow and kick the bucket; trying to get everything out of my measly brain and in print ASAP; have asked the family for 1 gift for Christmas; Nuance's Dragon basic voice to text program so I can speak to type, my fingers just aren't getting any better than 8 wpm.  If it works it will be a godsend!


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## rtbbq2 (Nov 24, 2012)

very nice indeed..............


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## JckDanls 07 (Nov 25, 2012)

Pops...  you never seize to amaze me... Damn they look good..  you have to much knowledge to even think about leaving us...  So if I send my address I'll see one on my doorstep ?  :biggrin:


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## rtbbq2 (Nov 26, 2012)

Very nice birds....


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## dirtsailor2003 (Nov 26, 2012)

Very Nice indeed!!! Looks great! I just started my first batch of your Brined bacon. Can't wait until to get it on the smoke!


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## big game cook (Nov 26, 2012)

now thats a turkey dinner there. looks good. i was working and didnt have a lot of free time. had to oven my bird and ham.,


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## bookem (Apr 27, 2013)

I know this is an old post, but I'm curious how long do you have to brine the meat for it to cure?


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