Thanksgiving & Christmas Smoked Turkey Tips:

Brining: a popular method for improving the flavor and moisture content of lean meats like chicken, turkey, pork and seafood.

Brining is the process of soaking meat in a mixture of water, salt, sugar and seasonings for several hours to several days, depending on the type and size of meat. Brining adds flavor and moisture to turkey and works well with other types of meat, too.

The first three steps in brining a whole turkey are:

1) finding a non-reactive container large enough to hold the turkey

2) making sure the container will fit in your refrigerator

3) determining how much brine you must prepare to completely submerge the turkey in the container

To determine how much brine you'll need to prepare, place the turkey into the container and cover with cold water. Remove the turkey from the container and measure the water--that's the amount of brine you'll need. Since brining does not preserve meat, the turkey must be kept below 40°F throughout the entire brining process. That's why you've got to make sure you've got room in your fridge for the container before you start this process.

Apple Brine For Turkey

• 2 quarts apple juice
• 1 pound brown sugar (light or dark)
• 1 cup Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt
• 3 quarts cold water
• 3 oranges, quartered
• 4 ounces fresh ginger, unpeeled and thinly sliced
• 15 whole cloves
• 6 bay leaves
• 6 large garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
• Substitute 3/4 cup Morton Kosher Salt or 1/2 cup table salt for Diamond Crystal.

Combine apple juice, brown sugar, and salt in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring to dissolve. Boil for one minute, remove from heat, let mixture come to room temperature, then refrigerate to 40°F. In a large non-reactive container, combine the apple juice mixture with the remaining ingredients. When adding the oranges, squeeze each piece to release the juice into the container, then drop in the peel.

Put the turkey in the brine breast side down (Picture 1). Place a heavy plate or bowl on top to keep the bird submerged, if necessary (Picture 2). Brine the turkey for 24 hours. You may wish to stir the solution 2-3 times during the brining process. I'm not sure if this is necessary or if it actually does anything, but I like to do it anyway. Since brining does not preserve meat, the turkey and the brine solution must be kept below 40°F throughout the entire brining process

Allow the turkey to sit dry in the refrigerator 8-12 hrs prior to cooking.

Before loading into your smoker, apply a very thin coat of vegetable oil or melted, unsalted butter to the turkey skin.  We recommend using Cherry or Apple wood.

Place the turkey breast side up into the smoker, there will be no need to rotate the bird during the smoke.

Smoke the turkey at 350F until the turkey internal temperature is at 165.

Remove the turkey from the cooker and let rest for 20-30 minutes before carving (Picture 1). Do not cover with foil, as this will cause the skin to go soft.

Now that you have smoked your bird, do your shopping for the grill lover in our bbq pack section.  We offer gift wrapping to make it even easier.