I've been experimenting with turkeys on the WSM, since they're so cheap after Thanksgiving. I've been cooking brined, natural turkeys at 325-350*F with an empty, foil-lined water pan and 3 medium-sized apple wood chunks.
I tried the method suggested by Jim Minion in a BB thread here of suspending the foil above the bottom of the pan so the drippings don't burn. Sure enough, this rendered about 1-1/2 cups of drippings. By the time I added the accumulated juices inside the carcass, as well as the juices that collected in the bottom of the pan while the turkey rested for 30 minutes, I had almost 1-3/4 cups.
Set aside 1/4 cup of fat, skimmed off the rest, and added 3/4 cup water to the remaining drippings to get 2 cups of liquid. Heated the fat, stirred in 1/4 cup flour and cooked for several minutes, then added the liquid and a few bits of dark meat and simmered. The drippings were already flavored by the rub--no need to add salt, pepper, or other seasonings. The gravy wasn't too salty or too smoky.
Your mileage may vary depending on the kind of rub and type/amount of smoke wood used. But I just wanted to let everyone know that I was pleasantly surprised by how well the gravy turned out. Really delicious!
Regards,
Chris
I tried the method suggested by Jim Minion in a BB thread here of suspending the foil above the bottom of the pan so the drippings don't burn. Sure enough, this rendered about 1-1/2 cups of drippings. By the time I added the accumulated juices inside the carcass, as well as the juices that collected in the bottom of the pan while the turkey rested for 30 minutes, I had almost 1-3/4 cups.
Set aside 1/4 cup of fat, skimmed off the rest, and added 3/4 cup water to the remaining drippings to get 2 cups of liquid. Heated the fat, stirred in 1/4 cup flour and cooked for several minutes, then added the liquid and a few bits of dark meat and simmered. The drippings were already flavored by the rub--no need to add salt, pepper, or other seasonings. The gravy wasn't too salty or too smoky.
Your mileage may vary depending on the kind of rub and type/amount of smoke wood used. But I just wanted to let everyone know that I was pleasantly surprised by how well the gravy turned out. Really delicious!
Regards,
Chris