Saturday Turkey


 
T

Todd Randall

TVWBB Pro
My wife requested a turkey for my sons 1st birthday party this Saturday. A while back I found and hung onto Bryan's Apple Honey Poultry Brine recipe, posted here. It just sounds so good and I love everything in it, the apple juice, honey, oranges, ginger and cloves. I can't wait to try it, but I have some questions.

I picked up all the ingredients yesterday and I also found a 12.5 lb all natural fresh young turkey.

Bryan calls for a 12-24 hour brine, and says he does 24 hours because he wants to get the flavor more pronounced. So do I. But he says he cooks it low and slow, 235-250. I'm just guessing here, but that brine has a ton of sugars in it and I'm wondering if he does that (low temps) so the bird doesn't start to char up and so the skin doesn't get blackened too bad. I would like to cook this bird at the more traditional 350 temp range. Should I adjust his brine in any way or do I need to worry about it at all? Should I do 12 hours, 24?

The brine calls for whole cloves. Just toss them into the brine solution or do I work them into the turkey? I've read some posts where people work the cloves into the turkey itself. I would not prefer to do that, will I still get some clove flavor by just tossing them into the brine solution?

Smoke wood. I have on hand cherry, apple, maple, grape vine, birch, oak, and hickory. I was thinking cherry or maple.

Thanks for any advice.
Todd
 
Color won't be an issue so I'd go with maple. Expect very deep coloring of the skin, but you can cook at 350 (I'd go 325 if the turkey is larger).
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content"> Should I adjust his brine in any way or do I need to worry about it at all? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
The brine is fine, just make sure your rinse the bird thoroughly before putting it on the smoker. It's that sugar on the exterior that might burn at temps @ or above 350. Also pat the bird dry before cooking to improve the crispness of the skin.
The cloves are strictly for the brine. I haven't used maple before so I can't comment. I have used Cherry and it imparts a nice red hue to the bird and is a nice mild smoke wood for poultry.

Paul
 
Thanks guys. Mixed up the brine last night, exact recipe as posted by Bryan. She's been in there since 9:30PM. I'll get it out at the 24 hour mark, rinse well, and dry. Go on a rack in the fridge.

Feeding time is set for 2PM tomorrow, so I'll probably get it on the wsm about 10:30-11AM at 325 as suggested. It's 12.5 pounds, figuring 1/2 hour less because it's brined and hoping for it to be done around 1:30 for a 30 minute rest.

Todd
 
Never done a turkey but really want to try. Question though. Will a 12.5 pound bird really cook in 2 1/2 - 3 hours?

bob
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content"> Will a 12.5 pound bird really cook in 2 1/2 - 3 hours? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

At 325 or higher it will. Some prefer a low and slow approach, but with poultry I like the results using higher temps. IMO poultry really doesn't benefit from a long low cook as the meat is not tough. In addition to cooking faster, cooking at 325 or higher will produce crisper skin also.
 
I've done several of these brined turkeys and they are magnificant. Yes they can cook in 2.5 - 3 hours if you get temps up to 300 or so. I would not recommend cooking at 225.
 
In a oven,it takes 20 minutes per pound at 325. Plus your resting time. It's better to have it done early and resting in a cooler to keep warm,than to have it done later or worse,undercooked.
 
The turkey came out great. Sorry, no pics, just too many people and too much going on. It was done at 3 hours exactly. Cooker temps were 310-340. I'm not sure if I could taste everything or anything in the brine, but it was definitely moist and juicy. The breast was closer to 175 when I pulled because I had to get the thigh to 170. The breast was still moist and juicy, so I'm a brine convert for sure.

Todd
 
Congradulations! A great turkey isn't that difficult,but when it works,everyone thinks you are just a genius!
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<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">I'm not sure if I could taste everything or anything in the brine, but it was definitely moist and juicy. The breast was closer to 175 when I pulled because I had to get the thigh to 170. The breast was still moist and juicy, so I'm a brine convert for sure. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

if nothing else a salt/sugar solution is always employed when I cook birds.

Did you just use a flavored brine? or a rub too? If you just brined it, what flavors came through? I'd like something definitive either way since I'm getting tired of wasting things in brine that have little hope of adding anything to the final product.
 
Phil, ya, everybody loved it, and the smell that filled the house when it was resting really took the cake.

jb, honestly, I didn't taste anything. I used Bryan's brine (linked in my first post). I tasted the smoke but that's about it. Could just be me, but I asked a couple people and they didn't taste anything that I used in the brine either. I didn't use any rub.

Todd
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Todd Randall:
... Sorry, no pics, just too many people and too much going on. ... </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Yeah, we've all been through that .. Family & friends looking at you funny 'cause you're taking pics of your food.
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We understand.
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Glad the turkey turned out great! Surely, you got a pic of your 1 year old son chowing down on some of that turkey that you can post?
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Enjoy, Todd .. Those younger years are priceless!!
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Bill
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Family & friends looking at you funny 'cause you're taking pics of your food. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

LOL, ya we all have to look like a bunch of weirdos to people that don't share our hobby.

My wife takes about 100 pictures of our kid a week it seems, I'm sure I can find one of the little guy on his day. I fed him left over turkey yesterday and he gobbled that up.

We had quite a spread. I also pulled out from the deep freeze 1/2 a brisket flat and a full pan of those beans I did a while back and reheated those (hot water turkey fryer method). Brisket was totally gone. Just 1 bowl of beans left over. My wife and mother in law made homemade mac&cheese, mashed potatos, salad, and brocoli stuffing. Had my dad whip up gravy using the turkey drippings. My wife is also an awesome baker, she always makes all the birthday cakes in the family, does the icing from scratch and everything. Thank god it didn't rain. We had over 30 people. Our house isn't that big, 1650 sq ft is all, and my finihed basement is still not finished. Luckily the Polish Living Room was still up and we have lots of room out back in the yard.

It was funny, one of the cousins from my wife's side was in town from Long Island, we got to talking about the smoker cause he used to have one (couldn't remember which, Brinkmann is my guess). By the time they left, he said he got inspired to look into getting a new one (a WSM of course) and trying his hand at it again. LOL.

Todd
 
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