First Turkey


 
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Steve Gorman

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I'm planning a turkey on my new Bullet for Christmas. I'm nervous. I have 20+ years experience with Brinkman. All the turkey suggestions are brined turkey. I've have brined turkey. I perfer straight smoke for 10 to 12 hours for a 20-21 lb'er. with apple chunks.

Must I brine? Any suggestions as to fuel, water, time etc?

Happy Holidays,

Steve
 
Steve, we had a discussion in the beginners board about bigger verses ssmaller birds. Or see the topic on the main board on the left side - Birds, great and small. The concenus was that birds that large carry a higher potential for turning bad as you bring them up to temp unless you brine them or otherwise treat them. Look that over and see what the old hands have to say. Have you ever done one that way before?
 
You want a cure in the brine (ie:Tender Quick) to slow the growth of bactria. The internal temp needs to get to at least 140*
in 4 hours or less or you need to use the cure in the brine.
Pit temps can run higher for poultry than you would cook beef or pork. the brine will keep it moist.
Apple or cherry are fine, water in waterpan,
and I'd cook at 325* till I get 180* in the
thigh.
Jim
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Jim Minion:
You want a cure in the brine (ie:Tender Quick) to slow the growth of bactria. The internal temp needs to get to at least 140*
in 4 hours or less or you need to use the cure in the brine.
Pit temps can run higher for poultry than you would cook beef or pork. the brine will keep it moist.
Apple or cherry are fine, water in waterpan,
and I'd cook at 325* till I get 180* in the
thigh.
Jim
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
 
Jim,

Thanks for your reply. I smoked the bird and it turned out pretty good. I did not brine. I cooked @ 230-250 for about 12.25 hours. 10 Apple chunks. Three during the first four hours and then the balance throught the process. Added appx 1.25 gallons of water through the process. 14 lbs of Kingsford. Bird was flavorable, moist and completly cooked, 180@ @ the thigh @ hour 11. Aded one more chunk and left on the grill @215 for an additional hour. We were not yet ready to eat! The bird was as large as I have cooked. Too big. I perfer the taste of small to meduim birds.

The brinig process interests me. Having smoked 100's of birds of all sizes over the past twenty year without brining I can't say I am aware of any one becoming ill. I'm sure I would have been told ! The requirement ala brine vs. no brine differnce to assure no contamination and bactria is in how the smoking process commences. The 24hrs. before the bird goes on it is well cleaned, rinced,salted, seasoned, and returned to the fridge until 1hr before it goes in the smoker. 12 hrs before the bird goes on 8 qts of water the "broth" is heated on stove top with your faviorite spices, herbs etc. at the time. I use 1/4 cup olive oil, tablespoons sage, garlic, tarragon, 3 bay leaf, 1/4 cup good quality apple juice, 1 large sweet onion quartered. Bring the broth to boil immeadately reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer 12 hrs+/-. When its time to cook start chimminy full to brim with coals. Bring broth on stove top to rolling boil. Return Add coals when "most" of the coals ignite. Add additional charcoal to ring to max capacity. After appling optional additional herb , spices to the bird. Place perfectly clean water pan in smoker. Allow water pan to get hot. Appx 2-4 minutes. Add broth to water pan. Carefully. The pan is HOT. Put top on smoker and wait 15 minutes. Grill MUST be HOT. Add bird. Open vents. in 30 min add chunks. In 90-120 min fill water pan to brim. Add additional charcoal and water as necessary through process. Typically .75 gal room temp water and 4-5lbs Kingsford will be added during the process

Jim it seems to me that the posibility of bactria is enhanced (begged for)when starting a "cold" fire, one that has cold water in the pan a less than max charcoal at less than max temp. Bottom line, I like brined turkey. I perfer the turkey that is not brined. Better taste. It may require a bit more work and attention to some of the deatils but well worth it. Try it out with a ten to 12 lber. It's a crowd pleaser. Best wishes for a smoken new year. <BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Jim Minion:
You want a cure in the brine (ie:Tender Quick) to slow the growth of bactria. The internal temp needs to get to at least 140*
in 4 hours or less or you need to use the cure in the brine.
Pit temps can run higher for poultry than you would cook beef or pork. the brine will keep it moist.
Apple or cherry are fine, water in waterpan,
and I'd cook at 325* till I get 180* in the
thigh.
Jim
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
 
I'm glad it worked out, I'll never cook poultry at those temps without a cure. Brinning is to easy and poultry is to easy to have problems with IMHO.
Jim
 
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