Apple-Brined Whole Turkey


 
Originally posted by Jane Cherry:
Mine is in this brine as of last night. Will take it out this evening for a day of air-drying.
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I'll bet you'll love it Jane, I'm doing one of my Xmas turkeys with it this year.

I've used it on chickens before and I think it's fantastic!

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Just trying this recipe for the first time. Mine is in the brine right now and will be in the smoker tomorrow morning.

One quick question: A 12-14 pound turkey was too small for the group and I definitely didn't want to run short on turkey. Any estimates on how long a 17 pound turkey will take? Should I go with the same heat and just cross my fingers that it doesn't dry out?

BTW, I started smoking about 18 months ago with a WSM. This site has been EXTREMELY helpful getting me up and running. Thanks for doing such a great job maintaining it. What a great community...

Aaron
 
Go get yourself a probe! It is indispensable in my opinion, because I'm a paranoid freak.

Get a probe, pop it into the breast and/or thigh area, and measure the temp. I don't even keep track of time except for other purposes (when to start checking temps etc.).
 
Originally posted by Aaron Shilts:
Yeah, I'll definitely use a probe... just trying to plan ahead so the guests aren't waiting around hungry (or chowing cold turkey)!
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Just to give you an idea. I did two this morning. Both roughly 16.5 lbs. Each took just under 3 hours. One in a 350 degree oven and the other on my dad's Chargriller/Smoker (my kettle felt small for a whole turkey). I just finished slicing both after an hour rest. The Apple Brined turkey smells FANTASTIC! I chucked on 2 cherry and 1 apple chunk.
 
My bird has been brining in the cooler since about midnight last night. I plan to take it out shortly, but won't be putting it in the oven until about noon tomorrow. Will 14 hours drying in the fridge be too much?
 
Originally posted by JimK:
My bird has been brining in the cooler since about midnight last night. I plan to take it out shortly, but won't be putting it in the oven until about noon tomorrow. Will 14 hours drying in the fridge be too much?
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No, many dry for 24 hrs. If you want crisp skin, don't forget to rub it down with olive oil, or veggie, or whatever oil you like before going on the smoker, butter works as well but has a lower burn point than oil does.
 
I have a question about this brine. I noticed you boil it first to dissolve the salt and sugar, but many brine recipes I have seen to not call for this step -- they just dissolve the salt and sugar in cold water. Could I skip the boiling on this brine?
 
Originally posted by Steve Rueschhoff:
I have a question about this brine. I noticed you boil it first to dissolve the salt and sugar, but many brine recipes I have seen to not call for this step -- they just dissolve the salt and sugar in cold water. Could I skip the boiling on this brine?
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Have fun trying to dissolve sugar in cold water.
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The best thing to do is pour a little juice and water in a small pot and dissolve everything. There is no need to boil all of it.
 
I always displace ice for some of the water to cool it immediately instead of waiting for it chill in the fridge.

Tonight, I rottissed my bird with apple and orange wood. I always roast an oven bird with stuffing inside, and the rotiss bird always wins hands down for flavor and depth.
 
Yeah ... I read the whole thread, Jane your like the number #1 fan of this recipe, oops on my previous
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...There is no need to boil all of it...
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On the boiling thing, I suppose pasteurization can't hurt, but I don't know it's necessary either. I can see it though for flavor brining, simmer for a time to meld flavors.
 
I did this today and it was excellent. I used a bit of apple and cherry. Very moist. Followed system 100%. I never cook stuffing inside the turkey since that is an area prone to bacteria and it isn't worth it for me. Great recipe, rave reviews (best turkey ever, and one person was 81), had it with brussel sprouts with home made bacon, roast potatoes, sweet potato, beets, and gravy. Fresh home made bread. Butter, lots of butter.

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My second smoke on my new WSM, and the turkey came out fantastic. I even brined it with this recipe although the bird was labeled as 'enhanced' with an 8% solution. I just added a bit more water to the brine to dilute the salt a bit. Let air dry in the fridge for 14 hours, then it went onto the WSM for three hours. Internal temps were 170ºF or so. Even forgot to oil the outside first, but the bird still turned out great.
 
Doing Chris's turkey again for Easter!

Will pull it and serve to guests.

Hopefully the easter bunny will show.

aloha!


Originally posted by Greg Kemp:
Thank you Chris! That came out great. Spent $7.00 on ingredients though but worth every penny. We used a 15 lb. turkey just to warm up for ThanksGiving. It was so moist and tasty 12 friends we had ovey were impressed. Took 15 lb. bird 2.5 hours at dome temp of 350 solid, breast meat got to 175 pulled it off and put in cooler covered in foil and wrapped in towel and watched the temp of breast creep up to 180 all by itself and then back down again to serving temp.

I used some red oak and guava wood with kingsford and bge lump mix.

Drip pan only breast up in v rack.

Not sure how long it would take a 20 lb. bird. That will be next month.

Thanks for the recipe and tips.

Aloha!

Greg Kemp

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Great Recipe Chris!! My first whole turkey on the wsm and everyone loved it!! Had to take door off a couple of times to get to 325-350 at the end but all worked out great. Took about 3 hours Awesome flavor!
 
I plan to give this method a whirl this weekend.
(14-pounder thawing in fridge as I write this.)

It sounds like a very popular recipe.

Two questions:

The cooking-phase of this sounds like the popular high-heat method that seems to work well for poultry.

Q1. Has anyone tried slowing-down the cook a bit for this (to get a little more smokiness into it)?

Q2. If you did, or if you did this more than once, what are your thoughts / opinion of the results? (Particularly, if you did it a little longer / with a little less heat.)

I suppose that I should "follow the directions" on the first go-round, but I was just wondering...
 
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