SMOKED TURKEY

Why do you have to eat Turkey only on Thanksgiving? Isn’t Turkey a big ole chicken? People eat chicken everyday. Why not Turkeys? It is supposedly good for you. It is low in fat. Depending on what side dishes you accompany it with, it could be considered health food. In the Chilebrown kitchen, it is the Smoke Bomb. I am firing up the smoker and smoking a Turkey with Apple wood. I have brined the bird for 12 hours in a salt and sugar solution. I will be smoking the gobbler for less than 4 hours. Let’s start with the brine.

You need a food grade plastic bucket to brine your turkey in. You can go to a Restaurant Supply Store to buy one. We just walked behind our local Supermarket and recycled a bucket that originally had Cake Frosting in it. I let Mojo and Oscar have there way with it. Just Kidding! I did wash it out with soap, water and a little bleach. The Brine solution will then need to be made

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BRINE
1 cup Brown Sugar
2 cups Salt
2 gallons water
I am cooking a 12 pound Turkey. This recipe just covers the top of the bird. You can adjust the recipe as needed. Let brine for aprox 8 hours. Overnight is the perfect time. The next step is to set up the smoker.
I am using the Weber Rocky Mountain Cooker. The bird will be cooking at a high heat.(350-400). It is not cooking at a low heat (225-250) because there is really no benefit to the lower temperature when cooking a bird. The Turkey will have a crisp crust . It will be smoky and be tender.
COOKING TIME
This is a crucial subject. You want your turkey to be moist and juicy You need to get over 165 degrees according to the USDA. I use the Old Fashion Method and wiggle the legs. You can tell if is done if the leg easily separates from the body. The bird needs to rest for at least 20 minutes after it is taken of the fire.(important)