Easy Smoked Turkey Food

SUPER EASY SMOKED TURKEY

Steps:

• Place turkey in a roasting pan. Rub salt all over and inside turkey. Let sit for 1 hour.
• Preheat smoker to 250 degrees F (120 degrees C). If your smoker is equipped with a water pan, fill it.
• Rinse salt off turkey and pat dry with paper towels. Return to roasting pan and baste with melted better. Cover with aluminum foil and place in smoker.
• Cook for about 3 hours; remove aluminum foil. Continue to cook, uncovered, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the turkey thigh reads 165 degrees F (74 degrees C), 3 to 3 1/2 hours.
• Remove turkey from the smoker and tent with aluminum foil. Let it rest in a warm area before slicing, 45 to 60 minutes.

EASY SMOKED TURKEY

Steps:

• Rinse the turkey and pat dry with paper towels. Combine savory, sage, salt, and black pepper in a bowl; rub half the herb mix inside the turkey's cavity and inside the neck cavity. Loosen turkey skin over breast and legs; rub remaining half of the herb mixture underneath the loosened skin. Rub olive oil over the entire turkey.
• Light 20 charcoal briquettes and place half of them on each side on the lower grate of a kettle charcoal grill. Place a drip pan or disposable aluminum baking pan in the middle of the lower grate and pour in water. When the coals are gray with ash, place a 2-inch square piece of hickory or other hardwood onto each bank of coals.
• Place turkey on the cooking grate and cover the grill. Monitor the heat with a grill thermometer to maintain temperature between 150 and 250 degrees F (65 to 120 degrees C); add 3 to 5 coals to each side about every 1 1/2 hours. If pieces of hardwood burn away, add more to keep a steady stream of smoke rising from the wood. If open flames erupt when you open the lid, douse them with a drizzle of water or beer.
• Smoke the turkey for 20 minutes per pound, about 4 hours; let the heat increase to 250 degrees F (120 degrees C) during the last hour of smoking. An instant-read meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of a thigh, not touching a bone, should reach 165 degrees F (75 degrees C).

EASY SMOKED TURKEY

Steps:

• 1st Day: Remove turkey from freezer.
• 2nd Day: Clean turkey and soak in marinade.
• 3rd Day: Start baking.
• While turkey is thawing out, prepare marinade. Add salt, tender quick and liquid smoke to a large, clean bucket. (A new mop-bucket or Rubbermaid container works well. DO NOT use metal!) Add water to bucket, and whisk well until granules are dissolved. Keep cool until turkey is ready.
• The turkey must soak in the brine, completely submerged, for 24-36 hours.
• When done marinating, rinse brine completely off under cold water. Dry completely with paper towels.
• Spread skin with salad oil, covering all lightly. (Do not use butter!) Place breast side down in large roasting pan; do not cover.
• Bake at 350 degrees F for one hour, then at 250 degrees F for 12 hours, or one hour per pound for smaller bird.
• When done, cool 3-4 hours before cutting (it will be hard!), to let breast juices rest.

BRINED SMOKED TURKEY

Steps:

• Unwrap thawed turkey and remove any parts (neck, giblets etc.) that may be inside cavity.
• In a large food safe bucket combine the hot water and salt. Stir until dissolved. Mix in remaining ingredients for the brine. Add turkey to brine, seal container and place in the fridge overnight (8-12 hours). If the brine mixture does not cover the entire turkey we add more water/apple cider to mixture.
• The next day remove turkey from brine, rinse under cold water, and pat dry with paper towels. Place the turkey in a large foil roasting pan, breast side up.
• Then tie the legs together with baking twine.
• Heat your smoker to 250°F according to manufacturer's instructions. We recommend using cherry wood chips.
• In a small bowl mix together the ingredients for the rub. Gently lift the skin of the turkey up and rub butter mixture under the skin.
• Brush the turkey with olive oil. Season the turkey cavity with salt and pepper, to taste.
• Put the turkey into the smoker and smoke for about 30 minutes per pound, or until an instant read thermometer reads 165 degrees F in the thickest part of the breast meat.
• Remove turkey from smoker. I recommend using silicone mitts to lift the roasting pan off the smoker. Tent the turkey lightly with foil for at least 30 minutes before slicing, giving the juices time to redistribute.