Smoking a Turkey Today

[mep]

Today is our first attempt at smoking a turkey. Nothing special in the way of preparation, just some butter, salt, pepper, and some paprika. The first picture shows the turkey when first placed inside the smoker and the second picture shows what it looks like after two hours.

 

[Steve Williams]

very nice Mark. What's the total time to cook completely

 

[amirm]

Looking good Mark. Turkey can pick up too much smoke easily so go easy with the level of smoke . BTW, I don't mind it overly smokey especially if you make soup out of the bones and such later but the most people don't seem to like it oversmoked.

 

[mep]

Amir-It's hard to infuse too much smoke flavor with the Traeger smoker. Unlike smokers which burn large chunks or logs of hardwood, the pellets have a much more gentle infusion of smoke into the meats. After two hours, the turkey is now covered in foil though.

Steve-As for cooking time, I suspect around 3.5 hours.

 

[amirm]

Got it . What temp are you using for fire?

 

[mep]

Amir-325 for the cooking temperature. I have tasted food that came from the type of smokers that put way too much smoke flavor in the meat and I absolutely do not like that flavor. We have a guy at work that has one of those tree-burner smokers and when he brings in a pan full of meat he smoked, the smell of it nauseates me because the smoke smell is so strong.

 

[mep]

Here is a picture of the finished turkey. It was right at 3.5 hours.

 

[Steve Williams]

that looks so good.
How long will you let it rest

 

[mep]

Until my wife finishes making the German potato salad. We just sampled a piece and it was really, really good. Very juicy with lots of flavor.

 

[MylesBAstor]

Yummy looking!

 

[mep]

The turkey was very, very good. Super moist and very flavorful. This is an incredibly easy way to cook a turkey. It's pretty much a set it on the grill and forget about it method. We let it cook for two hours and then covered it in foil and then let it cook until it was finished which was another 1.5 hours. Not bad for a 17 lb bird. I use a mixture of cherry wood, apple wood, and hickory pellets. The color that the Trager grill gives all meats is close to evoking the physical response that Homer Simpson gets when looking at a box of doughnuts.

 

[NorthStar]

I prefer chicken myself. ...And smoked salmon.

 

[mep]

I'm very picky when it comes to what fish I will eat. I like cod, scrod, flounder, grouper, and Haddock. I love grouper blackened. For those that love a dynamite fish sandwich (sinful pleasure), nothing beats the New England batter that you just won't find anywhere else in the U.S. Couple that batter with a piece of fresh Haddock and you have a killer fish sandwich or just fish and chips if that is your bag.

 

[Ronm1]

Mep, I'm with you on NE style batter. Did our first racks of ribs this year a few weeks ago, used apple wood from local orchards. As usual for me, naked only mop sauce used.

 

[JackD201]

Mark, great lookin' bird you got there! Do share the German Potato Salad recipe.

 

[Steve Williams]

Mep, I'm with you on NE style batter. Did our first racks of ribs this year a few weeks ago, used apple wood from local orchards. As usual for me, naked only mop sauce used.

Ron


nice to see you back again.

 

[j_j]

I admit to being a tool-user in this regard. When Trader Joe's is trying to get rid of pre-brined turkeys, or Costco is giving a huge one away, we'll get one, butcher it (if it's huge), and smoke it.

But our smoker is electric, with a smoke box that you toss chunks (not chips!) into. Done with a brined bird, it's still juicy, and cooked until it's disintegrating. You take out the shelf and the turkey. Don't even think about trying to stick it with a fork, all you'll get is parts.

 

[GaryProtein]

I prefer chicken myself. . . .

I agree 100%.

Turkey white meat only is fine when it comes right out of the oven. If it has been longer than 3-4 hours since it was cooked, regardless of how it was stored or reheated, I can't eat it. Chicken on the other hand is fine for leftovers the next day.

 

[j_j]

I prefer chicken myself. ...And smoked salmon.

MMmm. Smoked salmon. You betcha. Best thing to come out of my smoker since its first power-up.

Maple syrup and salt on dry fish, cut into 2" slices across the fillet. Smoke to 170 slowly, waiting for the "dip" that happens at about 155, and making sure it happens.