Brined, Buttered and Smoked

[ChileRelleno]

A Happy Thanksgiving to everyone on SMF.com

I had a nice 15lb bird just waiting for today and I decided to brine, butter and smoke it.
I also made a wonderful homemade turkey giblet gravy.

The Brine
2gal Water
3C Kosher Salt
1C Brown Sugar
1/2C of my basic rub
Dissolve the salt, then the sugar/rub
Bag the bird/brine and marinade for 12 hours

The Herb Butter
3 sticks of softened butter
1/8C of my basic rub
1/8C Montreal Chicken Spice
2T fresh Rosemary
1T each fresh Thyme and Lemon Thyme
Mix all well and rub under and atop the skin of the bird
Used leftover to baste the bird once during smoking

The Smoke
50:50 Apple/Cherry
275° for the first 1.5 hours
325°+ till finished IT of 170°





Basting after 1.5 hours



Finished and Resting



Turkey Giblet Gravy
Back, neck and gizzard chopped and well browned with thyme, rosemary and bay leaf
Add chopped onion, carrot, celery & garlic and saute with meat
Add 1 can of chicken stock, 1.5t each Soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce and Fish sauce, salt & pepper to taste
Simmer for about 45min
Make a roux, 1 stick of butter and add flour till desired consistency, brown to desired color
Strain giblet stock, add roux and cook to desired thickness, add chicken stock if not enough giblet stock









In the hustle and bustle I failed to get any more pics of the process and final product until plated

Ready to Gobble

[gstours]

   I sure wish you lived a lot closer!    I think you are amazing with the posts and pictures.   Your turkey dinner looks outstanding in fllavor.
     Any houses across the street from you for sale?      Thanks for the post....   now we got the receipe!   We got no exsuses,   right?

[David Hall]

Smoked turkey is pretty hard to beat.

[MarkT]

Smoked Turkey? You bet! It's what I had last night too at my parents house.

[ChileRelleno]

   I sure wish you lived a lot closer!    I think you are amazing with the posts and pictures.   Your turkey dinner looks outstanding in fllavor.
     Any houses across the street from you for sale?      Thanks for the post....   now we got the receipe!   We got no exsuses,   right?

Thank you very much.
Yes'sir, we've 2-3 homes for sale in our neighborhood, the Gulf Coast is a sportsman's paradise so c'mon down.

[ChileRelleno]

Smoked turkey is pretty hard to beat.

Yes it is, but a Cajun Fried Turkey ranks right up there.

[ChileRelleno]

My version of Turkey Bacon
Save all the skin, especially from those oven roasted birds with soggy bottom skin.
Lay it all out and fry it up, no oil or butter, plenty of its own fat to cook in and render out.
The more fat and bits of clinging meat the better, Delicious!



Open Face Turkey Sammiche on Pan Toasted Hawaiian Rolls