Here's my ways of brining turkeys for the smoker. I learned this from the The Virtual Weber Bullet web site over the years.
Put the turkey in the brine breast side down. Place a heavy plate or bowl on top to keep the bird submerged, if necessary.
Brine the turkey for 24 hours. You may wish to stir the solution 2-3 times during the brining process. I'm not sure if this is necessary or if it actually does anything, but I like to do it anyway.
Since brining does not preserve meat, the turkey and the brine solution must be kept below 40�F throughout the entire brining process.
After brining, rinse the turkey thoroughly inside and out, and pat dry with paper towels.
Place on a rack over a rimmed baking sheet and allow to air-dry overnight (8-12 hours) in the refrigerator. This helps create crispy skin during cooking.
I use the Weber Smoker to smoke my turkeys.
Remove the turkey from the refrigerator at the same time you start firing-up the cooker. Let it sit at room temperature until ready to go into the cooker.
For better presentation, tie the ends of the drumsticks together using kitchen twine so they don't splay out into a funny shape during cooking. There's no need for any elaborate trussing. Also, fold the wing tips under the turkey.
Apply a very thin coat of vegetable oil or melted, unsalted butter to the turkey skin.
When all the coals are covered with gray ash, place 2-3 medium-sized chunks of dry cherry wood or other mild smoke wood on the coals. I used 1 chunk of cherry and 1 chunk of apple.
Assemble the cooker and place the turkey breast-side up on the top grate. Set the three bottom vents to 50% open. Open the top vent fully and leave it that way throughout the entire cook.
Adjust the bottom vents to maintain a temperature of 325-350�F measured at the lid. Cook the turkey until it measures 160-165�F in the breast.
There's no need to baste or rotate the turkey during the cooking process.
My favorite is the Apple Brine.
Basic Turkey Brine
1 gallon cold water
1 cup Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt
1/2 cup dark brown sugar, packed
Mix in a non-reactive container until dissolved. Makes 1 gallon of brine. Substitute 3/4 cup Morton Kosher Salt or 1/2 cup table salt for Diamond Crystal
Apple Brine For Turkey
2 quarts apple juice
1 pound brown sugar (light or dark)
1 cup Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt
3 quarts cold water
3 oranges, quartered
4 ounces fresh ginger, unpeeled and thinly sliced
15 whole cloves
6 bay leaves
6 large garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
Substitute 3/4 cup Morton Kosher Salt or 1/2 cup table salt for Diamond Crystal.
Combine apple juice, brown sugar, and salt in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring to dissolve. Boil for one minute, remove from heat, let mixture come to room temperature, then refrigerate to 40�F.
In a large non-reactive container, combine the apple juice mixture with the remaining ingredients. When adding the oranges, squeeze each piece to release the juice into the container, then drop in the peel.
Honey Brine
1 gallon water
1 cup kosher salt
2 TBSP Morton Tender Quick
1 cup honey 3 bay leaves
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp pickling spice
Combine all ingredients in a large pot and heat to 160�F. Temperatures above 160� will harm the flavor of the honey. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature. Makes about 1 gallon of brining solution.
Morton Tender Quick is a meat curing agent containing salt, sugar, sodium nitrate, sodium nitrite and propylene glycol. It can be found at butcher supply stores or ordered from Allied Kenco.
Put the turkey in the brine breast side down. Place a heavy plate or bowl on top to keep the bird submerged, if necessary.
Brine the turkey for 24 hours. You may wish to stir the solution 2-3 times during the brining process. I'm not sure if this is necessary or if it actually does anything, but I like to do it anyway.
Since brining does not preserve meat, the turkey and the brine solution must be kept below 40�F throughout the entire brining process.
After brining, rinse the turkey thoroughly inside and out, and pat dry with paper towels.
Place on a rack over a rimmed baking sheet and allow to air-dry overnight (8-12 hours) in the refrigerator. This helps create crispy skin during cooking.
I use the Weber Smoker to smoke my turkeys.
Remove the turkey from the refrigerator at the same time you start firing-up the cooker. Let it sit at room temperature until ready to go into the cooker.
For better presentation, tie the ends of the drumsticks together using kitchen twine so they don't splay out into a funny shape during cooking. There's no need for any elaborate trussing. Also, fold the wing tips under the turkey.
Apply a very thin coat of vegetable oil or melted, unsalted butter to the turkey skin.
When all the coals are covered with gray ash, place 2-3 medium-sized chunks of dry cherry wood or other mild smoke wood on the coals. I used 1 chunk of cherry and 1 chunk of apple.
Assemble the cooker and place the turkey breast-side up on the top grate. Set the three bottom vents to 50% open. Open the top vent fully and leave it that way throughout the entire cook.
Adjust the bottom vents to maintain a temperature of 325-350�F measured at the lid. Cook the turkey until it measures 160-165�F in the breast.
There's no need to baste or rotate the turkey during the cooking process.
My favorite is the Apple Brine.
Basic Turkey Brine
1 gallon cold water
1 cup Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt
1/2 cup dark brown sugar, packed
Mix in a non-reactive container until dissolved. Makes 1 gallon of brine. Substitute 3/4 cup Morton Kosher Salt or 1/2 cup table salt for Diamond Crystal
Apple Brine For Turkey
2 quarts apple juice
1 pound brown sugar (light or dark)
1 cup Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt
3 quarts cold water
3 oranges, quartered
4 ounces fresh ginger, unpeeled and thinly sliced
15 whole cloves
6 bay leaves
6 large garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
Substitute 3/4 cup Morton Kosher Salt or 1/2 cup table salt for Diamond Crystal.
Combine apple juice, brown sugar, and salt in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring to dissolve. Boil for one minute, remove from heat, let mixture come to room temperature, then refrigerate to 40�F.
In a large non-reactive container, combine the apple juice mixture with the remaining ingredients. When adding the oranges, squeeze each piece to release the juice into the container, then drop in the peel.
Honey Brine
1 gallon water
1 cup kosher salt
2 TBSP Morton Tender Quick
1 cup honey 3 bay leaves
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp pickling spice
Combine all ingredients in a large pot and heat to 160�F. Temperatures above 160� will harm the flavor of the honey. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature. Makes about 1 gallon of brining solution.
Morton Tender Quick is a meat curing agent containing salt, sugar, sodium nitrate, sodium nitrite and propylene glycol. It can be found at butcher supply stores or ordered from Allied Kenco.
