Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Food, Cooking, and Game Preparation Smoking wild turkey

<img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> Now don't burst out in laughter, cause I'm serious. I do not want to shred it, roll it, and light up. I really want to know if you think it's necessary to brine a turkey before smoking it. I have lots of experience smoking salmon and trout. I want to put the turkey in the smoke house for a few hours and then into a conventional oven to roast it. It would be consumed in the same amount of time you would eat your T-Day bird. Just wondering if anyone has done this. Tahnks <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

I have done it with ane without brining. I prefer with, but mostly because my brine has pure, real maple syrup in it.

I think the combo of maple syrup and wood smoke can't be beat.

Seems to me that it is jucier, but that could just be my mind at work......

Either way, it's great!


Bill

<img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />Thanks for reply. I will try it with your brine. I smoke allot of fish and use equal amounts of salt and sugar. I just figured brining a turkey would render a salty taste. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Only one question; Where in hell do you fine them "big ass papers"??? <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

<img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> Zig-Zag Super-Mag 3 1/2" with extended extra full choke. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

When I smoke a wild turkey I pluck it and leave the skin on. I use a Cajun smoker with the water pan that steams the meat. I never have used any kind of brine. Turkey smoked in the steam is jucy and tender. It just takes forever and a day to pluck a wild turkey.

<img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> I agree, plucking a turkey is a chore, but in all honesty, start to finish takes me a little over an hour. I pluck the bird asap after the kill. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

If you scald them, they will pick a lot easier. In fact, a turkey is easier than ducks or geese. miles

I do something similar. In my case, I have a New Braunfels horizontal smoker. I start out early in the morning with apple or pear wood and smoke the turkey until noon with the temp gauge at 150F . Then I switch to Oak, open up the flue,turn up the heat to 350F and cook as normal. The bird comes out around dinner time and it's awesome. I use cheese cloth over the breast to keep the breast meat moist and uncharred. It holds the baste against the meat too. The cheese cloth turns black over the course of the afternoon, but the turkey browns up nicely underneath.

I use Jamaican jerk spice and curry powder mixed into some grape jelly and injected deep. I use a curry butter mixed into the drippings as a baste. Grape jelly sounds weird, but it does great things to turkey. I discovered it one day when I ran out of marinade and had to think fast.

I have a couple of fryers (chicken) that I am going to deep fry in my turkey fryer. Does anyone have a favorite recipe for the injectables? miles