Thread: Smoked Turkey

Smoking 4 Turkeys for Brother-N-Law's office party. Going to smoke them the day before. ??? What is the best way to keep these birds overnight so they can have them for lunch the next day???? Thanks!
Another ?? Do most of you Brine your turkeys? I usually do but with four to smoke thinking about skipping that process.

I Brine mine for about 2 days. 2 gallons of water. 1 1/2 cups each, salt and brown sugar, then toss in some fresh Rosemary, sage and thyme. I throw it into a really good ice chest that'll hold ice for a few days and add in about 3 or 4 bags of Ice. Check this Video out, this is what I'm doing this year. Spatchcock Turkey on my Big Green Egg.
YouTube - Spatchcock Turkey on the Big Green Egg

Don't brine if they are already "basted" or "self-basting" or "enhanced".

Originally Posted by BigSandyRookie

Don't brine if they are already "basted" or "self-basting" or "enhanced".

x2

why not?

Originally Posted by BigSandyRookie

Don't brine if they are already "basted" or "self-basting" or "enhanced".

why not?

Originally Posted by fishinRod

why not?

They'll be too salty.

Originally Posted by Big Ridge Brewer

They'll be too salty.

Yep. Already full of Sodium.

Originally Posted by Big Ridge Brewer

They'll be too salty.

i have to disagree........brining your turkey will NOT make the meat salty, the salt increases the moisture content in meat through osmosis, the salt causes cells to incorporate more water and very little salt is absorbed...........I've been brining and grilling turkeys for years.....also chickens, cornish hens...........never had one that was to salty....its kinda like making a salt encrusted whole fish, its packed in salt and cooked but the meat is not salty at all.

Originally Posted by fishinRod

i have to disagree........brining your turkey will NOT make the meat salty, the salt increases the moisture content in meat through osmosis, the salt causes cells to incorporate more water and very little salt is absorbed...........I've been brining and grilling turkeys for years.....also chickens, cornish hens...........never had one that was to salty....its kinda like making a salt encrusted whole fish, its packed in salt and cooked but the meat is not salty at all.

That's fine but I buy unsalted butter because I like to control the amount of salt in my dishes. I also buy flour that isn't self-rising because I can control the amount of baking powder.

Same goes with the turkey. Why buy a turkey that's already injected with a salt solution when you can obtain better results by doing the brine yourself?