Chapter 5 Turkey Recipes

Applewood Smoked Turkey

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cooking Time: 3 hours

Servings: 10 persons

Ingredients

For Brine

• 1 ¼ cup dark brown sugar
• 1 ½ kosher salt
• ¼ cup black peppercorns
• 2 gallons cold water
• 1 bag ice
• 2 tablespoon  allspice berries
• 1 empty 5-gallon bucket

For Turkey

• 12-15 pounds fresh young turkey
• ¼ of medium yellow onion
• 3-4 sprigs rosemary
• ¼ of granny smith apple
• 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, chopped
• 3-4 sprigs thyme
• Applewood pellets
• ½ cup butter, melted
• Butcher’s twine
• 1/3 cup oil

Directions

For Brining

1. Combine the water, peppercorns, salt, allspice and brown sugar in a 5-gallon bucket.
2. Take out the giblets and neck from the turkey and keep it for further use. Take out any wire or plastic that is holding the turkey.
3. Immerse the turkey into the bucket of brine and place the ice bag onto it to keep it completely dipped in the brine.
4. Cover it with a lid or foil paper and let it stay for overnight.

For Smoking

5. Take out the turkey from the brine and drain and pat it dry with paper towels.
6. Keep the wingtips folded behind the back and with the help of butcher’s twine, tie the legs together.
7. Generously rub oil inside and out and add the quartered onion, apple and fresh herbs inside the main cavity and the neck cavity both.
8. Turn on the electric smoker with the lid open to make sure the fire is established in about 4-5 minutes.
9. Keep the turkey on the smoker rack with the breast side up. Let it smoke with the lid closed at 150-180 F for 2 hours.
10.                       Add rosemary and melted butter in a small bowl to make a mixture and now after the first smoke, brush this mixture all over the turkey and increase the temperature to 350 F.
11.                       Let it smoke for 2 to 2.5 hours or until the internal temperature reaches 170 s F on the meat thermometer which should be stuck in the thickest part of the thigh without touching the bone.
12.                       Take out the turkey from the smoker and let it rest for about 20 minutes before carving.