Recipe

Worth The Wait Smoked Turkey Recipe

Add Step-by-Step Photos	Jimrug1 / All my dishes 1 year, 1 month ago You may be slap happy by the time you spend long hours cooking this bird but I will guarantee your guests will be raving about your Turkey for years to come. It will take anywhere from 9 – 12 hrs so be prepared. I usually start it about 4 am and... More Prep:60m Cook:600m Servings:10	Jimrug1
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Ingredients

1 Whole Fresh Turkey 10 – 12 lbs

1 Package of Fine mesh Cheese Cloth

Brine

1 ¾ Gallons Vegetable Broth

2 Cups Non Iodized Salt

2 Cups Light Brown Sugar, packed

4 Lemons, sliced

1 Large bundle of fresh Thyme

Ice

Seasoned Butter Rub

¼ lb clarified Butter, melted

2 Tbls Poultry Seasoning

4 large cloves Garlic, crushed into a paste

1 Tbls Onion Powder

1 Tsp Cayenne Pepper

The Mop Baste & Mason Jar Liquid

½ Cup melted Clarified Butter

2 Cups Turkey or Chicken broth, divided

2 Cups Brandy, divided

½ Cup White Wine Worcestershire Sauce, divided

1 Qt Wide Mouth Mason Jar

Large bundle of Fresh Thyme Sprigs, soaked in water overnight.

Large bundle of Fresh Rosemary Sprigs, soaked in water overnight

Apple or Cherry Wood Chips soaked in water overnight.

Directions

BRINE:

Combine brine ingredients and warm it on the stove just enough to dissolve Salt and Sugar. Add a little ice to cool the brine back down. Place the Turkey in a clean 5 gallon bucket. (Alternatively you can use a garbage bag placed in a cooler of ice. Pour brine over the Turkey making sure it is completely covered. Fill the bucket to the top with ice and put on the lid. Brine the Turkey for at least 4 hrs. but no longer than 12 or it begins to affect the meat texture.

Remove Turkey from the Brine and place it in the sink. Fill the sink with water and let the Turkey soak for 2 – 4 mins. Turning it over at least once. Empty sink and fill with water and soak again 1 – 2 mins. This rinses off all the extra salt from the brine.

Pat very dry with paper towels, cover loosely, and let sit for 45 mins at room temp.

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SEASONED BUTTER RUB

Combine rub ingredients with enough melted Butter to make a loose paste. Rub generously all over Turkey inside and out. Spoon liberal amounts in between the skin and the breast and leg meat.

Moisten Cheese Cloth and wrap entire breast area down to the thighs 2-3 times around bird. It will now look like a turkey Mummy….;-)~

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FOR THE LIQUID:

Put the 2 cups of Brandy in a medium saucepan and bring to a slow boil. Reduce the Brandy to about 1 ½ cups. Pour ¾ cup of the Brandy into the Mason Jar. Add ¼ cup Worcestershire Sauce, and 1 Cup Broth to the Jar and set aside.

Add the Worcestershire sauce and Butter to the saucepan containing the Brandy . Cover and Keep warm on low heat.

Prepare your smoker for 200 – 220 degrees. I like a water smoker for this because there is plenty of room for the Turkey to stand up. I also like the fruit wood chips as it is more subtle than Hickory or Mesquite.

If you are making gravy, place a round drip pan on the bottom rack of your smoker. Put the Mason Jar in the pan and slide the cavity of the Turkey over the jar. Position the legs for balance. It should look like it's sitting on its butt and balance fairly easy.

With a barbeque mop or baster, soak the Cheese Cloth with the Brandy Butter Mopping liquid.

Cover and smoke for 6 hrs. adding a wood chips every 2 hours. Remove the cheese cloth, and cook for about another 3-4 hours basting with the Mop Liquid every 45 mins. Toss the soaked Rosemary and Thyme bundles onto the coals during the last 1 ½ hrs of cooking.

When an Instant Read Thermometer in the thigh reads 175 degrees, remove the Turkey from the smoker and let rest for 20 minutes before carving.. It should be juicy and falling off the bone.

Make a gravy out of the drippings by pouring the fat out of the drip pan. Deglaze the drip pan with Turkey or Chicken broth. Add a little cream to lighten it up. (It goes well with the Brandy flavor) To thicken, put equal amounts of Corn Starch and Flour in a jar with water. Shake like hell and add a little at a time to the broth...

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Comments

minitindel 1 year, 1 month ago said:
Wow!!!! fantastic im drooling now it sounds great ..and brandy in it yum ..ill be over when its done with dessert and drinks in hand ..................lol lol

sas 1 year, 1 month ago said:
Bring it on big guy!!!!!~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Sas

elgab89 1 year, 1 month ago said:
WOW! I love the fact that you make it sound so easy! Awesome! High 5, Jim!

goblue434 1 year, 1 month ago said:
I'm Afraid I'm Gonna Burn My Face By Taking A Bite While The Bird Is Still On The Grill. Gonna Try This One Real Soon. Thanx For Sharing.

lunasea 1 year, 1 month ago said:
Good heavens. Your turkey sounds and looks so gorgeous and delicious - and what could be more fun than to hang out all day with good company, chatting, laughing stoking the woods chips, mopping the bird and sipping drinks. Now that's something to be truly grateful for.

I have never jonesed more for my own smoker than I am at this very second. I can't imagine that turkey being more perfect.

Great recipe, Jim hon. And you give really great instruction...thanks so much! ;-)~ vickie

P.S. Love the name. And that delightful Brandy-Butter. Oh my...

razorfamilyfarms 1 year, 1 month ago said:
This looks wonderful! I can't wait to try it! Five forks for this one!

cherylannxo 1 year, 1 month ago said:
This is a fabulous recipe! You deserve more than my 5. Just love it! Thank you so very much for sharing...Cheryl

trigger 10 months, 3 weeks ago said:
That is quite the wonderful recipe brined and smoked. Makes me wish I had a smoker to make this and many of your delectable recipes.
I love the flavors imparted by the wood and herbs.
You have a lot going on here but it plays out like a beautifully composed symphony. The 12 hours would be worth every minute to wait for this scrumptious meal.

Break out the cards the domino's the beers and let's have a blast while we wait.
Five forks a great big grin from ear to ear :)

Michael