Happy Thanksgiving from Prather’s BBQ!

  Tired of dry turkey from the oven? Don’t worry, it’s not your cooking that’s making it dry! Did you know those built-in pop-up thermometers are set at too high of a temperature? If you rely on that pop-up thermometer, your turkey will be overcooked and dry. I have a great smoked Thanksgiving turkey recipe you’ll love! I recommend getting a good thermometer. In my opinion, the Thermapen is the best because it gives an instant reading. The quick reading is an asset because, whether you’re cooking in the oven or the smoker, you can get your temperature reading quickly and close the door before you lose too much cooking heat. The temperature you’re shooting for with turkey is 165 °F.  

The Recipe

  This is a great recipe that I found and modified to my own liking. It was REALLY good, so it was a keeper for me! So, let’s get into it!  

Turkey Brine Recipe

  You need to make this brine and get the turkey soaking in it the day prior to cooking. Make sure the Turkey is THAWED at this point so that it can easily soak in the juices! This brine recipe should be good for a 12-15 lb turkey. If you have a larger turkey, just add more water or broth to completely submerge the turkey. What you will need:

• Large zip-loc bag
• 1 gallon of water, chicken broth, or a mixture of both
• 1 1/2 cups kosher salt
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 7 whole cloves
• 3 whole bay leaves
• 1/4 cup minced onion OR 2 tbs mined white onion
• 1 tbs minced fresh garic
• 1 tsp smoked Spanish style paprika
• 1 tsp all spice (I use Lawry’s)
• 1/2 lemon, pulsed in blender with peel
• 1 tbs grated fresh ginger
• 1 cup brown sugar

Brine Directions

1. Mix all of the above items together in the brine bag. Before placing the turkey in the bag, shake it up to get all of the ingredients all mixed up.
2. Remove the turkey’s innards and rinse the turkey
3. Place the turkey in the large zip-loc bag and make sure the turkey is completely submerged
4. Refrigerate for 24 hours

Note: If you don’t have a brine bag, you can also brine it in a cooler with ice.

Injection Recipe

I like to brine AND inject my turkey for more flavor and moisture. This is a very good injection and will give you a juicy turkey! Depending on the size of your turkey, you may need to double this recipe. I doubled it for one 12 lb turkey and two smaller turkey breasts. What you will need:

• 1 stick of butter
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 tsp hot sauce (I like to use Louisiana style)
• 1 tbs garlic
• 1 tbs Cajun seasoning

 

Injection Directions

Note: The injection comes AFTER brining!

1. Mix all items together in a pot on the stove
2. Heat, but do not boil
3. Allow to simmer for about 20 minutes so the ingredients incorporate
4. Remove from heat after 20 minutes, let cool
5. Inject the turkey at multiple depths. Yes, inject the legs too!

 

Turkey Rub Recipe

You can use a commercially available poultry rub, or use this simple recipe to make your own. Honestly, I prefer to use a poultry rub for more flavor. But, below is a basic rub recipe: What you will need:

• 1/2 cup kosher salt
• 1 cub granulated garlic
• 1 tbs poultry seasoning

 

Turkey Rub Directions

Note: The rub comes AFTER injecting!

• Mix all of the above ingredients together
• If you have an empty spice container, it will make your life easier
• Liberally apply the rub to the ENTIRE outside of the turkey
• Tip: Sprinkle the rub at about 12-14″ above the turkey (this helps with the best coverage)

 

Putting It All Together

  Just for clarification, perform the above directions in the following order:

1. Brine the turkey
2. Inject the turkey
3. Rub the turkey

Now, it’s time to cook the turkey!  

Cooking the Turkey

  For my home cooks, I utilize my Trailmaster vertical smoker and cook with Hickory wood.    

1. Heat up the smoker to 275-300°F
2. Place the turkey directly on the rack
3. Set a timer for 1 1/2 hours, then rotate the turkey 180° (basically, turn it around…don’t flip it!)
4. After 2.5 hours, check your meat temperature
5. When the skin gets dark, lay a piece of foil over the turkey
6. Once you reach 165°F at the thickest part of the breast, you’re done!
7. Allow to rest for about 15 minutes

  I will be using this recipe again this Thanksgiving. If you try it, let me know!