Smoking a turkey ?

[yellowstang]

Getting a trukey ready to brine before smoking it tomorrow on the BGE cousin (Vision grill). I have an herb based brine, and apple and mesquite wood chunks.

Would you use one or the other wood, or a combo of both?

I think last year I used mesquite and a little cherry wood. Turned out better than I expected, especially for my first turkey. Any suggestions from you avid turkey smokers?

[mstng86]

I would do a mix of mesquite and apple. Cherry is better than apple, but it sounds like you don't have it.

[yellowstang]

I thought I had cherry, but it just tiny pieces in the bag, so basically like chips instead of chunks. Shoulda bought a bag of it too, it's not like I'd never use it!

[bcoop]

Mesquite will overpower the apple

[zora04]

Mesquite will overpower the apple

For sure. Mesquite over powers anything but lighter fluid. Never use. Lighter fluid.

As far as wood choice goes, it depends on your pallet. I prefer pecan with poultry. I am partial to mesquite on everything else. I'm from west tx, and that's all we had growing up. It tastes like bbq to me. The last brisket I did I cooked with mesquite, and did some oak when my mesquite had quit producing a good amount of smoke. It turned out great. That really needs to go in a different thread though.

[yellowstang]

Used apple and stuck one piece of mesquite in the center. Been smoking since about 10:45. Started it in an aluminum pan at first, removed it after an hour and have a diffuser under it still

[Jose]

So how's it going so far Rob?

[yellowstang]

Turned out pretty good, Jose. Had a pretty decent smoke flavor, not overpowering like if I used more mesquite woulda made it. I was surprised it was not dry too, but perhaps the 24 hour brine/soak helps that.

Temp was between 325 and 350, pretty steady since I kept a close eye on it.

As usual, way too much turkey for the number of people Lyn had over!

[Jose]

I have yet to try a turkey or chicken on my Kamado and I really want to try brining as well. Tell me a little more about the brine.

[yellowstang]

Got the brine and the brine bag at Central Mkt, but a lot of places carry both. Last year I got the brine at the grill store in Southlake.
Put the brine (dry ingredients this year) in a pot with I think 4 cups of water, boil 5 minutes, add 4 quarts water and put in fridge to cool. Then add the solution and turkey in the bag, set back in fridge 24 hours breast side down. Rinse and cook when the grill is ready. I did let it warm up a little at room temp while the grill first started (already rinsed too).

Last years the brine was a solution, just added water to it and mixed it up and brined the same way, 24 hour soak in the fridge.

I did smash things up against it to help raise the brine level higher onto the turkey, try to cover as much as possible while it soaked.