Smoked turkey is a delicacy that many people love, but don't
have often because it's expensive to buy. You may be surprised
how easy it is to smoke a turkey
For those who long for the wonderful taste of smoked turkey but
forgo the luxury because of how much it costs in stores, take
heart! It's surprising just how easy and economical it is to
make your own smoked turkey at home. Not only will you enjoy
this tempting morsel, but just think how much you'll impress
your friends and family.
You don't need a smoker; any covered grill will give the same
effect. Simply place the turkey breast on the cool side of the
grill and use soaked wood chips.
It's important to allow yourself plenty of time to smoke the
turkey until it is completely cooked. Smoking time depends on
the size of the turkey, the distance from the heat, temperature
of the coals, as well as the outside air temperature. You can
roughly estimate about 20 to 30 minutes per pound of turkey, but
it's important to use a meat thermometer to be sure your turkey
is thoroughly cooked. The turkey is done when the food
thermometer, placed in the inner thigh, reaches 180° F (be sure
the thermometer is not touching the bone).
Important points about how to smoke a turkey:
Food safety is of primary concern when smoking turkey. Turkey
breasts, drumsticks, wings and whole turkeys are all suited for
smoking, although for safety's sake, stick with whole turkeys
that weigh 12 pounds or less. A larger turkey remains in the
"Danger Zone" - between 40° F and 140° F for too long.
Do not stuff a turkey destined for smoking. Because smoking
takes place at a low temperature, it can take too long for the
temperature of the stuffing to reach the required temperature of
165° F, not to mention that smoked stuffing has an undesirable
flavor.
Here's a wonderful and easy recipe:
Chili-Spiced Smoked Turkey Breast
1/4 cup fresh lime juice 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 teaspoons
unsweetened cocoa 2 teaspoons paprika 2 teaspoons brown sugar 1
teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon dried oregano 1 teaspoon chili powder 1
teaspoon dried thyme 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 (6-pound) whole
turkey breast 2 cups mesquite chips Cooking spray
Combine the first 10 ingredients in a small saucepan; bring to a
boil. Remove from heat; cool. Combine lime juice mixture and
turkey in a large zip-top plastic bag. Seal and marinate in
refrigerator 2 hours. Soak wood chips in water at least 30
minutes. Drain well.
Preheat gas grill to medium-hot (350° to 400°) using both
burners. Turn left burner off. Place wood chips in a disposable
foil pan or a foil packet pierced with holes on grill over right
burner. Remove turkey from marinade; discard marinade. Place
turkey, skin side up, on grill rack coated with cooking spray
over left burner. Cover and cook 1 1/2 hours. Turn turkey over;
cook 15 minutes or until meat thermometer registers 170°. Remove
turkey from grill. Cover loosely with foil, and let stand at
least 10 minutes before carving. Discard skin.
Yield: 16 servings (serving size: 3 ounces)
If you prefer an actual smoker, water smokers are available in
electric, gas or charcoal model, and all work well. Charcoal
smokers have two pans - one for charcoal and one for liquid
which creates the moist, hot smoke needed for cooking. These are
available wherever barbecue grills are found, but here's an
economical secret: start going to garage sales. For some reason,
smokers seem to be a popular item, possibly because a lot of
folks don't know how to use them. However, as stated above, a
smoker is not necessary to get the full, smoky flavor you
desire. Unless you're really into smoking many different things
(cooking, not inhaling!), it's an expense you can do without.
Not only will you save money, you'll also save space.
But, if you do have a smoker, here's an easy how to smoke a
turkey recipe:
1 15 pound turkey, fresh or thawed 1/4 cup butter 1/2 cup white
wine 1/2 cup honey 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
Prepare smoker for a 6 to 8 hour smoke at about 230 degrees. In
a saucepan melt butter. Add wine, honey and cinnamon. Heat on
low temperature until mixture is smooth and thin. Using a turkey
injector, inject half the mixture into the turkey in all meaty
areas. Brush remaining mixture over turkey. You can reserve some
of the baste to apply later, during the cooking process. Place
turkey in smoker. When the internal temperature of the turkey
reaches 165 degrees the turkey is done. Remove from smoker and
let rest for 10-15 minutes. Carve and serve.
About the author:
Rita Hutner is a copywriter for Catalogs.com. Catalogs.com is
the Internet's leading source for print and online catalog
shopping - and a growing hub of original content and "how to"
information at
http://www.catalogs.com>www.catalogs.com
