Christmas Turkey?
RegForte
Anybody doing smoked turkey this year?
I'm strongly leaning towards doing one this year cause they're
cheap and sooo easy. I'll be serving a big platter of Pork Tenderloin
Wellington but I need a major big hunk o meat to serve as the
real focal point.
I take a simple approach. Brine overnight in 1 C salt and sugar
per gallon. Light smoke at 250 F, then finish in a 500 F oven
for the last hour or so.
Serve with gravy made the day before. One thing I don't much
like is gravy made from smoked turkey.
I think I just talked myself into it.
--
Reg
Kent
"RegForte" <r...@nospam.com> wrote in message
news:hgjc1d$uff$1...@news.eternal-september.org...
added lemon juice to taste to give it a slight bit of acidity. I think this
made made the turkey taste much better. It gave it a very slight "bite". Any
vinegar obviously can be used to accomplish the same. Buy some turkey parts
at your local market and make stock if you don't have it on hand. I think a
richly flavored turkey stock gravy makes all the difference in the world.
Happy Holiday,
Kent
Olde Hippee
>
> - Show quoted text -
When we smoke a turkey I do it exactly like one inside in the oven.
The last time we did one, it was outside for 1 1/2 hours then came in
to finish where I could baiste it easily and often. The meat was
smokey and moist. I even stuff it just like inside.
Nan in DE
Kent
dried A grade porcini mushrooms. They have it for an excellent price.
Mix 1/2 cup dried porcinis with water to hydrate. Pour off porcini stock and
add it to the stock that you're going to use to hydrate your stuffing; this
is very important. Make your stuffing with soaked porcinis, giblets, and
whatever you choose. As I've said in the past I think always works better if
it's baked separate from the turkey. The stock, however, is important. I
wonder how much flavor seeps from the cavity wall into the stuffing inside
the turkey. I'll bet not much.
Kent
RegForte
> "RegForte" <r...@nospam.com> wrote in message
> news:hgjc1d$uff$1...@news.eternal-september.org...
>
>>Or Chanukah, Winter Solstice, Kwanzaa ...
>>
>>Anybody doing smoked turkey this year?
>>
>>I'm strongly leaning towards doing one this year cause they're
>>cheap and sooo easy. I'll be serving a big platter of Pork Tenderloin
>>Wellington but I need a major big hunk o meat to serve as the
>>real focal point.
>>
>>I take a simple approach. Brine overnight in 1 C salt and sugar
>>per gallon. Light smoke at 250 F, then finish in a 500 F oven
>>for the last hour or so.
>>
>>Serve with gravy made the day before. One thing I don't much
>>like is gravy made from smoked turkey.
>>
>>I think I just talked myself into it.
>>
>
> Head down to the Lucas delicatessen on Valencia St. in SF, buy a pound of
> dried A grade porcini mushrooms. They have it for an excellent price.
> Mix 1/2 cup dried porcinis with water to hydrate. Pour off porcini stock and
> add it to the stock that you're going to use to hydrate your stuffing; this
> is very important. Make your stuffing with soaked porcinis, giblets, and
> whatever you choose. As I've said in the past I think always works better if
> it's baked separate from the turkey. The stock, however, is important. I
> wonder how much flavor seeps from the cavity wall into the stuffing inside
> the turkey. I'll bet not much.
Luca's is precious. The only thing I ever liked about living in The
Mission was being near that place.
I love the mushroom idea. I wish the wife didn't hate them. It's
one of the few major incompatibilities between us. I cook them when
she's not around.
The only area you and I differ is with the idea of putting citrus juice,
or anything acidic, in a brine. Most additional brine ingredients
do no harm, but they also have little or no effect. Acidic stuff
can actually do damage by making the meat mushy, especially if you
leave it in too long. One thing I like about brines is you (should)
have a little leeway in your soak time.
Happy Holidays!
--
Reg
nailsh...@aol.com
think brines improve the texture, but don't do much for flavor.
I brine when I have a chance, but it is pretty much just salt, water,
maybe some sugar when I do. That's it. Extensive, side-by-side
testing on my part with chicken revealed no taste change in simple
brines vs. those 15 ingredient marinates folks make.
For me, the old fashioned way works the best. Soften butter and add
some salt, black pepper, sage, oregano and rosemary.
Make a paste. Gently lift the skin over the bird and put as much of
the paste as you can under the skin, all over the bird.
Take the remaining paste and rub it all over the turkey. Put it in
the smoker with a pan underneath to catch the butter/herb seasoned
drippings.
Cook at 350F in the smoker. Since there is no tough muscle to break
down and your butter will keep the meat moist, 300 - 350F works
great. I allow about 20-25 minutes a pound but check with a thermo to
be sure. I only baste about 1/2 way through, and it's with any butter
paste mixture I have left over.
For me and the missus, I let it sit for about 15 minutes or so while
getting the rest of the meal ready. We don't eat the skin.
But for company/family/presentation purposes, when it is finished
cooking on the smoker, I take the bird in the house and put it in a
preheated oven set at 450. This will crisp the skin nicely, and make
it uniformly brown.
Couldn't be easier.
Robert
Kent
small amount of lemon juice relative to the total volume of brine. I suspect
the ph change to the acidic side was pretty marginal. As I said before, both
my wife and I thought it gave the turkey a taste it didn't have before, all
for the positive.
Regarding the mushrooms, porcinis have a fairly assertive taste, just what
turkey stuffing benefits from . What you might consider trying, if you
haven't already, is to hunt down some dried Morels. They have a more
delicate taste. They hydrate very well. They're expensive, though it takes a
long time to get through a pound. As with most dried mushrooms, after
soaking, we dry them and saut� them in butter before doing anything. They
can, however, go directly into a turkey stuffing without saut�ing.
I just realized that in the Embarkacaro there is a mushroom vendor with a
wide variety. His prices are slightly on the high side. His products,
however, look very good.
Happy Holidays to you and those near to you,
Kent
Kent
<nailsh...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:5c162fb6-750a-40db...@y24g2000yqb.googlegroups.com...
salt and sugar, and at what concentration. If I add seasonings, I add only
assertive seasonings, like allspice, juniper, clove, etc. Grind seasonings
in a mortar and pestle, and then "cook" in a microwave with one cup of water
for several minutes. Add that to your brine solution.
Kent
Omelet
"Kent" <aka....@yahoo.com> wrote:
> I agree about brine ingredients having little effect. I think it's mainly
> salt and sugar, and at what concentration. If I add seasonings, I add only
> assertive seasonings, like allspice, juniper, clove, etc. Grind seasonings
> in a mortar and pestle, and then "cook" in a microwave with one cup of water
> for several minutes. Add that to your brine solution.
>
> Kent
I've been experimenting with meat curing (mostly pork) and when I make
up my curing soak, I use raw sugar, sea salt, curing salts and various
spices such as garlic powder, basil, etc.
I put it all into the pressure cooker and bring it up to pressure to
melt all the sugar and salt, and make more of less of a "tea" with the
rest of the flavorings.
Trust me, this adds _lots_ of additional flavoring to my meat. But, my
brining times for projects like that are never any less than 5 days...
I've not tried it yet with poultry, but I ruined a hunk of beef with it.
Too much salt stayed in the beef. Guess I should have re-soaked it prior
to smoking it.
The pork I've done on the other hand was fantastic. See my Canadian
Bacon pics in my sig links.
--
Peace! Om
"Human nature seems to be to control other people until they put their foot down."
--Steve Rothstein
Web Albums: <http://picasaweb.google.com/OMPOmelet>
recfood...@yahoogroups.com
Subscribe: recfoodrecip...@yahoogroups.com
Kent
"Omelet" <ompo...@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:ompomelet-9EC47...@news-wc.giganews.com...
Tenderquick a bit. I'd like to find a nitrate/nitrite product for brine
curing.
Thanks,
Kent
Omelet
"Kent" <aka....@yahoo.com> wrote:
> What curing product/agent are you using? I've played with Morton's
> Tenderquick a bit. I'd like to find a nitrate/nitrite product for brine
> curing.
> Thanks,
> Kent
I'm experimenting with Potassium Nitrate. 1 part Salt Petre to 15 parts
gray (mineral) salt, adding 2 tablespoons of that mix per gallon of
brine.
It's worked well.
Nunya Bidnits
> Seems like the brine thread came up not too long ago... maybe not. I
> think brines improve the texture, but don't do much for flavor.
>
> I brine when I have a chance, but it is pretty much just salt, water,
> maybe some sugar when I do. That's it. Extensive, side-by-side
> testing on my part with chicken revealed no taste change in simple
> brines vs. those 15 ingredient marinates folks make.
>
> For me, the old fashioned way works the best. Soften butter and add
> some salt, black pepper, sage, oregano and rosemary.
I just did some chicken Sunday night with a similar coating. Olive oil base
though. Sage, oregano, rosemary, basil, black pepper, ground fine in a
grinder and added to the oil, plus granular garlic and granular onion, a few
drops of sesame oil, and salt. This was oven cooked though, not on the
smoker, and I finished off the coating by sprinkling/pressing in some panko
crumbs. Very tasty.
MartyB in KC
Nunya Bidnits
I forgot to include: a tablespoon of rice wine vinegar and a little dijon
mustard to help bind it together.
I have no doubt it would work equally well in the smoker at higher temps,
sans the panko of course.
MBKC
Kent
"Sqwertz" <swe...@cluemail.compost> wrote in message
news:d5li3i1ensyu$.prn@sqwertz.com...
> On Tue, 22 Dec 2009 02:09:15 -0800, Kent wrote:
>
>> What curing product/agent are you using? I've played with Morton's
>> Tenderquick a bit. I'd like to find a nitrate/nitrite product for brine
>> curing.
>
> directions for brining? And yes, it's always been there.
>
> http://www.sausagesource.com/catalog/mrtn-tndrqk.html
>
> Please don't engage this asshole in any discussion of curing. Or
> anything else for that matter. It's the same stupid questionS year
> after year. And if you tell him you use saltpeter, then it will
> only last another 10 years.
>
> -sw
>
>
Sqwertz, I'd really like to know what OM is doing and how it works for her.
There's nothing wrong with that. She's very accomplished; she's obviously
done her homework; I'm sure she has insight that has more value than what's
in the ad above.That's what a NG is about.
What comes back, unfortunately, is your spewing. Is it from your pen? Is it
a burp from your mouth? Is it a low frequency monosyllabic uttering from
your anus, or is it one of those rare moments of expression from the tip of
your penis when it's trying to do something else?
You're one of a small number of vitreofiles who have made this NG die. You
know that, of course.
The URL you refer to above doesn't answer the question. No one uses
Tenderquick for anything other than dry curing. It doesn't make sense. My
reference to it was a parenthetical reference to curing. You know that, of
course.
What's it like to be a eunich?
Kent
"Nick Cramer" <n_cram...@pacbell.net> wrote in message
news:20091222225726.924$7...@newsreader.com...
> Sqwertz <swe...@cluemail.compost> wrote:
>> [ . . . ]
>> Please don't engage this asshole in any discussion of curing. Or
>> anything else for that matter. It's the same stupid questionS year
>> after year. And if you tell him you use saltpeter, then it will
>> only last another 10 years.
>
> only see what others have quoted.
>
> --
> Nick, KI6VAV. Support severely wounded and disabled Veterans and their
> families: https://www.woundedwarriorproject.org/ Thank a Veteran!
> Support Our Troops: http://anymarine.com/ You are not forgotten.
> Thanks ! ! ~Semper Fi~ USMC 1365061
>
>
I'm saddened when I see one obviously with reasonable brain power who has
his head in the sand. This is exactly what happened in Germany in the
1930's.
Dave Bugg
Kent, you're priceless. Only you could make a reach around like that. Now,
FOAD.
--
Dave
What is best in life? "To crush your enemies, see them driven before
you, and to hear the lamentation of the women." -- Conan
Dave Bugg
> "Sqwertz" <swe...@cluemail.compost> wrote in message
> news:d5li3i1ensyu$.prn@sqwertz.com...
>> On Tue, 22 Dec 2009 02:09:15 -0800, Kent wrote:
>>
>>> What curing product/agent are you using? I've played with Morton's
>>> Tenderquick a bit. I'd like to find a nitrate/nitrite product for
>>> brine curing.
>>
>> Moron. Have you read the god damn bag - the part where it has
>> directions for brining? And yes, it's always been there.
>>
>> http://www.sausagesource.com/catalog/mrtn-tndrqk.html
>>
>> Please don't engage this asshole in any discussion of curing. Or
>> anything else for that matter. It's the same stupid questionS year
>> after year. And if you tell him you use saltpeter, then it will
>> only last another 10 years.
>>
>> -sw
>>
>>
> Sqwertz, I'd really like to know what OM is doing and how it works
Steve is right; you are a pretentious prick who wouldn't know saltpeter from
his own peter. Look up 'tedious' in the thesaurus and 'Kent' is listed right
along with the other suggested word substitutions. Now, FOAD.
Brian
This is exactly what happened in Germany in the
> 1930's
Godwin's Law has been invoked, this thread is officially over.
Brian
Nunya Bidnits
Good call.
The sad thing is, if some people would just use their killfiles instead of
obsessively indulging themselves in troll-feeding, you probably would never
have had cause to deploy the G bomb in the first place. This started off as
a credible thread, and as usual, turned into a crapshoot where you have no
idea whether opening the next post is going to reveal discussion of the
topic, or another round of whining and insulting that was completely
avoidable.
I guess at some point you have to begin to consider anyone who feeds this
situation to be just as much of a troll as the instigator, no matter who
they are, and subject to the same simple remedy. And I'm not referring to
Paxil, although it is approved for the treatment of Obsessive Compulsive
Disorder.
MartyB in KC
Kent
"Nunya Bidnits" <nunyab...@eternal-september.invalid> wrote in message
news:hgtnao$9bb$1...@news.eternal-september.org...
"> What curing product/agent are you using? I've played with Morton's
> Tenderquick a bit. I'd like to find a nitrate/nitrite product for brine
> curing."
and Swertz responded with:
"Moron. Have you read the god damn bag - the part where it has
directions for brining? And yes, it's always been there.
http://www.sausagesource.com/catalog/mrtn-tndrqk.html
Please don't engage this asshole in any discussion of curing. Or
anything else for that matter. It's the same stupid questionS year
after year. And if you tell him you use saltpeter, then it will
only last another 10 years."
Swertz, in his usual fashion made one of his usual caustic comments rather
than simply answering the question, or just keeping quiet.. I haven't
usually responded to his comments. This time I did.
Omelet
Sqwertz <swe...@cluemail.compost> wrote:
> On Tue, 22 Dec 2009 02:09:15 -0800, Kent wrote:
>
> > What curing product/agent are you using? I've played with Morton's
> > Tenderquick a bit. I'd like to find a nitrate/nitrite product for brine
> > curing.
>
> Moron. Have you read the god damn bag - the part where it has
> directions for brining? And yes, it's always been there.
>
> http://www.sausagesource.com/catalog/mrtn-tndrqk.html
>
> Please don't engage this asshole in any discussion of curing. Or
> anything else for that matter. It's the same stupid questionS year
> after year. And if you tell him you use saltpeter, then it will
> only last another 10 years.
>
> -sw
Ok. <g>
Thanks.
I'm new to the group...
Omelet
Sqwertz <swe...@cluemail.compost> wrote:
> On Tue, 22 Dec 2009 07:46:51 -0600, Omelet wrote:
>
> > I'm experimenting with Potassium Nitrate. 1 part Salt Petre to 15 parts
> > gray (mineral) salt, adding 2 tablespoons of that mix per gallon of
> > brine.
>
> Now you've done it.
>
> -sw
Your warning came too late. :-(
Gotta admire you at least for not being premature. <eg>
Omelet
Nick Cramer <n_cram...@pacbell.net> wrote:
> Sqwertz <swe...@cluemail.compost> wrote:
> > [ . . . ]
> > Please don't engage this asshole in any discussion of curing. Or
> > anything else for that matter. It's the same stupid questionS year
> > after year. And if you tell him you use saltpeter, then it will
> > only last another 10 years.
>
> <sigh> K*nt is one of the Charter Members of my Bozo Bin. Of his posts, I
> only see what others have quoted.
Being a newbie to this group, I had no idea.
Apologies.
Omelet
Brian <Br...@nospam.org> wrote:
<laughs> Even _I_ knew about that one!
Dave Bugg
> This became a "crapshoot" when I asked a reasonable question to OM.
You took advantage of a relative newbie to do your attention seeking leg
hump. It's the same old Kent-crap: ask a newbie the same questions that have
been answered a billion times. Be pretentious over obvious stuff by
insisting on an OCD breakdown of the newbies rationale and reasoning, and
then engage in why this or that microgram of ingredient might become a
hitherto unknown yet miraculous answer to curing or brining or roasting or
grilling or searing, etc ad infinitum. Just how many angels CAN dance on the
head of a pin, Kent?
> Swertz, in his usual fashion made one of his usual caustic comments
> rather than simply answering the question, or just keeping quiet.. I
> haven't usually responded to his comments. This time I did.
Ever watch 'Sunshine Cleaners' Kent? Steve is just trying to get rid of the
rotten corpse smell that you always bring.
Now FOAD. Santa ain't coming to your house, Kent. He almost died from food
poisoning from the weird cookies you made last year. Who ever heard of
brining chocolate chip cookies in a warm garage anyway? Just how much
tenderquick did you use, freak-head?
vex
> Or Chanukah, Winter Solstice, Kwanzaa ...
>
> Anybody doing smoked turkey this year?
Not this year. I'm doing a TurDucHen for the very first time and I'm
going to roast it. If the family likes it, next year I'll smoke one.
--Brett
RegForte
There you go. Start simple and then build on it.
Simple is a relative term though. Turducken is a fair amount of
hand work. The mere description of it is usually enough to wow the
guests and I bet it will be a hit.
As for me, I'm going to try the precook thing I learned from Jim
Minion. I do it all the time for stuff like brisket but I've never
done it for a whole turkey.
Today I'll smoke it at about 250 F until it not quite done. Maybe
165 F in the thigh, or thereabouts. Cool it and fridge it.
Tomorrow it goes back into a 400 F oven until complete, about
175-180 F in the thigh.
--
Reg
Nunya Bidnits
>
> As for me, I'm going to try the precook thing I learned from Jim
> Minion. I do it all the time for stuff like brisket but I've never
> done it for a whole turkey.
>
> Today I'll smoke it at about 250 F until it not quite done. Maybe
> 165 F in the thigh, or thereabouts. Cool it and fridge it.
>
> Tomorrow it goes back into a 400 F oven until complete, about
> 175-180 F in the thigh.
Can you elaborate on the precook thing? I've had some success precooking
brisket and ribs to nearly done, and then reheating, usually in a loose foil
wrap. What's your technique?
MartyB
RegForte
My terminology usage could be better. Actually it would
correctly be called "parcooking", meaning partial cooking.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Par-cook
Cook the meat mostly but not completely, like for a brisket
around 160 F, then fridge it. On game day cook it all the way
through.
In this case, I cooked the turkey until about 160 F in the breast.
Fridged it until it all cooled. Then, and here's where things
get a little different, I cut out all the breast meat in two neat
pieces, and wrapped them in foil with some thyme, sage, and a pat
of butter.
On game day I cooked the remaining carcass, which was all dark meat,
to 180 F. The breast meat got reheated but not cooked and further.
This was the first time I've ever tried doing this with a
turkey and it came out perfect. I will definitely do it again,
especially when I'm feeling lazy.
--
Reg
Nunya Bidnits
Thanks for explaining that, I really like the idea with the turkey. The best
compensation I've done with breast temp vs the rest of the carcass is to
cook it upside down for about 2/3 of the cook, then flip to breast side up,
keeping temps lower in the breast while higher in the dark meats.
When you do this with a brisket do you think it improves flavor or texture?
It's intriguing because when you cook it to 160 and then fridge, and then
recook to full temp, you certainly wouldn't seem to be saving time, but
you're twice-cooking the meat. At 160 you haven't fully rendered the fat and
collagen in the brisket, so if it improves the food, why do you think that
is the case?
MartyB in KC
Stormmee
--
Have a wonderful day
"Nunya Bidnits" <nunyab...@eternal-september.invalid> wrote in message
news:hgtnao$9bb$1...@news.eternal-september.org...