I struggled to find a good recipe for Smoked Wild Turkey that didn't involve draping it in bacon. My turkey was whole but skinned, and I removed the drumsticks as I was afraid they would dry out. I brined the turkey for 12 hours, than dried and put on my smoker for 5 hours. I just have a relatively small electric smoker so I put my turkey breast down on the stand that I use when I fry a turkey.
The turkey came out tender, moist and all really enjoyed it, including two people who had never eaten wild turkey before. I didn't take any pics because I didn't expect it to be so good. So when I cook the second one I will update this thread with pics. Below are the recipe I used along with the brine recipe. Enjoy!
Smoked Wild Turkey
1 wild turkey (approximately 10-12 lbs)
4 garlic cloves, finely minced or crushed
1/2 C. butter
2 (12 oz) cans cola (Coke works well)
1 apple
1 onion
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tbsp salt
1 tbsp black pepper
Using mesquite, preheat smoker to 225 to 250 degrees F according to manufacturer’s directions. Rub the crushed garlic into the skin of the turkey. Place turkey in an aluminum roasting pan (the disposable kind). Cut onion and apple into quarters. Fill cavity of turkey with butter, Coke, garlic powder, apple, onion, salt, and pepper. Don’t worry if some of the mixture leaks out when turkey is set back down. Cover roasting pan loosely with foil. Smoke turkey for approximately 5 hours, basting every hour with juices from the bottom of the roasting pan.
Slaughterhouse Poultry Brine By Tip Piper of Hillbilly Vittles
1 ½ Gal Water
½ C Salt - Kosher
½ C Dark Brown Sugar
2 tsp Garlic Powder
2 tsp Onion Powder
2 tsp Cajun Spice (Louisiana Cajun Seasoning)
2 tsp Celery Seed
The turkey came out tender, moist and all really enjoyed it, including two people who had never eaten wild turkey before. I didn't take any pics because I didn't expect it to be so good. So when I cook the second one I will update this thread with pics. Below are the recipe I used along with the brine recipe. Enjoy!
Smoked Wild Turkey
1 wild turkey (approximately 10-12 lbs)
4 garlic cloves, finely minced or crushed
1/2 C. butter
2 (12 oz) cans cola (Coke works well)
1 apple
1 onion
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tbsp salt
1 tbsp black pepper
Using mesquite, preheat smoker to 225 to 250 degrees F according to manufacturer’s directions. Rub the crushed garlic into the skin of the turkey. Place turkey in an aluminum roasting pan (the disposable kind). Cut onion and apple into quarters. Fill cavity of turkey with butter, Coke, garlic powder, apple, onion, salt, and pepper. Don’t worry if some of the mixture leaks out when turkey is set back down. Cover roasting pan loosely with foil. Smoke turkey for approximately 5 hours, basting every hour with juices from the bottom of the roasting pan.
Slaughterhouse Poultry Brine By Tip Piper of Hillbilly Vittles
1 ½ Gal Water
½ C Salt - Kosher
½ C Dark Brown Sugar
2 tsp Garlic Powder
2 tsp Onion Powder
2 tsp Cajun Spice (Louisiana Cajun Seasoning)
2 tsp Celery Seed