BBQ Tips and Tricks for Smoking a Turkey

Looking for some BBQ tips and tricks for smoking a turkey? You've come to the right place. Turkey isn't just for Thanksgiving and Christmas. Turkey is popular for big family gatherings because it feeds so many mouths. I smoke a couple every summer for family gatherings and usually one just to have leftovers in the freezer for sandwiches as there's never much left when I smoke one! I always smoke one for Thanksgiving as well, but it does take a lot longer due to the cold.

Start with the Bird

Start with a fully thawed turkey. Don't try to thaw it in the smoker. Remove the neck and the giblets. Rinse the chicken inside and out with cold water and pat dry with paper towels. From here you have a decision to make. What kind of flavor do you want? Do you want to brine the turkey? Marinate it in your secret mixture? Rub it with garlic and rosemary? Depend on the wood chips for the flavor? Since we're discussing smoking, let's keep it simple. I'll share my own preparation. I don't do anything but wash and pat dry. My flavorings come from the smoke from the chips and a few other things.

The Smoker

I use a tall kettle type smoker. It has a fire box in the base that I can access from outside to add charcoal and wood chips if I need to. There's a middle section that I fill with water for moisture and then a grate on top for the bird. You can also use a charcoal kettle grill with the grill set at it's highest level and a very low fire. The disadvantage with this is that you will need to add charcoal more frequently in smaller amounts because the bird is closer to the fire.

Start Your Fire

Light your charcoal about 30 minutes before you are going to start cooking so that the fire is going well. You are able to add charcoal during the cooking, but it's difficult to get the fire going without removing the turkey. If you're using lighter fluid, be sure it has all burned off before you add the turkey to the grill.

Smoke and Mirrors

My smoker has a middle section that I add water to. You can replicate this on a kettle grill by moving the charcoal to the sides and placing a pan under the turkey. These pans will add moisture and catch drippings. I use this pan to add flavor as well. I fill mine with cut up apples and onions and cover them with water. This adds both moisture and flavor to the cooking. Keep an eye on the pan so the water doesn't all evaporate.

Smoke flavor is created by adding wood chips to the fire itself. You can buy them commercially. Soak them according to directions and add to the fire.

Leave it Alone!

"If you're lookin, it aint cookin"! Every time you lift the lid you let heat out. You worked hard to get the right temperature and the smoke and seasonings. Now, sit back and relax for several hours and read up on other BBQ tips and tricks for your next cookout.

I love to try out new recipes on the grill and enjoy searching out new gadgets and recipes to use. Stop by my website Gift Review, Gifts for Dad. http://rstonehouse.com/giftreview to see what I've found this week to make your grilling even tastier.

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