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smoked turkey with roasted vegetables

Smoked Turkey

This recipe for smoked turkey will surely impress your friends and family at the next gathering. Be prepared to cook the turkey from now on.

Prep Time 1 day
Cook Time 3 hours

Ingredients

  • 1 14-18 pound turkey with offal removed
  • 1/2 gallon water
  • 1.5 cups Kosher Salt
  • 2 cups Sorghum or Molasses
  • 2 Lemons Halved
  • 2 Oranges Halved
  • 1/2 cup Cajun seasoning such as Tony Chachere's
  • 10 pounds Ice

Instructions

  1. Fill a large stockpot with 1/2 gallon of water and bring to a boil

  2. Add salt, sorghum, lemons, oranges, and cajun season into boiling water.

  3. Stir ingredients until salt and sorghum has dissolved and remove from heat.

  4. Add 3/4 of the ice you have into a clean 5-gallon food-safe bucket.

  5. Pour in the brine over the ice.

  6. Once the brine is cooled add your THAWED turkey to the bucket and cover with remaining ice.

  7. Place bucket into a refrigerator for a minimum of 12 hours with a one hour per pound rule for larger birds.

  8. The bird must be kept below 40 degrees for food safety reasons.

  9. Light smoker and bring it up to 325 degrees F.

  10. Add smoking wood to your fire.

  11. Smoke for 2.5 - 3 hours or until the dark meat around the hip joint hits 165.

  12. Remove the turkey, slice, and enjoy.