How to Smoke a Turkey for Thanksgiving
First you need to get the right items together to make this a success. You will need a smoker, water, charcoal, hickory wood chips, aluminum foil, oranges, toothpicks, open rack, seasoning rub, and of course your turkey.
The turkey must be totally thawed out. First cut up your oranges into quarters and set them in a bowl off to the side. Next, wash your bird inside and out. Just use clear cool water to do this. Prepare your favorite rub and put it all over the outside of the bird. Be sure to put some between the skin and meat of the bird. This is easily done by slice of skin with your knife and simply rub it in. Next take your oranges quarters and stuff them inside the cavity of the bird. As you place them inside, squeeze them to get the juice to come out a little but not too hard.
For the outside of the bird, take your toothpicks and stick a few quarters of the oranges on top of the bird. The toothpicks will hold them on. Set your prepared bird to the side and leave it at room temperature.
To prepare your smoker, soak your hickory wood chips in water about 24 hours before you start to smoke your turkey. Before I go any farther, let me explain that you can use all types of fruit wood chips. Do not use chemically treated or commercial lumber. You can use apple, peach, grape vines, pears, maple, or mesquite chips. I have seen some use a mixture. Just remember to soak them for 24 hours.
Next start your charcoal and get a good bed of white and red coals first. While the coals are getting hot, line your drip pan with aluminum foil fill it half with water and place it under the rack where your turkey will be placed. the drip pan is important because it will catch the drippings from your bird as it smokes. The aluminum foil makes for an easy cleanup.
Now slide in your bird above the drip pan. Take your soaked wood chips and toss them onto the hot coals. Close your door and watch your temperature gage adjust. You can control the smoke and heat by opening the air doors on the side and above on the smoker. Try to keep your heat temperature between 160 to 180 degrees.
Now is where your patience comes into play. Keep an eye on the smoke coming out of the smoker. If you see it slowing check on the chips and the coals. You will have to add new as you need to. Try to keep the door closed as much as possible.
Smoking time will vary on the size of your bird and smoke and heat generated by your smoker. You can do a pound of the bird every 20 to 30 minutes.
Tips; Soak your chips in Amber Bock beer, wine, apple juice instead of water. Be sure the Turkey cavity gets plenty of air. It has to be open. Try using limes, lemons, too. Do not use fir tree chips like pine or conifers.
It takes time and patience to do a bird right. However, they can be very tasteful and add to your Thanksgiving or holiday feast.
