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JSH
11-20-2007, 01:33 PM
Have two on the smoker as I type. Dangdest weather I ever saw for this time of year. Late Nov. and smoking in the backyard in a sleeveless shirt and shorts. That is all supposed to change tonight.
I packed the two birds with every thing under the sun. Apples, onions, pears, grapes and onions. I used some local bulk mixed season all spice along with some Old Bay seasoning. I am using wild cherry as a smoke wood. I have came to prefer it over anything else I have used. It seems to be more forgiving than hickory or pecan. I mean when a fellow starts a big smoker and gets involved in a card game, BSing, or the beer he is liable to forget about it for a bit longer than he wanted. So then when you go check on it and see it is a bit hotter than you wanted and water pan is almost dry, that calls for another beer to settle ones nerves. Then you may think a short cat nap is due and I will wake up in time to check it all. NOT.
Had this happen a few years back and thank goddness I was using oak for heat and cherry for smoke or I think it would have been a big disaster. Fired the smoker up late AM and got it up to temp. This takes a whil as the smoker box is big enough for to guys to stand up in, about 3x4' square and 7 1/2' tall. It held right at 30 turkeys very easy. The bottom rack is higher than most as the way the fire box was designed. It has a grease pan under the first rack then a big water pan under that, all the shelves are above that.
I am in the midst of designing a new one as enough raw material has fallen into my lap to do so. The biggun' I decribed has since gone south with the owner the last I heard. Sure wish I could get my hands on it to do some measuring. The fire box also doubled as a huge grill. You could get a full case of hot dogs and a case of hamburgers on it and still have room on the warming racks to keep a case of hot dogs and a case of hamburgers warm and ready. I cooked on this thing enough for a couple of years during the summer and the fall to really get a good feel for it. I know it is bad to use LP, but this had a couple of weed burners rigged to it to preheat and get the wood going the last I saw of it. The gent it belonged to said he after he got that rigged it could be set up and heated to whet you wanted in about a 1/2 hour.
Enough of my rambling.
Jeff

jawjaboy
11-20-2007, 05:18 PM
I do love me some smoked turkey now! Smoked is just about the only way I can eat it.

wookness
11-28-2007, 12:31 AM
Using a standard 'Mr Smoker' dome type unit I generally stuff the bird's cavity with dried branches of both Rosemary and Sage with the leaves still attached. Place the bird breast down, you can use a folding 'V' rack for that, if you wish. Fill the water pan w/water. Use soaked mesquite 'chips' or old weathered mesquite for smoke over charcoal briquettes. About 30 minutes to an hour before it comes off, I'll throw a bay leaf on the coals, sometimes two if they are quite small, but nevermore. No other seasoning is used nor needed.

Try it sometime, you'll be most pleasantly rewarded.

crowbuster
11-28-2007, 01:01 PM
I to love a smoked bird. have been doing ours for the get togethers for years, ham to. i have migrated toward the apple wood as it is the sweetest I've used and have plenty available from our orchard trimmings. do like the hickory on the ham now and again but the apple is hard to beat. always thought I'd try that mesquite ifin i had the chance. grouse and pheasant are out of this world with apple wood.

wiljen
11-28-2007, 01:35 PM
I just got a face cord of aged hickory to feed my smoker, should keep me in smoked turkey, pork, and salmon for awhile. I still use mesquite for brisket though, just not the same otherwise.