Let the meat prep commence...**Updated** Post Smoker Pics

[Blake]

So my wife's family decided 2 years ago to start celebrating Thanksgiving the saturday before. There are so many of my Wife's generation with so many in-laws it become impractical to try and do everything on thanksgiving day. So last year after the purchase of our house, we have taken over the thanksgiving duties for the family. My only requirement was that I prepare the meat and it be smoked. So Last night at midnight I began the "Preperation" :D

2 - 17 pound gooblers from a local turkey farm, fresh killed thursday morning.
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_IEOF85O14RQ/SSbCuTYyHnI/AAAAAAAAAvA/3jBukK1sBJQ/s800/PB210842.JPG

Their briney bath being prepared - This Alton's Smoked Turkey brine..salt, honey and veggie stock.
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_IEOF85O14RQ/SSbCvNQXRVI/AAAAAAAAAvI/RPK6GGYV5ZI/s800/PB210843.JPG

One of the gooblers nestled in for his 12 hour bath in briney goodness.
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_IEOF85O14RQ/SSbCv2kz42I/AAAAAAAAAvQ/W2U1CVMv3QU/s800/PB210844.JPG

That's all for now...more updates when I put them on the smoker here in about 3 hours ;).

Alrighty....here we are 3 hours and 100 degrees in :D
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_IEOF85O14RQ/SSdJQGqWZpI/AAAAAAAAAwI/ucJuvNBcNmI/s800/PB210843_01.JPG

Watching the temp and enjoying a small beverage ;). We're about 5.5 hours in now.
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_IEOF85O14RQ/SSdJROheN_I/AAAAAAAAAwQ/jDWbu576eKc/s800/PB210846.JPG

7 hours and 160 degrees later...mmmm smokey goodness
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_IEOF85O14RQ/SSdJTLzMWQI/AAAAAAAAAwg/rxVRYGNP4_g/s800/PB210849.JPG

now for an hour's rest so all the juices go back where they belong and it will be time to slice them up...more pics then ;)

[bigslickwood]

I understand getting it done ahead of time, but a week in advance? Seems like a long time to have cooked turkey sitting around without eating it...

mmmm.... smoked turkey....



(p.s. should we move this to the meat locker?)

[syklopz]

(p.s. should we move this to the meat locker?)

Yeah, I'll move it..

[aceinthehole4212]

Blake,

Where's the update? I will be doing the same thing as you next weekend. I am very curious how everything turned out.

Next weekend will be my first brining, and I really hope it all turns out well.

[Blake]

Blake,

Where's the update? I will be doing the same thing as you next weekend. I am very curious how everything turned out.

Next weekend will be my first brining, and I really hope it all turns out well.

Sorry I havn't been able to pull the pics off the camera yet....at 11:30 I put the birds in the smoker, after 12 hours in the brine...It's now a little over 4 hours later and I'm sitting at 131 degrees. I'll pull htem off at about 160 so I've got 30 degrees (another 1 to 1.5 hours) then let them rest an hour before carving.

I smoked 1 turkey last year with the ham while my wife's grandmother cooked one in the oven....I had a ton of left over oven roasted turkey so everyone said to just smoke both turkey's this year. I smoke turkey breasts a few times a year too. I'll be throwing the spiral cut ham on the smoker for a few hours tomorrow to warm it up. Tomorrow I'll be sure to take some photos of the whole food spread.

Oh and BigSlick, my wife's family is doing thanksgiving tomorrow so I'm cooking them today instead of trying to deal with them with a house full of half drunk relatives.

[bigslickwood]

Got it. I guess I should have just read the first sentence of your post that said you were eating on Saturday. I just skipped to the pr0nny goodness and assumed they were for next Thursday. :oops:

[Blake]

Ok added new pics of the smoke in progress...up next...carving...let the pink smoke ring of goodness shine forth (in an hour)

[Quads]

Wear a rubber dude.....
wear
a
rubber

[Blake]

And so comes our final installment of The Smoke Bird Cometh..

The bird preparing for the carnage ahead.
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_IEOF85O14RQ/SSd45FVcY0I/AAAAAAAAAxA/ad1nbEPftO8/s800/PB210852.JPG

I sliced that bitch up reeeeaalll good and she looooooved it.
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_IEOF85O14RQ/SSd46LK5J6I/AAAAAAAAAxM/-0l1fj9i3qM/s800/PB210853.JPG

Nothing like a handful of breast to start your night off right.
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_IEOF85O14RQ/SSd47PnQMUI/AAAAAAAAAxU/eUIcfqZbzFE/s800/PB210854.JPG

I can't decide if I want to weep or cum.
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_IEOF85O14RQ/SSd49zL5XsI/AAAAAAAAAxk/niHsMSEuf74/s800/PB210859.JPG
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_IEOF85O14RQ/SSd4-3ldwGI/AAAAAAAAAxs/HkFGcca4eUE/s800/PB210861.JPG

Luckily I was able to keep the vulture at bay. I had 5 other people huddled around the island as I was trying to cut those birds up. Tomorrow I'll be sure to get some shots of the whole spread. I'm still in awe of the amount of food we are going to have. Now to go have a nice adult beverage before bed.

[Quads]

awesome... pure juicy awesome.

[sunsetpizza]

awesome... pure juicy awesome.

x2 - I just licked my monitor accidently.

[JbaIV]

Instant mouth watering.

[aceinthehole4212]

That looks Jawesome!! Very well done Blake. I hope my turkey turns out that well next weekend.