thanksgiving rewind: apple & pecan smoked turkey

Over the next few days I’m going to be doing a quick review of my Thanksgiving culinary adventure. Today I’m going to start out with how I prepared the turkey. I had intended to smoke the turkey this year, however, I was the victim of an equipment malfunction.

Even though I ended up roasting the turkey I’m confident that this preparation would produce a fine result if it had been smoked. Once I have resolved my equipment issues I will be recreating this preparation.

dry brine

1 tablespoon kosher salt/5# of turkey

• follow the directions in this LA Times article on how to dry bring your turkey

rub & compound butter

• 2 teaspoons cumin
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon rubbed sage
• 1 tablespoon toasted and cracked fennel seed
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 2 teaspoons onion powder
• 2 tablespoons lightly packed brown sugar
• 1/2 stick unsalted butter at room temperature

1. Toast the fennel seed in a dry frying pan for three to five minutes, or until they start to turn a toasty brown color, then set aside and let them cool before grinding in a spice grinder or a mortar and pestle
2. Measure and combine all the remaining spices and add them to the cracked fennel in a medium mixing bowl
3. This recipe will yield a little more than 1/2 cup of the spice rub mixture (which is also equivalent to a little more than 8 tablespoons)
4. Combine 2 tablespoons with 1 stick of room temperature butter and mix to create the compound butter
5. Reserve the rest (or transfer into a shaker, if possible) and use to rub on the turkey before putting it in the smoker

apple & pecan smoked turkey

14 pound dry brined whole turkey
1 medium onion, roughly chopped
2 stalks celery, roughly chopped
2 medium carrots, roughly chopped
1 fennel bulb, quartered
1 granny smith apple, quartered
1 lemon, quartered
1 orange, quartered
3-4 sprigs, fresh thyme
3-4 leaves, fresh sage
1/4 cup mayonnaise
spice rub mix, as prepared
1 cup each apple and pecan hardwoods, soaked in water for at least one hour

• Take all the aromatics and herbs and fill the turkey’s cavity
• With a basting brush lightly coat the exterior with the mayonnaise
• Sprinkle the spice rub mixture all over the turkey with amount and emphasis up to you
• Put the turkey in the smoker (that has been preheated to 225 degrees for 6 to 8 hours or until the meatiest part of the thigh reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees) and put a few cups of water in the smoker’s pan (you can also use apple juice, cola or a beer, if desired)

Stay tuned for tomorrow’s installment – the sides & sauces

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