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[Asherdan]

[Carlos del Vaca]

I am a big fan of the smoked turkey. Just did one labor day weekend. Yes, it's an endeavor for those with patience.

[AugustWest]

Hints and tips?

Brine your turkey overnight in a 5 gallon bucket.  Smoke it breast side down so the juices from the cavity and the dark meat seep down through the breast meat.  I usually stuff mine with quartered apples and onions + herbs.  I keep a probe thermometer in the thickest part of the breast, and pull it off the grill when it gets to 163 or so.

[Carlos del Vaca]

I don't always brine it, largely out of laziness, but when I do I am very happy with the results. This was a particularly good one--you could really pick up the tea and lemon flavor in the finished product. That's why I like the turkee so much for smoking--it picks up the smoke flavor, and whatever else you manage to put into it, better than any other meat, IMO.
http://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/grilled-tea-brined-turkey-with-tea-and-lemon-gravy

Also, when brining your turkey, make sure your pot or cooler is large enough.
https://www.facebook.com/carlosdelvaca/posts/3831178377238?pnref=story

[AugustWest]

OK man, you really got me thinking about brining this bad boy. That sounds like it could be a thing.

Try it, you'll like it.  Also with chicken.

[jaydub]

Here, hold my beer while I do this...

Try it, you'll like it.

That phrase has gotten me in almost as much trouble as "Hey, watch this!" 

[Carlos del Vaca]

Fantastic. My birds don't usually take that long, but then my grill runs hotter, more like 300.

And now you can make turkey pot pie, turkey sandwiches, turkey soup, turkey this turkey that turkey the other.

[AugustWest]

I just go directly into a clean 5 gallon bucket, and put ice directly into the brine, if necessary.  It's usually November or December when I'm smoking turkeys, so I often can forego the ice entirely and stash the turkey bucket in the car overnight (where dogs, cats or marauding coons/possums can't get it) if it's cold enough outside.

[pmcd9]

I got another brisket, I'ma challenge myself to cook that big (12lb.) bastard for about 8 hours and just break that mother all the way down to its component molecules. The first one I did was 'OK' but I don't think I kept it at a hot enough temp for long enough to get the meat to actually break down and get all super-tender. Now that I have a little practice, I should be able to keep the big thing at about 225 for hours and get that luscious ass brisket people smack their lips about.

What kind of wood do you use?

[AugustWest]

I do my turkeys on my regular charcoal grill.  I think I started about 10 and took it off the fire around 2:30.  I used good ol' Kingsford charcoal + hickory chunks and peach chips.  Brined in apple juice and such the night before.  Turned out very tasty!

[Carlos del Vaca]

I didn't smoke the Thanksgiving turkey this year; I spatchcocked it and roasted it in the oven. 13 pound bird done in 90 minutes of oven time.

BUT I did buy a 59 cents-a-pound frozen turkey and stashed it for future smoking purposes.

[Carlos del Vaca]

I am disappointed that the board filters didn't do something amusing with "spatchcock."

[AugustWest]

I am disappointed that the board filters didn't do something amusing with "spatchcock."

We eschew the low hanging fruit around here.

[pmcd9]

We eschew the low hanging fruit around here.

Word!

[AugustWest]

Over it?  Over it?

Blasphemy.