Outdoor Grills and Smokers

For generations people have been dropping turkeys into the oven and roasting for hours. They use stuffings and little pop up timers. Guess what? You can make a great turkey this way. But wouldn’t it be great to go one step better? Smoked turkey is more flavorful and is tenderer than oven roasting. Breaking away from tradition can be hard but I’m here to walk you through the process.

When cooking your turkey in the Smoker you need to make sure to cook it to an internal temperature of 165 degrees F. This means that the coldest part of the turkey is 165 degrees F. This isn’t a suggestion. Test in at least two places and remember that turkey bones heat faster so keep the thermometer away from bone and white meat cooks faster than dark meat. Run the smoker at temperature range of 220 degrees F to 240 degrees F. Plan on 30 to 40 minutes per pound.

What you need to smoke a turkey:

The first thing in you need for a great smoked turkey is a good turkey. Now whether you are going to hunt your own or buy one, you want a fresh turkey. A free range Turkey is what to look for. Now I know this isn’t always cheap or easy but if you can then I recommend it. If you do pick up a frozen turkey always follow the instructions for defrosting. Also do not get too large of a turkey. A 20 pound turkey will take 10-14 hours and larger turkeys greatly increase food contamination risks. A 12-16 pound turkey will be good.

You also need a smoker, a good meat thermometer, a good hardwood like cherry or apple, and patience. For the smoker you can use a kettle style grill if you are familiar with low temperature cooking in it. Most people don’t do turkeys very often so even if you are a master of smoked brisket or low n’ slow barbecue ribs you should pay particular attention to what you are doing. Nothing can take the place of experience.

The good meat thermometer is a must. It should read fast and be very reliable. For the wood I recommend a fruit wood because the flavor works best with turkey. Something like a cherry or apple would be good, though hickory and oak can add a nice flavor as well. Be careful not to over smoke a turkey, especially if you are doing a long smoke.

Smoked turkey has a different color and texture than oven roasted turkey. The meat may appear pink and have a smoother texture. This is normal. The smoking process causes a chemical change in turkey that causes this color change. As long as the turkey registers a temperature of 165 degrees F. it is safe to eat no matter the color.

Make sure you have everything together before you start. The turkey needs to be completely thawed. Remove all the stuff inside and trim off any excess skin. Remove any pop up timer devices, wash in cold water and pat completely dry.

Prepare your smoker. You will want to build a fire to hold a steady temperature right around 230 degrees F. Since most smokers start hot and cool down as the fire settles into a good smoke that you plan on putting the turkey in at about 250 degree F and let the smoker drop down to the cooking temperature. Use a smoker that will supply you with a consistent heat, like a Bradley Smoker.

Putting the turkey in at this point will give you a great meal. However there are several options you can follow to enhance the flavor of your bird. One option is to use a brine. This will require you to soak the turkey in the brine for a good 24 hours before you cook. You could also apply your favorite dry rub. Of course the simplest method would be to brush some olive oil to keep the skin moist and help your turkey develop a rich deep tan.

Put the turkey in the smoker breast side up. You can use a roasting pan or heavy foil to help reduce any mess or just set it on the rack.

Wash everything. Once I get a piece of poultry on the grill or in the smoker I like to sterilize everything that might have come into contact with it. Salmonella is not something to take lightly. Once everything is completely clean you can relax. Check the smoker temperature every hour or so to make sure it’s behaving properly but you won’t need to do anything with this turkey for several hours.

Calculating 30 minutes per pound at about 230 degrees F, determine the approximate time that the turkey could be ready at the earliest. This is when you want to start testing the Turkey to see if it is done. Using a good meat thermometer to test the internal temperature turkey in two different places, leaving the thermometer in long enough to get a good reading. Remember, don’t test too close to bone. When you have two reading about 165 degrees F. then you can take the turkey out.

Let the turkey rest for about 15 minutes and carve. Giving the turkey a rest will allow the meat to relax, the juices to flow and the temperature to come up a little and even out. This is one of the secrets to a great bird. Don’t rush to carve or your turkey will be dry.

What a great way to start a new family tradition.

Outdoor Grills and Smokers

What is the quickest way to Barbecue Chicken?

Chicken is one of the most versatile meats you can put on the grill or in the smoker. Easy to cook and capable of taking on almost any flavor, it also has the added attraction of being low fat and able to take most any seasoning.

When it comes to grilling most people either grill skinless breasts or parts. The problems people have are the breasts drying out or the parts catching fire. To keep skinless chicken from getting too dry try a marinade. First you need to decide what flavor of marinade to use. We prefer Lemon Pepper, Teriyaki or Carribean Jerk Marinades. Take your thawed skinless chicken, place in a zip-lock plastic bag, pour in the marinade of your choice. Seal and place in the refrigerator for 2-4 hours. Now you are ready to grill. When grilling this will trap in the moisture. Grill at a low temperature to reduce flare ups. If you want to baste with more marinade, use fresh, do not use the marinade that is left in the bag.

When people talk about barbecue chicken they are typically talking about grilled chicken with a good thick sauce. You can make great chicken easily with a hot grill and any sauce you prefer. First you cook the chicken in the microwave 5-7 minutes, reducing your grilling time, which would reduce the chance of burning the chicken on the grill. You will need to keep a close eye on the grill to avoid flare-ups, especially if you are using a sweet sauce that can cause burning. The biggest mistake people make is to add the barbecue sauce too early. Wait until the very end or you will get charred chicken, not very appetizing. Basting is the quickest way to barbecue chicken.

You can greatly extend the versatility of chicken with a smoker. Slow smoked chicken is a great meal that deserves greater attention than it gets in the barbecue world. Whether you want a whole tea smoked chicken, smoked chicken breasts or shredded barbecue chicken, smoking adds great flavor and in much less time than whole pork shoulders. Smoking chicken is a great way to learn the ins and outs of smoking and to improve you skill at a reasonable price.

The true versatility of chicken can only be expressed in the incredible multitude of recipes. Experiment with the different marinades or wood flavor for the smoker grill.

What is a Burger Bundle?

How to make a Burger Bundle?

One of our favorite family meals are Burger Bundles. We grill them on the Gas Grill or you can use a Charcoal Grill if you desire. I would recommend using the Gas Grill, because it is quicker and you would not get any charcoal flavor anyway.

To make a Burger Bundle, you start with three layers of aluminum foil approximately 18″ long. The reason for the extra layers is you don’t want to take the chance of a hole being poked in the bottom which will cause a flare up and also keep the ingredients from burning on the bottom.

The ingredients can vary from each family members tastes. You start with a 1/4-1/2 lb of ground hamburger pressed into a patty. Place the hamburger in the center of the foil. Now you can layer sliced potatoes (not peeled), sliced carrots, sliced onions, sliced green peppers, sliced mushrooms or any other favorite raw vegetable. Sprinkle in your favorite seasonings, we like Montreal Steak seasoning, garlic salt, pepper & Jane’s mixed up salt. For the moisture, slice up a 1/2 stick of butter and place on top. The butter will melt down through the ingredients.

Now its almost time to start grilling. Start the grill and let it preheat to 200-300 degrees. Fold up your foil in a bowl like shape on the bottom to keep any juices from escaping out the sides and overlapping on the top to seal together. In our family, each person makes their own bundle with the ingredients that they want. For example, my youngest daughter only likes hamburger, potatoes and onions. I personally throw everything in. We take a permanent marker and write our initials on each bundle, so you don’t have to search for your bundle when it is time to eat. Place each bundle on the grill and cook for approximately 20-30 minutes on low to medium heat. You can test them by opening one of the bundles and poking the vegetables with a knife to see if they are tender. Be careful when opening, don’t burn yourself on the steam and also don’t poke a hole in the foil. When the vegetables are tender, your bundle is ready to eat.

When the Burger Bundles are cooked, remove from the grill and place on each family members plate. You can now add shredded cheese or my favorite would be Famous Daves devils spit BBQ sauce. You can eat your bundle out of the foil or you can pour it on a plate, but be careful not to burn yourself.

We grill our Burger Bundles at home on the backyard gas grill. When camping or tailgating, we use my gas grill attached to my truck hitch.

Outdoor Grills and Smokers

Gas Grills, Charcoal Grills or Wood Flavored Grills

Which one will suite my lifestyle?

Which one will give me the flavor that I am looking for?

The debate over charcoal vs gas vs wood flavored grills is a debate that will live on forever. When deciding, the one thing you need to know is that it is a matter of taste and convenience. You could also throw in electric grills into the equation.

Convenience: The best way to think about this problem is to remember that generally the more convenient a grill becomes the less really smoke flavor you are going to get. An electric grill is easiest to use but doesn’t have that real fire flavor, gas grills will be the next quickest with some smoke flavor, while charcoal or hardwood fires give you the best flavor, but take the most time. However, some people think the flavor is worth the wait. The authentic smoke, off the fire taste of grilled foods is strongest with the original heat source, wood. As you move to electric you find very little of this flavor left. In fact, many electric grills add virtually nothing to the taste of foods. However the simplicity of flipping a switch and grilling can’t be beat.

Taste: When cooking hamburgers it is hard to tell the difference between the charcoal or gas, but there is a difference with the steak. The charcoal grilled steak had more distinct smoke flavor. Grilling or smoking ribs is whole another story. Ribs have the best taste using a wood flavored smoker grill. You can use your wood of choice as in Apple, Alder, Cherry, Maple, Mesquite, Oak, Hickory or Pecan. You may have to experiment with which wood is the flavor of your choice.

Space or Transporting: To decide what kind of grill is right for you, first you need to decide where you are going to be using your grill. If you need a grill for tailgating, the best grill I have found can be attached to your hitch on your pickup or SUV. There are various camping grills to choose from, what you need to consider is what would be the most convenient to transport. If using in the back yard, a small patio or covered area is not the place for a large charcoal grill. Electric grills produce no flare-ups and are safer in smaller areas. Gas grills do produce flare-ups and need to be away from any structure to avoid those pesky house fires. Charcoal can be lit with an electric starter and therefore can be used with virtually no open flame.

Grilling: Another thing to consider is how you plan to grill. If you want to be able to come home from work and throw a couple of steaks or chicken breasts on the grill with virtually no hassle then electric or gas might be what you are looking for. If you are planning a weekend party you could consider the charcoal or wood smoker grills to impress your guest with some the best flavored barbecue.

I have friends that have more than one grill. They have a gas grill on the patio for the quick barbecue, they have a wood smoker for the weekend bash and a gas tailgating grill that attaches to their SUV hitch.

Outdoor Grills and Smokers