Thanksgiving day BBQ

Smoked Turkey

There are many great ways to cook a turkey, but my favorite is smoking. Why use stuffing’s 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 further? Smoked turkey is more flavorful, juicy and tender than one roasted in the oven.

What you need to smoke a turkey:

The first thing you will need for a good smoked turkey is a good turkey and brine.

Why Brine you ask:

Brining adds moisture and flavor to poultry and helps to keep it from drying out. A turkey can be a serious investment in time so you want to make sure it is perfect, especially if you're entertaining. Whether grilled, smoked, fried, or roasted, your turkey should be brined first.

 Now, whether you are going to hunt your own or buy one, make sure it is a fresh turkey. This means an all natural turkey without injections and solutions. Turkeys that come injected do not need brined. It will make them to salty. If you do pick up a frozen turkey, always follow the instructions for defrosting

Brine Recipe:

1 Gallon vegetable stock

1 Cup sea salt

1 TBS crushed dried Rosemary

1 TBS crushed dries sage

1 TBS dried thyme

1 Gallon Ice water

Directions:  

In a large stock pot, combine the vegetable broth, sea salt, rosemary, sage and thyme. Bring to a boil; stirring frequently to be sure salt is dissolved. Remove from heat, and let cool to room temperature.  When the broth mixture is cool, pour it into a clean 5 gallon bucket. Stir in the ice water.

Wash and dry your turkey. Make sure you have removed the innards. Place the turkey, breast down, into the brine. Make sure that the cavity gets filled. Place the bucket in the refrigerator overnight.

1 hour before you are ready to smoke the turkey remove it from the brine, carefully draining off the excess brine and pat dry. Discard excess brine. At this time I like to stuff the cavity of the turkey with some onions, crushed garlic and some fresh rosemary. Make a paste of butter and garlic and rub between the meat and skin with your fingers and the out side of the skin as well, this will add some great flavor to the bird

Smoking the Turkey:

 You will need a smoker, a good meat thermometer, charcoal, and some good hardwood like cherry or apple. As well time and some patience.  Smoking the turkey requires a cooking time of about 30 minutes per pound at a cooking temperature around 235 degrees F. Make sure that you build your fire accordingly. If smoking a 13 pound turkey you will be running the smoker for about 6 1/2 hours, to 7. Always plan a little extra just to be on the safe side. Remember smoked turkey has a different color and texture than oven roasted turkey. The meat may appear pink this is normal. The smoking process causes a chemical change in turkey that changes the color of the flesh. As long as the turkey registers a temperature of 165 degrees F in the coldest spot, it is safe to eat no matter the color. Once the turkey is removed you should let it rest .Place a piece of aluminum foil over it and let it be for 15 to 30 minutes.   

Competition BBQ

 Last weekend was the 3rd Annual Whole BBQ Competition at the K of C in Belle River . My Competition BBQ team " Roast'n Toast " Competed in the event. Despite the rain we had a great time. Pro teams cooked  Whole Hog and Ribs while the amateur teams cooked ribs and Chicken. 17 teams overall .Not a bad turn out .

                                                           In ribs we placed 2nd

Whole Hog , we got 3rd place finish

So, not a bad weekend for  Roast'n Toast Competition BBQ Team

New BBQ inventory

This weeks feature BBQ item

Marinade Injector, for injecting flavor and marinades into meat

$7.99

Whole Hog 3 BBQ Competition

The BBQ Den is ALIVE

After a long wait , the BBQ den is now open for business. We have new inventory in the showroom.

We have in Stock:

Basques Hardwood Charcoal
Cherry Wood Chips
Apple Wood Chips
Whiskey Wood Chips
Chimney Starters
Skewers
Basting brushes
Flippers
BBQ brushes
Pizza Stones
Smoker Boxes
Aprons
Spice Rubs
Thermometers
Jalapeno Pepper holders
Grill cleaner
BBQ Gloves

Weber 22.5" kettles
Weber Kettle Side table
Weber Rotisserie attachment
Weber Smoky Mountain 18.5"
Weber Smoky Mountain 22.5"

We are located at 535 Notre Dame St. in Belle River. Inside the NAPA Auto Parts store. E-mail us for more details:  info@thebbqden.com

Breakfast on the Kettle

What better way to start a Sunday morning than with a smoked BBQ Pea meal breakfast. Well that's just what I did . Got a couple chunks of pea meal out of the freezer , prepped them and put them on the spit over Basque hardwood charcoal.

First thing , Go lite the Kettle grill , smoker or gas BBQ. Go find your spit rod and place the Pea meal chunk on it.

Must start with a glaze. I use yellow mustard and what ever kind of jam I can find in the fridge. Mix equal parts and cover the Pea meal with it.

Glaze

On the spit over a bed of hot coals

Keep the temp at about 325 F . After 1 hour check the temp for doneness. You are looking for a minimum of 165 F internal temp. This one went about 1-1/2 hours. Once it reaches desired temperature ,remove and foil for 10-15 minutes. it's now ready to slice and enjoy

 If there's any leftovers they make a great sandwich for lunch the next day

Spit Roasted Boneless Leg of Lamb

Boneless Leg of Lamb spit roasted over a bed of Hardwood Charcoal....

First we need to start with a marinade.

Marinade :

 1/2 cup White Wine

1/2 cup Red wine vinegar

1 Tbs. garlic salt

2 Tsp. white sugar

1 Tsp. black  pepper

1/2 extra virgin olive oil

In a large bowl mix together the White wine , red wine vinegar , garlic salt , sugar and black pepper . Slowly add the olive oil, beating with a whisk to create an emulsion . In a large glass dish or Zip Lock bag , place the leg of lamb in side and pour in the marinade .Refrigerate for 4-24 hours.

Dry Rub Recipe:

1 Tbs. onion powder

2 Tsp. dried rosemary ( crushed)

2 Tsp. Dried marjoram

1/2 Tsp. garlic powder

1/2 Tsp. black pepper

In a small bowl mix all the ingredients together. Place in an airtight container until needed.

Remove leg of Lamb from marinade , pat dry . Smear a  light coating of yellow mustard on the inside of the leg and sprinkle some of the rub .Truss the meat and coat the outside with the mustard and sprinkle the rub on the outside. 

Prepare Fire :

If you are using charcoal grill  , light up a chimney full of charcoal , it should be ready to go in 20 minutes. Set grill to 350 F . If using a gas grill prepare your rotisserie and temp to 325 F. Place drip pan under the roast to catch all the dripping. They can be used for gravy . 

Smoke or Grill the leg for 1-1/2 hours and check for doneness. Med. would be 145 F. If you want to add a little more flavour add a smoke pouch with Cheery wood or mesquite. Remove the leg from the grill or smoker and tent it and let it rest for 15 minutes before slicing and serving.