11/23/2022 – Bought an off-brand, on-sale, 12 lb. bird at the new Publix on Cottage Hill for $0.49 per lb. Smoking it on Wednesday before Thanksgiving so we have leftovers as this year we are going to Becky’s in Pensacola for the family meal.

It turned out good given how easy and quick it was. The skin was crispy to the point of having to use some force to slice it. It had a good flavor from the seasoning and the smoke. Drying it overnight open in the refrigerator while it dry brined worked well.

Pulled off the meat and put the carcass on to boil for gumbo.

Generally followed the advice in the Meat Church video here.

1. Spatchcocked but only cut one side of the backbone leaving it on the other side so the backbone is smoked and adds to the broth for the turkey gumbo.
2. Dry brined it for about 16 hours with table salt generously applied to both sides. Put it uncovered in the outside refrigerator so the skin would dry out.
3. The next day, an hour before the smoke, added our Creole Poultry Seasoning (not heavy) to all sides and under the skin of the breasts and thighs.
4. Preheated the Recteq to 325° with Recteq master blend pellets.
5. At 9:15 am put the bird in the center with a probe in the deepest part of the breast and one in the thigh near the bone. IT of the thigh was 46° and the breast was 38°.
6. Pulled it at 2 hrs 20 minutes when the IT of the thigh was 186° and the breast was 169°. Let it rest for maybe 20 minutes when I pulled a leg quarter and cut up a thigh for Mary as she was hungry.