Smoked Turkey

1) Brine your Turkey - some don't like this. I do!!!, If nothing else it ensures the bird is an even temp all over. There is obviously some chemistry too - Apparantly brine can start to modify the protein structure of the meat (click here for a good article). Here is what I do.

Get a cooler - clean it really good (I wash with a bleach solution and rinse really good). A really good alternative to this is to get super large ziplocks or a brining bag (avail for purchase online).
Fill cooler (or brine bag) with 2-3 gallons of cold water to ensure the turkey can be fully submerged.
Add 3/4-1cup of kosher salt and 1 cup of sugar to each gallon. Make sure it is disolved. I heat up a pot of water 1/2 gallon or so, add salt/sugar and stir like crazy. Then I pour this into the cold water in the cooler. Add some ice cubes.
Add some spices and some citrus or fruit (sliced oranges), some fresh herbs (rosmary, thyme, sage).
I then add a bunch of ice placed in plastic ziploc bags to keep the temp of the turkey/brine to below 40F while keeping the salinity constant. You may need replace some of the bags over the brining period. If you use a brine bag you will obviously just put ice on the outside of the bag..
Put your turkey in the cooler or brine bag.
I let the turkey brine for at least 1hr/lb. I've seen recommendations of 2hrs/lb. I will do 2 hrs this year..
Rinse it well and then get ready to cook. I have heard of people letting the turkey rest in a fridge after the brining for a number of hours- I don't do that personally.

2) I use a handful or so of dry Pecan wood chips mixed in the lump. About an hour before cook time, I get the egg going up to about 300F. Set the egg up with an inverted plate setter. I will place the turkey on a V-rack placed in a steel drip pan. To prevent scalding (an use the drippings for gravey) the steel drip pan should not be placed driectly on the plate setter. I get about 5 or 6 of 3/4" steel nuts and put on the plate setter. I then put the drip pan on that to elevate. Be careful to do a trial run w/your pan before you start to make sure everything fits.

3) Dry the rinsed turkey inside and out (I use paper towels). Rub with Canola oil equiv put on a V-rack legs up. I then make a rub, Kosher salt, fresh ground pepper, sage, thyme. I use Mad Max's idea and put a couple of zip-lock bags filled w/ice on the breast as he egg is stablizing at around 300F. This gets the breast at a little lower temp and should keep it moister during the long cook. Mad Max recommended 20min before putting on the egg. This is a great idea!

3a) The last few cooks I have been using a paste of butter and my spices like Mad Max...I also use his technique of pouring wine over the butter coated turkey and basting every so often.

3b) I usually put a quartered sweet onion, carrot and celery inside the turkey while cooking along with some fresh rosemary.

4) I put a probe in the breast and one in the thigh and cook to close to 160 Breast 180 Thigh. I peek very little during the cook, just keeping the dome temp somewhere in the 250-300F range. I've cooked them slow and faster and the've always been good. I cooked a 21# turkey in a little less than 8 hours or 20 minutes/lb and the dome temp was at about 275F. I'ld be cautious on cook time +/- 1hr should be planned.

5) Tent in foil for 15-30 min and cut. I believe in completely deboning the breast from the carcass, and slicing down so everyone gets some skin, center cut tenderloin, and outer white meat. It is perfect. I also debone the thigh and cut good pieces of dark meet. Cut the wing into three pieces discarding the tips, and serving the leg whole. Makes for a great presentation. Here is a link on how I slice the turkey - Carving a turkey