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Quinn Hatfield’s smoked, brined turkey

Quinn Hatfield's brined and smoked turkey.
Quinn Hatfield’s brined and smoked turkey.
(Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)
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Quinn Hatfield uses a Weber Smokey Mountain Cooker. Brine the turkey for 36 hours, then air-dry it for at least an hour before smoking.

Half fill the charcoal basket with briquettes. Add one handful of applewood chips and mix it in with the charcoal (turkey takes on smoky flavors well, so you don’t need to use a lot of chips).

Fill the starter chimney halfway with briquettes and light. Once completely lit, pour them on top of the other coals and fill the water tray. Adjust vents in the smoker to hold the temperature at 300 to 325 degrees.

Place the turkey in the smoker and cook until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees, about 1 hour for every 4 pounds of turkey; this can vary widely (a 10-pound turkey took only 2 hours to cook). For a larger bird or piece of meat, consider using a remote thermometer with an alarm that will notify you when the turkey is done.

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