My holiday habit is to brine an all-natural turkey, no matter if I'm using the WSM or the oven. Quite frankly, if I could get smoke-roasted turkey meat, and somehow insulate the carcass from smoke, I'd be happy. I enjoy white meat with a modicum of smoke for the holiday meal, smoke-tinged dark meat for making gumbo, and turkey stock that is not-all-that smoky for freezing for future use.

This year, I was gifted an enhanced 10-pound bird, which I cooked conventionally. And that's where the "never again" part comes in. It was, by typical standards, minimally enhanced, but, at 6%, still left a discernable after-taste to the white meat consumed at the holiday dinner. It's been many years since I've used anything but an all-natural bird, and, based on this experience, all-natural will be the only way I go in future.

Sounds similar to people who eliminate salt from their diet, and then they have a salted dish. My Mom is like that, I never salt the food when cooking for her. Got tired of hearing Bryan, it's too salty. My Mom is very salt sensitive.

Funnier still is the only seasoning I added myself was kosher salt add pepper.

quote:

Originally posted by Doug D:
Funnier still is the only seasoning I added myself was kosher salt add pepper.

Doug, I agree 6% is pretty low for a pumped bird. Most of the ones I see are in the 10-12% range. I can taste the solution in them though, and I do prefer a natural bird myself. I'm not a huge poultry fan but still like them natural.

Totally agree Doug, once you go natural you just can't go back. I did a natural turkey breast yesterday for just 2 of us, dry brined for a day with fresh herbs....one big chunk of apple wood over lump...man the BEST flavor I have ever created in a turkey.

Lump is like natural, once you try it, you can't go back.

Go one step further and try a farm raised / free range heritage turkey.... talking about amazing taste! If you can take the price, they are amazing. I had one a couple of years ago that I preordered in the spring. Ended up 28 lbs. and cost me nearly $90. It was without measure, the best turkey I have ever had.

Today however, I am smoking a 16 lb. pumped bird with 8% solution. Jenni-O brand. Some swear by these, I have reservations, but we'll see. Has to come out at least decent merely by the use of the WSM and nice apple chunks that came from a tree I cut down myself.. gotta love free wood!