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Smoked Bourbon Brined Turkey Cooked on a platter
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5 from 37 votes

Bourbon Turkey Brine For Smoking Turkey!

Bourbon Turkey Brine For Smoking Turkey! Perfect to make with Jim Beam Apple Bourbon, plus fruit in the brine and a butter injection! This bourbon brined turkey makes for perfect Thanksgiving dinner!
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time7 hours
Brine1 day
Total Time1 day 7 hours 15 minutes
Course: american
Cuisine: BBQ
Servings: 35 Servings
Calories: 2372kcal
Author: Guy Who Grills

Ingredients

BOURBON TURKEY BRINE INGREDIENTS

BOURBON TURKEY BRINE BUTTER INJECTION INGREDIENTS

BOURBON TURKEY BRINE BUTTER INJECTION INGREDIENTS

Instructions

HOW TO MAKE BOURBON TURKEY BRINE FOR SMOKING TURKEY

  • Safely thaw your turkey and remove the innards.
  • If you chose to rinse off your turkey and set it aside while you prepare the brine.
  • Gather up your brine ingredients and cut up your lemons and oranges into quarters.
  • Clean a cooler or large container to fill with water, make sure the plug is in so it doesn't leak.
  • Add in your brine ingredients to the cooler full of water.
  • Submerge your turkey, add more water if necessary.
  • Make sure while your turkey is brining to store it in the fridge or in ice water.  You don't want the temperature to rise and grow bacteria.
  • The day you are ready to smoke your turkey remove your turkey from the brine, I set mine in a pan to allow it to dry off a bit while I prepare the rest.

HOW TO MAKE A BUTTER INJECTION FOR SMOKING TURKEY

  • Place your turkey on a large cookie sheet, this will catch butter or rub plus makes carrying the turkey to the smoker a breeze!
  • In a bowl place your stick of butter and your minced garlic.
  • Cover the bowl with a paper towel and microwave until the butter is melted.
  • Use your injector to suck up the butter and to inject the turkey with the melted butter.
  • Repeat all over the turkey until the butter is gone.

HOW TO SMOKE BOURBON BRINED SMOKED TURKEY:

  • After you are done injecting the butter rub your turkey with a bit of olive oil.
  • Sprinkle your turkey with with a bit of Montreal Steak Seasoning, Johnny's Original Seasoning Salt, Thyme, and Lawrys Garlic Salt.
  • Next, I placed a stick of butter in the turkey cavity, this will help to keep the inside moist and flavor the turkey more as well.
  • Start your smoker up, I used Mesquite Pellets in my hopper. v
  • Set your smoker at smoke setting and place in the turkey once you are rolling smoke.
  • Place your turkey on your cooler side of the smoker, mine is the left side of the smoker.
  • Allow to smoke for 3 1/2 hours on the smoke setting.
  • Turn your smoker up to 225 for about another 3 1/2 hours and remove when the internal temperate of at least 165 degrees.
  • Remove and serve!

Nutrition

Serving: 35g | Calories: 2372kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 0.4g | Fat: 259g | Saturated Fat: 76g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 60g | Monounsaturated Fat: 112g | Cholesterol: 264mg | Sodium: 2mg | Potassium: 55mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 30IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 18mg | Iron: 0.3mg