Things to Give Thanks For

Whether you are Christian or not, this is the time of year here in the US where reflection on that which you are thankful for. Yep, Thanksgiving is coming up in the US, and its a lot more than feasting on Turkey and all the fixings. Its also a time of gathering of family.

So, I have a list of things I'm thankful about this year, for sure. I survived the health issues Ive had this year. A heart issue, and to bouts of pneumonia, and a life threateningly severe reaction to an antibiotic and a Thyroid Cancer scare. Ive actually been off the bike most of the summer and fall.....it sucks, but at least Im here to whine about it.

On the good side, I'm off the coumadin from my Atrial Fibrillation incident. I havent gained any weight, even though my activity levels are abnormally low.

So, heres a quick look ahead, by the way, to what I'm planning to do for Thanksgiving as part of our share of the family gathering. I'm doing a Smoked Turkey in my Brinkmann Smoker Grill.





This is the recipe I use, from Brad Bolton.

STEP ONE:

smoked turkeyThe absolute first step in cooking a turkey on a smoker is to pick out a bird (turkey) that is not the biggest one you can find. The main reason for a smaller bird, 10 to 14 pound maximum, is the time limitations usually involved. It takes between 6 and 8 hours to smoke a 12 pound turkey and the bigger they get, the longer they take.


STEP TWO:

Set up the smoker and toss on the bird. When using charcoal, it is best to let the flames burn out, fill the water pan with water (seasoned water is fine too), then place the lid on the smoker and wait for the temperature to reach the 'safe' zone on your smoker. Once that is accomplished, toss the turkey on there gently and cover the smoker. Start timing the turkey when the temperature returns to the save zone.


Safety Reminder: Remember chickens and turkeys are prone to salmonella bacteria which can ruin your whole Thanksgiving. Cooking temperatures of 165 degrees F. minimum are essential for destroying this bacteria. This temperature is not the OUTSIDE of the turkey, but the inside, so keep that in mind when you decide on a larger bird. This of course is unless you happen to be feeding the traditional army at Thanksgiving.

More, includine tips and warnings here

Brad has a great recipe, there, and I do recommend highly that you go to the site for the tips.....its well worth the click.