Smoked Turkey With Smoked Oyster Dressing

* Exported from MasterCook Mac *

Smoked Turkey With Smoked Oyster Dressing

Recipe By : Tom Solomon
Serving Size : 1 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : main september96

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1 8-12 pound turkey
1 cup white vinegar
7 cups water
FOR THE DRESSING:
1 loaf stale bread, pulled into chunks
1 quart oysters with liquid
1 medium onion -- finely chopped
1 cup celery -- finely chopped
8 cloves garlic -- pressed
4 tablespoons worcestershire sauce
1 jalapeno -- finely chopped
3 sprigs sage -- finely chopped
1 teaspoon dried oregano -- crumbled
black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons black mustard seed -- crushed
oil

This is a fairly straightforward smoked turkey recipe.

Prepare your smoker and smoke the turkey for six to eight hours between
220-240 degrees, using your choice of hardwood (a 50/50 mix of apple and
oak is excellent, if you can get it--try your best to include at least some
fruit wood). If you live in a particularly dry climate, you can put a water
pan underneath the turkey, or between the turkey and the heat source, to
insure a moist smoke.

When you start the turkey, take your loaf of bread and spread it out on a
table to let it get stale. About an hour before the turkey is ready to come
off the smoker, take your quart jar of oysters, strain and reserve the
oyster liquid, put the oysters into a pan, and put them in the smoker with
the turkey. Keep up a good, steady smoke throughout the time the turkey is
in the smoker.

At the end of six or eight hours, remove the turkey and the oysters from
the smoker. Set the oysters aside, put the turkey into a large dutch oven
with a cover. Add one cup of white vinegar and about six or seven cups of
water to the dutch oven--enough liquid so that there is about one and a
half to two inches in the bottom of the oven. If you'd like, you can
sprinkle the turkey with a little garlic powder and black pepper and
drizzle with honey, but this is optional. Put the turkey, covered, into
your range oven and bake at 325 degrees for 2 to 3 hours, or until the
internal temperature of the bird at it's thickest point reads 190 degrees
(I like to be extra cautious when it comes to poultry. I lived in North
Carolina, which is one of the top commercial turkey producing states in the
USA, for a long time, and I've seen how they're raised).

While the turkey is baking, get out a large baking pan. Brush lightly with
oil, pull your stale bread into chunks, and place in the pan. About 15
minutes before the turkey is done, add the chopped onion and celery,
pressed garlic, chopped jalapeno, sage, oregano, black pepper, and crushed
mustard seeds. Combine well. Add the smoked oysters and reserved oyster
liquor (make sure you've strained this well). Combine. Remove the turkey
from the oven and keep covered. Add 2 to 3 cups of the turkey liquor from
the dutch oven and 4 tablespoons of worcestershire sauce to your dressing
and combine well. Don't make it too wet, but you do want it to be somewhat
doughy. Place the dressing in your range oven and bake at 325 degrees for
about 45 minutes to an hour, or until the top of the dressing is just
slightly darker than golden brown. Remove the dressing from the oven and
serve along with the turkey.


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NOTES : The leftover turkey (if any) is a great addition to your favorite
soup, stew, or chili recipe.