Smoked Turkey With Smoked Oyster Dressing

Smoked Turkey With Smoked Oyster Dressing

Recipe By : Tom Solomon

1 Preparation Time :

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

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 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

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. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

NOTES : The leftover turkey (if any) is a great addition to your favorite

soup, stew, or chili recipe.