| My wife wouldn't let me in the kitchen on | | | | |
| Thanksgiving Day! Even though the aroma | | | | While I admired the smoke that casually |
| emanating from the oven was making me giddy, | | | | drifted from the top of the smoker, I |
| Except for the food I cook on the barbeque | | | | reflected that life has been good and that |
| grill, I'm not allowed even close to the | | | | this year I had a few more things for which |
| kitchen! | | | | to thank the good Lord for than I usually do. |
| | | | |
| The turkey I smoked this year was the best I | | | | I gave thanks for the successful major |
| have ever cooked, bar none. It's not bragging | | | | surgery of my daughter's cancer. Even though |
| if it's the truth. Guests for Thanksgiving | | | | the chemotherapy and radiation is taking a |
| must have thought so too, for we had no | | | | terrible toll on her physically, the doctor's |
| turkey left over except a few scraps for the | | | | assure us that when it's all finished, she'll |
| cat. | | | | be cancer free. |
| | | | |
| I did something different this year. I | | | | I'm also grateful that God has given her a |
| decided to bring the bird. For years I had | | | | terrific sense of humor and a positive |
| heard that this would somehow make the turkey | | | | attitude about the whole thing. Even though |
| taste better. I thought it would only make it | | | | she no doubt gets that trait from her old |
| taste salty. Was I wrong! The taste was | | | | man, I'm not sure I could handle a similar |
| wonderful! | | | | situation with the faith and class that she's |
| | | | exhibited. |
| Brining the bird flavors and seals in the | | | | |
| juices, making extra seasoning unnecessary. | | | | I'm especially thankful that in spite of my |
| Smaller turkeys are easier to smoke than | | | | doctor's best efforts to kill me with various |
| large ones and they're more likely to fit in | | | | assortments of blood pressure pills; he has |
| the brine bucket. It also allows it to cook | | | | finally concocted a potion that's keeping my |
| more evenly, for when I lifted the lid to | | | | blood pressure at a constant level for the |
| take it off the grill, the turkey fell apart; | | | | first time in years. For the last couple of |
| it was so tender. | | | | months the pressure has gone from 200/100 |
| | | | down to 80/40 at midday, then back up to 180 |
| My reason for not having brined the bird | | | | 100 at bed time. I don't need roller coaster |
| before now was simple. I'm lazy and I thought | | | | rides like that! |
| brining would be a complicated affair. It | | | | |
| wasn't. First I poured 2 1/2 gallons of water | | | | I thank Him each night for our service men |
| into a clean plastic bucket. Then I added 1 | | | | and women who put their lives on the line in |
| cup of kosher salt, 1/2 cup of sea salt, 1 | | | | different parts of the world, so that I have |
| rounded cup of brown sugar, 4 shredded sage | | | | the freedom to roast a turkey on the grill |
| leaves, 3 tablespoons of fresh thyme and two | | | | any time I like, without having to worry |
| tablespoons of restaurant grade black pepper. | | | | about someone firing rockets at my smoker, |
| After mixing this up I stuffed the turkey | | | | mistakenly thinking it's a threat to someone. |
| into the bucket, completely submerged in the | | | | |
| brine. The bucket rested in the refrigerator | | | | I thanked God for my family, kids and |
| about 20 hours. | | | | grandkids all; each one with their own |
| | | | individual hopes and dreams, successes and |
| For smoking turkeys in the fall or winter, I | | | | failures. |
| prefer an electric smoker because it holds a | | | | |
| constant temperature. After I rinsed all the | | | | There are more blessings than any of us have |
| salt off the bird, I simply placed it on the | | | | time to recall or even appreciate. We'll had |
| grill and closed the lid. I threw a few small | | | | our annual Thanksgiving feast, with the table |
| hickory chunks on the floor of the smoker as | | | | sagging with turkey, ham, sweet potatoes, |
| the bird cooked. The turkey began cooking at | | | | cranberry sauce, green peas and other |
| 10:30 p.m. on Thanksgiving Eve and I took it | | | | delicious foods, leaving enough scraps that |
| off at 7:30 the next morning. I never lifted | | | | would feed many families for a week. We |
| the lid of the smoker until it was time to | | | | indeed have a lot to be thankful for; not |
| remove the bird. | | | | only on Thanksgiving Day! |