With the Eatin' holidays coming up, I'm starting the preparation now!

I refuse to make a blah turkey, I grew up eating all kinds of nasty birds and I won't suffer through another one!

I'll be brining and smoking my bird. It'll be a brown sugar - bourbon - apple brine, with dry rub and smoked in Cherry and Hickory. The traditional accompaniments will be the Asiago Garlic Mashed taters, grilled onion & mushroom green bean casserole and since my brother is coming up, I'll throw a Ricotta Raisin Cheesecake out there too!

 

I already have a bird thrown in the freezer, but I still need to decide if that's what is going to be cooked for Turkey day.

By the way Matt, that sounds reeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaallllllllyyyyyyy good!!

 

I won't start making stuff until Monday or Tuesday before the holiday... I've got a lot of hunting to do in the next few weeks...

 

I decided to try a test run with a chicken, I made the brine, but without bourbon since I really don't care for bourbon anyway. Next time I will make it with less salt and more brown sugar/molasses/maple syrup & apple cider. Except for being a little salty, it was glorious.

 

Holy Crap!! That sounds soooooooo good right now, or anytime for that matter.

 

I think I'm gonna try a couple geese too... I gotta catch them first though!

 

Talk with Bryce, he seems to be pretty good at getting the fowl, lol

 

They were flying over by the hundreds last night. I even saw a flock of snow geese, 400 strong, about 1/2 a mile up. They were tiny in the sky.

 

Here's the bird, soaking in brine since early this afternoon. I did increase the amount of brown sugar by 1/2 C, and kept the salt the same, but there is more water in this mix. Plenty of good seasonings - garlic, onion, sage, marjoram, oregano, basil, thyme, rosemary, bay leaf, black pepper, maple, and probably a few more I can't remember right now. Anyway, its really looking like a good idea!

 

Holy crap, that sounds even better than the first time, lol

 

I put it in the smoker just before noon, with some apple wood to start. I'm making apple pecan stuffing (not in the bird) and the garlic asiago mashed taters and some homemade cranberry sauce.

 

So Matt, did it turn out to taste as good as it sounds?

 

Yes, it was incredible. Admittedly, I don't care for turkey anyway, but this made it bearable.

 

First Annual FTE MT Chapter Christmas Party at Matts next year, lol

 

Why wait til next year? I'm planning on a standing rib roast (aka prime rib) for this year. I might also try a beef wellington with tenderloin.