Summit Church Show Review - Nov. 18, 2011

Thank you Frank & PJ Turner, John Rivers and the 4Rivers team!

If you were at the show tonight, here's what you are looking for:

Contact the Turners via http://www.hiswaycf.com/

Find out all about 4Rivers Smokehouse at http://4rsmokehouse.com/

Here's John Rivers' recipes: 

4 Rivers Smokehouse Turkey with Bourbon Glaze

Turkey Brine

• 1 1/2 cups, kosher salt
• 1 1/4 cups, brown sugar
• 6 fresh sprigs thyme (or 3 tsp dried)
• 6 fresh sprigs of sage (or 3 tsp dried)
• 6 fresh sprigs of rosemary (or 3 tsp dried)
• 2 apples, quartered
• 2 oranges, quartered
• 3 tsp black peppercorns
• 1 1/2 gallons (6 quarts) apple juice or apple cider (non-alcoholic)

Combine all ingredients except fruit and herbs in a non-reactive pot and stir until mixed completely. Add fruit and herbs and keep cold. Can be prepared up to 24 hours in advance.

Smoked Turkey

• 1 18-22 lb turkey, thawed and cleaned (smaller turkeys will work just as well) 
• ½ cup, vegetable oil
• ¼ cup, kosher salt
• ¼ cup, black pepper
• tsp of ground sage
• tsp of ground thyme
• 3 cups, apple juice in a squirt bottle
• charcoal, lump recommended
• hickory chips or chunks- soaked in water for 1 hour.
• meat thermometer

Submerge turkey completely in brine and allow to soak overnight in a refrigerator or in a cooler with ice packs careful to not allow the temperature of water to rise above 41 degrees.

Light charcoal in smoker, cover and allow to reach and rest at 225 degrees.

Remove turkey from brine and pat dry with paper towel. Save vegetables and herbs from brine. Coat outside of turkey with oil and rub entire bird with salt, pepper, ground sage and a touch of ground thyme covering the inside cavity as well. Once rubbed, stuff cavity with vegetables and herbs from brine.

Add wood directly on top of hot coals to create a heavy smoke. Place turkey in smoker, cover tightly and allow to smoke until the internal temperature of turkey thigh reaches 155 (roughly 4-6 hours).  After first hour then every hour following, spray turkey with apple juice careful to not allow the smoker to remain open for any extended duration.

Cook the 4R Bourbon Glaze while turkey is smoking.

Monitor temperature of smoker to maintain a constant 225 degrees, more coal might be needed. Continue to monitor and add wood when initial chunks are burnt so a constant stream of smoke is maintained.

Remove turkey from smoker place in shallow roasting pan and cover with foil or saran wrap. Allow meat to rest for 30 minutes or up to an hour. Slice, serve with 4R Bourbon Glaze and enjoy!

4R Bourbon Glaze

• bones from 3 smoked chicken or one large smoked turkey. Picked free of meat
• 1 onion quartered
• 2 pieces of celery, halved
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 gallon of water
• salt and pepper
• ½ cup, bourbon
• ½ c 4 Rivers Smokehouse BBQ sauce

Add poultry bones, vegetables and spices to water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer uncovered for 3 hours. Pour broth through a strainer to remove all ingredients using care to capture all the liquid.  Pour broth back into pot, bring to boil and reduce by another 1/3 (approximately 4 cups). 

In a separate pan, add bourbon and bring to a fast boil. Lower heat to medium and allow bourbon to reduce to a ¼ cup (about 5 minutes). Add 4R Smokehouse BBQ sauce and 1½ cups of the both and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and continue cooking for 45 minutes until glaze is thick enough to stick to the back of your spoon. Serve warm over Smoked Turkey.

Makes approximately 1½ cups.  

Enjoy (says John Rivers)!

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