Smoked Turkey

In our house for thanksgiving this year, we wanted to do something new.  I had given Anupam a smoker last year for the Holidays, and he has never passed up an opportunity to use it.  We even smoked ribs for one of our QT dinners...  So, it was clear to us from very early one, that this year's bird would be smoked.

We also tend to be thoughtful in where we source our birds from.  I like to know that our dinner lived a nice and happy life, was fed healthy foods, doesn't have to travel far to our table and Anupam likes to know that it will be tasty.  We order our Thanksgiving turkeys from Marin Sun Farms, and weren't let down.  A very tasty bird indeed!

Smoked turkey needs very little prep work.  He seasoned her with herbs de Provencial and salt.  Fired up the smoker.

The hardest part was making sure she got into the smoker in enough time and then monitoring the temperature so it didn't drop too low or go up too high.  Once the internal temperature reaches safe levels, then she'd done.

We had a wonderful small dinner party with family and friends.  It's easy to see why Thanksgiving is by far my most favorite holiday.  But then again, I never really need an excuse for eating good food!

PS.  I saved the bones and made the most wonderful smoked turkey stock!  Tonight we'll be having butternut pumpkin squash soup for dinner, cut with smoked turkey stock and served with grass fed sliders.