2. Just before cooking, soak your mussels in fresh water. Soak them for 20 minutes. As the mussels breathe, they filter water and expel sand. After about 20 minutes, the mussels will have less salt and sand stored inside of their shells.

3. Most mussels have what is commonly called “A Beard,” also known as Byssal threads. This beard is comprised of many fibers which emerge from a mussel’s shell.

4. To remove this beard, using a dry towel, grasp the beard and give a sharp yank out and toward the hinge end of the mussel. This method will not kill the mussel. If you were to pull the beard out towards the opening end of the mussel you can tear the mussel on the inside of the shell, killing it. Discard the byssal threads.

5. Remove the mussels from the water. Do not pour the mussels and water into a straining device because the sand has sunk to the bottom of the bowl. Pouring the mussels and water into a straining device would cause you to pour the sand back on top of the mussels. Place these mussels into another bowl full of clean cold water.

6. Once the mussels have been soaked, use a firm brush to brush off any additional sand, barnacles, or other oceanic attachments. Rinse the mussels under cool tap water, and set aside. Dry with a towel before cooking.

5 pounds split mullet
1 gal. water
3/4 to 1 cup kosher salt
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon onion powder
5 bay leaves, crushed
Pepper
Hickory wood chips
Garnish: fresh parsley
Saltines (optional)
Hot sauce (optional)
Lemon wedges (optional)

From the British Trout Association

Research shows that trout and other oil rich fish can play a vital role in preventing deaths from heart disease- and yet most of us fail to eat enough to do us good1.
Government health experts recommend that we eat one to two portions of fish a week, one of which should be an oil rich fish such as trout which is high in omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids2. Research indicates that it can cut the risk of fatal heart attacks by lowering blood fat levels and reducing blood clotting.
UK consumption, however, is very low, despite the fact that coronary heart disease is the most common single cause of death in the UK3. Figures from the British Nutrition Foundation show that only a third of adults eat one small portion of oil rich fish a week. The Institute of Optimum Nutritionists believes as much as 90 per cent of the population is now deficient in Omega-3.
An average portion of grilled trout (flesh only) is 1558, which provides 1.838 grams of Omega-31 - well within the weekly health guidelines of 1.5g a week2.
It’s low in fat (a third of the fat of salmon) as well as being low in calories (just 135 kcals per 100g)2. It’s an excellent source of iron, calcium, selenium and vitamins A, B1, B2, B6 and B12 and contains valuable natural oils that can help keep the skin and hair in good condition.

It’s also extremely tasty - and convenient. A delicious trout meal can take under 15 minutes to prepare and cook.

In addition to medical research into heart disease, there is growing evidence to demonstrate the importance of Omega-3 in brain and retina development in infants. Concern has been expressed about the adequacy of Omega-3 in the diet of pregnant and breast feeding women.

Oil rich supplements have also been shown to alleviate some of the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis, producing beneficial changes in levels of fatigue, swollen and tender joints, grip strength and mobility1.

INGREDIENTS
• 2 pounds steelhead trout fillets
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 1/2 tablespoons dried rosemary, crushed
• 1 cup curing salt
• 1 quart water
• ground black pepper to taste
• 1 pound alder wood chips, soaked in water or wine
DIRECTIONS
1. Rinse the fish fillets and place them in a shallow glass baking dish. Drizzle olive oil over the fish and season with garlic and rosemary. Rub the seasonings into the fish. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
2. Dissolve the curing salt in the water and pour into the dish with the fish. Let it marinate for 15 minutes per half inch of thickness.
3. Meanwhile, prepare your smoker for a four hour slow burn using charcoal. The temperature should be at 150 degrees F (65 degrees C) before you get started.
4. Remove the fish from the brine and discard leftover liquid. Place each piece of fish onto a small piece of aluminum foil - just big enough to hold the fillet, and season with pepper to taste. Place them on the rack in the smoker. Sprinkle a handful of the soaked wood chips over the coals or place in a heat box. Cover and allow fish to smoke for 2 hours, adding more wood chips as needed.
5. Increase the heat in the smoker (add more charcoal) to 200 degrees F (95 degrees C) and let the fish smoke until the internal temperature of the fillets reaches 165 degrees F (72 degrees C). Remove from the smoker and let rest for 20 minutes before serving.

The fish’s eyes should be clear and bulge a little. Only a few fish, such as walleye, have naturally cloudy eyes.
Whole fish and fillets should have firm and shiny flesh. Dull flesh may mean the fish is old. Fresh whole fish also should have bright red gills free from slime.
If the flesh doesn’t spring back when pressed, the fish isn’t fresh.
There should be no darkening around the edges of the fish or brown or yellowish discoloration.
The fish should smell fresh and mild, not fishy or ammonia-like.

 We use an oval casserole dish which is large enough to hold a fish of up to about 4 kilos (eight pounds) in weight and in which we place a triple folded strip of kitchen foil slightly longer than the pot.

What is this for? To lift the fish out once it’s cooked, which is done by pulling the two ends of the foil apart so that the fish lifts up on it as if on a stretcher. You then keep it taut while transferring the fish to a suitable dish. It’s a little tricky but easily managed with care. Try it with the uncooked fish first.

Here’s the easy portion of cooking Salmon:

First put your fish into the pot you are going to cook it in and cover it with cold water. In this way you will have exactly the right amount for whatever size of fish you are cooking.

Next take the fish out, leave it to one side, and add the following to your water:

· 2 wine glasses of vermouth, dry white wine or very dry sherry
· 1 onion, peeled, cut in half and studded with 2 cloves in each half
· 1-2 bay leaves
· 6 whole peppercorns
· 1 carrot cut into quarters
· the pared-off rind of half a lemon

Bring this all to the boil, take it off the heat, add your fish, cover and leave to cool.

That’s it. Who said cooking fish was difficult?

Once cold, the skin will easily peel off the fish and you can either decorate it with finely sliced cucumber (to look like scales) and mayonnaise, or simply serve it, which is what I do.

If you do want to present the “whole” fish, you might want to remove the bones to make it easier to serve. This is not really as difficult as you might think, although some care is required.

First remove the skin from the body of the fish, but leave the head whole. Then, using a fish slice and your hand, carefully remove the top fillet (the half nearest the head) and lay it, skinned side down, on your serving dish. Do the same with the flesh at the tail end. Check for any small bones and remove them.

You can now see the entire backbone. Snip this off at the head and tail, carefully remove it from the bottom half of the fish and discard it.

The rest is very easy. Put the bottom fillet on top of the one already on your serving dish, replace the head and tail in their correct position and disguise the joins with piped mayonnaise and/or sliced cucumber.

You can now decorate to your hearts content and in whatever fashion you wish. Just be sure to cover over any damage to the fillets caused by your handling of them.

White meat with a moderate flavor and flaky, tender texture:
(microwave, bake, broil, poach, saute, steam, deep fry, en papillote)
American plaice
(sea dab)
Arrowtooth flounder
Butterfish
Catfish
Cobia English sole
Lingcod
Pacific whiting
Rock sole
Sauger
Snook Sea trout
Starry flounder
Whiting
Winter flounder
Wolffish

Light meat, moderate flavor and moderately firm texture:
(microwave, bake, grill, broil, poach, deep fry)
Alaskan pollock
Brook trout
Giant sea bass
Grouper
Kingfish
Mahi mahi
Orange roughy
Pacific ocean perch
Rainbow trout
Red snapper
Smelt
Tautog
Walleye
White crappie
White king salmon
White sea bass
White sea trout

Darker meat, moderate flavor and moderately firm texture:
(microwave, bake, grill, broil, saute, steam, poach, en papillote)
Amberjack
Atlantic Ocean perch
Atlantic salmon
Black drum (kingfish)
Buffalofish
Burbot
Carp
Chum salmon
Crevalle jack
Croaker
Eel
Greenland turbot
Jewfish
King salmon (chinook)
Lake Chub
Lake herring
Lake sturgeon
Lake trout
Mangrove snapper
Monkfish
Mullet
Northern pike
Perch
Pink salmon
Pollock
Pompano
Rockfish
Sable
Sculp (porgie)
Sheepshead
Silver salmon (coho)
Spot
Striped bass
Vermillion snapper

Dark meat, moderate flavor and firm texture:
(grill, broil, microwave, saute, poach, steam, pickle, stew)
Atlantic mackerel
Black sea bass
Bluefish
King mackerel
Tuna (all varieties)
Shark (all varieties)
Sockeye salmon (red)
Spanish mackerel
Swordfish

Crabs:
(microwave, steam, bake saute)
Alaskan king crab
Blue crab
Dungeness crab
Jonah crab
Red crab
Soft-shell crab
Snow crab

Shrimp:
(microwave, steam, saute, bake, grill, broil, poach, em papillote, stew, deep fry)
Blue shrimp
Brown shrimp
California shrimp Key West shrimp
Northern shrimp
Pink shrimp Rock shrimp
Tiger shrimp
White shrimp

Lobsters:
(steam, saute, poach, bake, grill, broil, stew)
American lobster (Maine)
Rock lobster Slipper lobster Spiny lobster

Clams:
(steam, bake, stew, grill, microwave, deep fry)
Butter clam
Goeduck clam Hard clam (quahog)
Littleneck clam Razor clam
Steamer clam

Mussels:
(microwave, stew, broil, bake, poach, saute)
Blue mussel California mussel Green lip mussel

Oysters:
(microwave, stew, bake, broil, saute, poach, steam, deep fry)
Apalachicola oyster
Atlantic oyster Gulf oyster
Olympia oyster Pacific oyster
Soft American oyster

Scallops:
(microwave, bake, broil, grill, deep fry, steam, poach, stew, saute)
Bay scallop Calico scallop Sea scallop

Mollusks:
(bake, grill, deep fry, pickle, stew)
Abalone Cockle Conch Welk

Cephalopods:
(grill, poach, deep fry, saute, pickle, stew)
Octopus
Squid

INGREDIENTS
• 8 (4 ounce) fillets salmon
• 1/2 cup peanut oil
• 4 tablespoons soy sauce
• 4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 4 tablespoons green onions, chopped
• 3 teaspoons brown sugar
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
DIRECTIONS
1. Place salmon filets in a medium, nonporous glass dish. In a separate medium bowl, combine the peanut oil, soy sauce, vinegar, green onions, brown sugar, garlic, ginger, red pepper flakes, sesame oil and salt. Whisk together well, and pour over the fish. Cover and marinate the fish in the refrigerator for 4 to 6 hours.
2. Prepare an outdoor grill with coals about 5 inches from the grate, and lightly oil the grate.
3. Grill the fillets 5 inches from coals for 10 minutes per inch of thickness, measured at the thickest part, or until fish just flakes with a fork. Turn over halfway through cooking.

ingredients
1 small cucumber, grated Salt, for sprinkling 1 large cooked crab
1 small piece fresh ginger, grated Chinese cabbage, for serving
3 tbsps rice vinegar
2 tbsps dry sherry 2 tbsps soy sauce
method
1. Sprinkle the cucumber with salt and leave for 30 minutes.

2. Crack the legs and claws off the crab. Remove the meat from the claws and legs, but leave four thin legs whole as a garnish.

3. Separate the underbody from the shell. Remove and discard the stomach sac and the grey, feathered gills.

4. Scrape the brown meat from the shell and crack open the underbody. Use a skewer to pick out the meat.

5. Rinse the cucumber, drain well and squeeze out excess moisture. Mix together the cucumber, crab meat and ginger.

6. Arrange the Chinese cabbage on serving plates, to represent crab shells. Pile equal quantities of crab mixture onto the Chinese cabbage, leaving some of the leaf showing. Garnish with a whole crab leg and some grated, pickled ginger, if you can get it.

7. Mix together the vinegar, sherry and soy sauce. Serve with the crab in little bowls.

serving amount
serves 4

2 small crabs, boiled
30 ml (2 tbsps) oil
4 spring onions
1 small green pepper, seeded and finely chopped
1 stick celery, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
180 ml (6 fl oz) prepared mayonnaise
15 ml (1 tbsp) mild mustard
Dash tabasco and Worcestershire sauce
1 piece canned pimento, drained and finely chopped
30 ml (2 tbsps) chopped parsley
Salt and pepper
Lettuce

method
1. To shell the crabs, first remove all the legs and the large claws by twisting and pulling them away from the body.

2. Turn the shell over and, using your thumbs, push the body away from the flat shell. Set the body aside.

3. Remove the stomach sack and the lungs or dead man’s fingers and discard them. Using a small teaspoon, scrape the brown body meat out of the flat shell.

4. Using a sharp knife, cut the body of the crab in four pieces and using a pick or a skewer, push out all the meat.

5. Crack the large claws and remove the meat in one piece if possible. Crack the legs and remove the meat as well, leaving the small, thin legs in the shell. Set all the meat aside. Scrub the shells if desired to use for serving.

6. Heat the oil in a small saute pan or frying pan. Chop the white parts of the spring onions and add to the oil with the green pepper, celery and garlic. Saute over gentle heat for about 10 minutes, stirring often to soften the vegetables but not brown them. Remove from the heat and set aside. When cool, add the mayonnaise, mustard, tabasco, Worcestershire sauce, pimento and finely chopped tops of the spring onions.

7. Spoon the reserved brown body meat from the crabs back into each shell or serving dish. Mix the remaining crab meat with the dressing, reserving the crab claws for garnish, if desired. They may also be shredded and added to the other crab meat. Do not overmix the sauce as the crab meat should stay in large pieces. Spoon into the shells on top of the brown body meat, sprinkle with chopped parsley and place the crab shells on serving plates, surrounding them with lettuce leaves, if desired. Garnish with the shelled crab claws and use the crab legs if desired. Sprinkle with parsley and serve immediately.

serving amount
serves 2 - 4

method
1. Put the cooked crab on a board and twist the claws until they separate from the body.

2. Crack the claws open with a hammer. Take a skewer and remove the white meat from the claws and put in a bowl.

3. Take hold of the crab firmly with both hands and with the thumbs push the body section away from the shell.

4. Take out and discard the following: the small sac or stomach bag which is attached to the large shell, any green tinged material in the large shell and, lastly, the grey spongy parts known as “dead man’s fingers”.

5. Scrape the brownish meat from the shell into a second bowl.

6. Cut the body into two and scrape any white meat left into the first bowl.

7. Tap the shell to remove the ragged sharp edge.

8. Wash and scrub the inside and outside of the shell thoroughly and rinse well (do not use soap).

9. Dry off the shell and brush with some olive oil.

10. Mix the white breadcrumbs with the brown meat and cream well with the mayonnaise, French mustard and seasonings.

11. Arrange the white meat mixed with lemon juice and salt and pepper on each side of the shell and the brown meat down the middle.

12. Garnish with rows of chopped parsley, paprika and the separately sieved white and yolk of the hard-boiled egg.

13. Serve on a bed of lettuce surrounded by the small claws, with thinly sliced wholewheat bread and butter.

14. Serve extra Mayonnaise separately, if you like.

serving amount
serves 2

Ingredients:

Preparation:
Combine softened cream cheese with beer. Add crabmeat, onions, parsley, garlic powder, Worcestershire Sauce, cayenne pepper and lemon juice and mix with a spoon. Chill and serve.

3 pounds of shrimp in shell
2 cups warm beer
2 2/4th cups flour
2 teaspoons paprika
dash of Tabasco
dash of Worcestershire sauce

Peel and split shrimp, leaving tails intact. Mix all remaining ingredients together. Roll shrimp in additional flour, salt and pepper. Dip into beer batter and fry in deep hot fat for 2-3 minutes.
Yield: 6-8 servings

For Garnish
1/2 avocado, peeled and diced
1/2 cup salsa
1 tablespoon mayonnaise

Heat oil in heavy deep pot to 375°F. Whisk batter until smooth. Dredge Jalapenos in flour, then dip into batter to coat completely and deep-fry until golden brown. Remove peppers from oil and allow to drain. Combine avocado, salsa and mayonnaise in small bowl, and use this to garnish the peppers.

•Walleye, whole, cleaned with head & scales on
• Rock Salt or Sea Salt (for human consumption)
• Vegetables (Celery, Onions, Peppers-diced)

Prepare a bed of Rock Salt in the bottom of a non-reactive pan for your Walleye (a coarse Sea Salt will also work). A spray bottle of water is used to mist the Rock Salt so the salt will fuse together while cooking.

Place the Walleye on the bed of salt. A dressing may be placed into the body cavity or a mixture of vegetables may be used to stuff the cavity. The Walleye scales will help prevent the meat from becoming too salty. A layer of salt is used to cover the fish-you will mist this covering with your water and bake in a 450 degree oven. The salt will fuse together in this high heat and the fish will stream in the salt covering.

Cooking time for Walleye will depend on the size of the fish being cooked. The salt case will be cracked when you go to serve the dish and care is used to prevent being burned when the steam is released upon breaking the salt.

There is no way of telling male oysters from females by examining their shells. While oysters have separate sexes, they may change sex one or more times during their life span. The gonads, organs responsible for producing both eggs and sperm, surround the digestive organs and are made up of sex cells, branching tubules and connective tissue.

What is that tiny crab we see in an oyster?

It is a species of crab (Pinnotheres ostreum) that has evolved to live harmoniously inside an oyster’s shell. These dime-sized crabs, much sought after by gourmands, are not abundant.

How do pearls end up inside of oysters?

An oyster produces a pearl when foreign material becomes trapped inside the shell. The oyster responds to the irritation by producing nacre, a combination of calcium and protein. The nacre coats the foreign material and over time produces a pearl.

The “R” Myth

Folklore says that oysters should be eaten only in months with “r’s” in them—September, October, etc. Maestro S.V.P. educates people that oysters can be eaten 12 months a year. The notion that oysters should not be eaten in “r”-less months—that is, months that occur during warm weather—may have started in the days when oysters where shipped without adequate refrigeration and could spoil. But today all that has changed and we can enjoy oysters twelve months a year.

Oysters and Their Nutritional Value

Oysters are not only delicious, but they’re also one of the most nutritionally well balanced of foods, containing protein, carbohydrates and lipids. The National Heart and Lung Institute suggest oysters as an ideal food for inclusion in low-cholesterol diets. Oysters are an excellent source of vitamins A, B1(thiamin), B2 (riboflavin), B3 (niacin), C (ascorbic acid) and D (calciferol). Four or five medium size oysters supply the recommended daily allowance of iron, copper, iodine, magnesium, calcium, zinc, manganese and phosphorus.

Health Tip

Because raw foods including oysters may carry bacteria, persons with chronic liver disease, impaired immune systems or cancer should avoid eating raw oysters.

]]> http://www.cookingwithsmoke.com/little-known-facts-about-oysters.php/feed http://www.cookingwithsmoke.com/beer-steamed-clams.php http://www.cookingwithsmoke.com/beer-steamed-clams.php#comments Wed, 14 Mar 2007 03:25:51 +0000 admin http://www.cookingwithsmoke.com/?p=35 Beer Steamed Clams
There is not a man around who wont stand in front of a grill with beer and live clams.
Ingredients:
24 live Clams
2 Tbsp fresh Parsley, chopped
12 oz Beer
chopped Garlic, Butter (1 stick )

Place clams in the bottom of a clam steamer or deep boiling pot. Add beer. Beer level should be only 1-2 inches from kettle/pot bottom. Cover and bring beer to a boil and steam until top clams barely open (about 3-5 minutes). Do not over cook, as clams will become tough and rubbery. Serve with garlic butter, prepared by sautéing chopped garlic and fresh parsley with a melted stick of butter.

Crab Meat Deviled Eggs

INGREDIENTS 

• 12 eggs 

• 4 teaspoons Honey mustard 

• 3 teaspoon Sweet relish 

• 1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce 

• 1/4 teaspoon celery salt 

• 1/2 cup Mayo 

• 1 20oz can crab meat 

DIRECTIONS 

1. Place eggs in a large pot of cool water. Bring water to a boil. Let water boil for 10 to 15 minutes. 

2. Plunge the eggs in cold water. When eggs are cool enough, remove their shells and cut them in half lengthwise to remove the yolk. Place the yolks in a medium-size mixing bowl and mash them well. 

3. Mix mustard, Sweet relish, hot sauce, celery salt, crab meat and mayo into the mixing bowl with the yolks. Blend mixture until smooth. Scoop mixture into the hollowed portion of the eggs. Refrigerate one hour and serve. 

1/2 lb Lump crabmeat

3 lg Idaho potatoes

3/4 c Mayonnaise

3 tb Sour cream

Juice of 1/2 a lemon

2 Scallions

Parsley sprigs

Salt & pepper

Pick any bits of shell out of the crabmeat and set aside. Cut the potatoes into thirds, place in a medium saucepan, cover with salted water, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain and, when cool enough to handle, peel and cut into 1/4 inch-thick slices.
in a small bowl, combine mayonaise, sour cream, and the lemon juice; season to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper. Finely chop 2 whole scallions and a few sprigs of parsley.To serve: Arrange several slices of potato on a platter and season with salt and pepper. Smooth some dressing on top, sprinkle with scallions and parsley, then add a layer of crab. Repeat, making several layers and ending with crab on top.

KAL BI (KOREAN SHORTRIBS)

1 cup dark soy sauce
1 cup mirin (sweet Japanese rice wine)
1/3 cup (packed) dark brown sugar
1/4 cup unseasoned rice vinegar
1/4 cup oriental sesame oil
1/4 cup crushed garlic (about 15 cloves) 
4 large green onions (white and part of the green thinly sliced)5 pounds short ribs (cut across bones; about 20 pieces) Might have to ask the butcher for this cut.

Combine first 7 ingredients in medium bowl, whisk and blend well. Pour into heavy jumbo re-sealable plastic bag. Add ribs, seal bag and turn bag to coat ribs evenly. Refrigerate at least 8 hours (overnight or longer), turning bag occasionally. 

Prepare a charcoal or indoor grill. When the coals are medium- hot, remove the ribs from the marinade, letting the excess drip off, and grill the ribs until done as desired, basting with the marinade a few times. Watch the ribs carefully so they do not scorch. Serves 12. 

Chef’s Note: This is wonderful on lamb ribs or shanks. They are best when allowed to slow roasted in a medium-low oven (covered with foil) in the sauce. You will be impress with yourself after pulling off this succulent recipe 

 KOREAN SHORTRIBS

Salmon fillet, with skin on
Kosher Salt
3 parts Honey
1 part Butter (not margarine)
Soaked Alder Chips

Spread Salmon liberally with Kosher salt, covering surface. Chill for 30 minutes. Prepare charcoal grill (or gas grill) for indirect cooking, ideal cooking temperature will be 225-250 F. Remove fillet from refrigerator and rinse off salt under cold water, then pat dry and set aside. Add drained chips to grill. When chips have started to smoke, place Salmon, skin side down, on sheet of aluminum foil and place onto grill. Close grill lid, keeping temperature in the 225-250 F range and adding more Alder chips as needed.

Melt butter with honey over low heat. When salmon is almost done, baste several times with honey-butter mixture, allowing time to set glaze between each basting. When Salmon has finished cooking, baste one more time and remove from grill. Skin will stick to foil allowing easy removal of the fillet.

]]> http://www.cookingwithsmoke.com/honey-grilled-salmon.php/feed http://www.cookingwithsmoke.com/smoked-turkey.php http://www.cookingwithsmoke.com/smoked-turkey.php#comments Wed, 22 Nov 2006 00:24:22 +0000 admin http://www.cookingwithsmoke.com/?p=22 STEP ONE: The first step in preparing a turkey on a smoker is to pick out a bird that is not the bigger then your smoker. The main reason for a smaller bird, 10 to 14 lb. maximum, is the time limitations involved. It takes between 6 and 8 hours to smoke a 12 pound turkey and the larger they are, the longer they take.

STEP TWO: Set up the smoker and toss on the Turkey. When using charcoal, it is best to let the flames burn down, fill the water pan with water (seasoned water is fine too onions work very well for aroma), then place the lid on the smoker and wait for the temperature to reach the ’safe’ zone on your smoker. Once that is accomplished, toss the turkey on there gently and cover the smoker. Start timing the turkey when the temperature returns to the save zone.

SAFETY REMINDER: Remember turkeys are prone to salmonella bacteria which will ruin your whole Thanksgiving. Cooking temperatures of 160 degrees F minimum are essential for destroying bacteria. This temperature is not the OUTSIDE of the turkey, but the inside, so keep that in mind when you decide on a larger bird. This of course is unless you happen to be feeding the traditional army at Thanksgiving.

NOTES & TIPS: Use a water smoker which by design keeps the meat moist and prevents burning like a traditional smoker with no water in the event you forget about the turkey for an extra half hour or so.

We have used inexpensive charcoal and the expensive stuff, and have found the main difference being the number of times you need to add more charcoal. The better the charcoal, the longer between times you need to add it. You can expect to use 10 lb. or more of charcoal for a 10-14 lb. turkey, so have some extra just in case. You will most likely not have to check the charcoal or temperature for 3 hours if you use good charcoal so this gives you time to watch a football game or two or be with the guests or just sit back and have an eggnog and brandy if you are so inclined. When you check the temperature on your smoker, just look at the gauge that is there. Most of them have a “safe” zone or a actual read out with numbers but in either case, keep that temperature above the safe” zone.

We have never had a problem smoking turkeys, meats, or fish so just make sure of your temperature. When you add charcoal to your smoker, stir the ashes around and bring up the hot coal away from the ashes. This will help start the added charcoal faster and keep the temperature correct. Add plenty of charcoal at the beginning and when you add more, add as much as you can. That way you will not have to be going back and forth and adding a few pieces here and there. Just fill the pan up when you add charcoal, it is not important how much you use, but how hot the smoker stays.

Make sure to check the water after you add charcoal each time just to keep it full and not let it run out. If you happen to run out of water in the pan, add water carefully since if you spill on the charcoal, it will put off steam and it is not a pleasant feeling on your hands, arms or face. I use an old two liter bottle filled about 3/4 full of water and hold it from the bottom when I add it. It keeps you far enough away from the smoker and charcoal and in the even you happen to spill, (which I usually do), it just sends the steam up in the air away from you.

You can also use hickory chips or mesquite chips or other chips in your charcoal to flavor the bird. Soak them for at least ONE hours in water and then toss them on the charcoal and they will smoke and add that flavor to your turkey.

About 5 hours into smoking your turkey , it’s a good idea to actually take off the lid and check the condition of the turkey. Each time you remove the lid for those of you who are lookie loos, it adds between 10 and 15 minutes to the cook time, so don’t take the lid off to see your prize until you absolutely have to. When checking the bird, you look for the meat to have a pink look to it. It should be moist and look cooked to the eye and it should not be raw looking. It is difficult to tell when the turkey is actually done without ’sampling’ it of course, so take your big knife with you when you go and cut into the thickest part of the breast and check it there. A little deep cut into the breast will tell you if it is done there and when the breast is done, the rest of the turkey is done also. Juices are always present and should be clear when cut, but the true test is the taste test. If it seems chewy, then it is probably NOT done, but if it seems moist and tender, then your bird is ready for the table. This may sound like a lot of work, but in reality, it is very simple.

Smoking a turkey is no different from BBQing in your back yard. You follow all these rules without even noticing them in most cases so go ahead, give it a try, you will not be dissatisfied when you try a smoked turkey. Follow the safety rules without deviation and you will have the best turkey you have ever had. If you don’t have time to wait for 6 to 8 hours to wait for a turkey to cook, or you have went and bought a 300 lb. turkey to impress your in-laws, just take it and cut it up like you would a chicken and it will cook twice as fast and taste just as good.

Most smokers have two racks or more so just distribute the parts evenly on each rack. I feed a small army here at Thanksgiving and/or Christmas, so I generally cut it into pieces and smoke it that way, which does take about 1/2 the time. It is not as pretty when it comes off the smoker, but the taste is still the same and the effort you put into it will impress even that mother-in-law that thinks you are still a thief for taking her daughter away from her.

]]> http://www.cookingwithsmoke.com/smoked-turkey.php/feed http://www.cookingwithsmoke.com/florida-stone-crabs.php http://www.cookingwithsmoke.com/florida-stone-crabs.php#comments Mon, 30 Oct 2006 22:47:36 +0000 admin http://www.cookingwithsmoke.com/?p=20 Florida Stone Crabs

Known as the Florida Key’s seafood favorite, Stone Crabs derive their name from their rock like oval shape shell. Stone Crab season begins October 15th and lasts through mid-May. Stone Crab meat is characterized by a firm texture and a sweet flavor.

When ordering Florida Stone Crab, make sure you specify Florida Stone Crab. Most of the less expensive stone crabs out there are Mexican Stone crab. Mexican Stone Crab are not as sweet as our native Florida Stone Crab. Make sure the Market you purchase from says Florida Stone crab on the prices. The same goes for restaurants serving Florida Stone Crabs. The last thing you want to waiting a good half hour for your meal and finding out your Stone Crab claws taste like mung.

Curried Stone Crab Claws with Hot Marmalade Dip

2 1/2 pounds frozen Florida stone crab claws

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 teaspoon curry powder

1/3 cup orange marmalade

1/4 cup lime juice

1/4 cup soy sauce

1 clove Florida garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon ginger

1 teaspoon cornstarch

Crack and remove outer shell from the claws, leaving meat attached to the moveable pincer that is on one side of the claw. Cream together margarine and curry powder. Spread curry butter over both sides of frozen stone crab claws; arrange on broiling pan. In the meantime, combine remaining ingredients, mixing well. Cook, stirring constantly, until clear and thickened; keep warm. Place broiler pan with the crab claws about 3-inches from heat source and broil 6-8 minutes, turning once, or until hot. Serve with hot marmalade dip.