BRINING A TURKEY FOR SMOKING RECIPES

Steps:

• Pour 1 gallon of cold water into large pitcher. Add salt and sugar and stir until dissolved.
• Place chicken into non-reactive container and pour brine over chicken to cover. Refrigerate.
• After 4 hours, remove the chicken, rinse and pat dry. Discard brine.
• Cut along both sides of backbone to remove. Press chicken open and place skin side down on cutting board.
• Mix together 1 cup of mayonnaise and 1/4 cup of Jeff's original rub. Place 1/2 of mixture on meat side of chicken. Spread to coat.
• Flip chicken to skin side up and apply other half of mayo/rub mixture to skin side spreading it all over the breast, wings and legs to coat. Push some of it under the skin wherever you can.
• Setup smoker for cooking indirect at 275 degrees using pecan wood for smoke. If your smoker uses a water pan, leave it dry.
• Place chicken meat side down- cook chicken until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F in the thickest part of the breast and thigh.
• While the chicken is cooking, mix together 1 stick of melted butter and 2 TBS of Jeff's original rub. Brush this all over the skin side of the chicken 2 to 3 times during the cooking process or anytime it starts to look dry.
• Once the chicken is finished cooking, remove it to the counter and let it rest for 15 minutes with foil tented over the top.
• Carve the chicken and serve.

Steps:

• Coat beef with Jeff's Texas style rub
• Add more coarse kosher salt to the meat to help with the dry brining process. See picture in web version of recipe to estimate proper coverage.
• Place top round into lidded container and place into fridge overnight.
• When the brining process is complete, remove the top round from the fridge and set aside.
• Set up smoker for cooking at about 225-250°F with indirect heat.
• Place the meat on the smoker grate and let it cook for 4-5 hours or until it reaches medium rare (130°F)
• Use oak smoke for best results but any smoking wood will work fine.
• Add smoke for at least 2 hours.
• When the meat is finished cooking, let it rest for about 10 minutes then slice into steaks or strips.