Turkeys provide delicious meat and are a staple in American dishes, especially during the Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday. A Thanksgiving dinner is not complete without a baked turkey that is place in the center of a table, amidst the bowls of mashed potatoes, gravy, corn, yams, and other delicious dishes. Whole turkeys can be fried, baked, and even smoked.

Get a turkey and put it in a water smoker. The water smoker can be operated by gas, charcoal, electricity, or wood. Using wood is good for obtaining that hickory smoked turkey taste. Set the temperature at 250 or 300 degrees F, and let it set for a while until it's done. Check the turkey every so often with a thermometer!

Do not stuff the turkey while it's smoking because it will taste funny. The turkey has to be fully cooked. It meat should be slightly pink in color, moist and tender and not chewy. You have to make sure the temperature is just right so it can kill the bacteria on the raw meat. The last thing you want to be doing is heading to the hospital due to food poisoning from uncooked meat!

Keep watch over the turkey and make sure you do not burn it. Obviously, it won't taste good and will taste like you're eating burned coal. Make sure to smoke all the parts of the turkey. Even the geezer tastes delicious smoked. Make sure that the coals have turned white ash before putting the turkey in your smoker. Don't use lighter fluid because you will taste it in your turkey. Use salt and seasonings to flavor the turkey because it will taste very bland.

When you cook the turkey make sure you have the right ingredient to make the seasonings, such as salt, water, a little bit of sugar, and spices. You also can use lemon, pepper, pecans, fruitwood, or even wine. Experiment with different ingredients to achieve that special flavor. Let it baste for at least 24 hours before you cook it. It also has to be thoroughly thawed to cook properly. You also have to protect it from the wind so it won't blow it out. Leave the doors closed as much as possible. It is a long process but the wait is totally worth it in the end.

Cook it for about 30 minutes per pound. When you have a bird that weighs about 12-14 pounds, it takes around 12 hours to cook. Don't keep on taking the lid off because it takes the heat out of the bird and then takes longer to cook, making your dinner late and your family hungry. Last, but not least, have a great dinner tonight!

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