BBQ Turkey

Brining and bbqing a turkey makes a deliciously moist turkey with an extra smokiness  that is incomparable. The brine recipe we use is from The San Francisco Chronicle (with a few changes); the  most important in a brine is the salt and sugar - the rest can be changed to your liking, this recipe is delicious though...

The Brine

You need (for approx 12 lbs turkey)
1 cup sugar
1 1/2- 1 3/4 cup of kosher salt
2 gallons cold water
2 bay leaves torn into pieces
1 bunch fresh thyme
1 head of garlic, cloves seperated and peeled
5 whole all spice berries, crushed
4 juniper berries, smashed

Instructions:
Remove giblet bag and wash turkey.
Combine sugar salt and 3-4 quarts of water and stir until disolved.
Add the rest of ingredients minus the rest of the water
Put turkey in brine bag, fill up with brine and add the rest of the water. Close bag tight with minimum air. Make sure all of turkey is in brine.
Refrigerate for 24-48 hrs.
Alternatively (if you dont have a brine bag) double bag two heavy duty trash bags (unscented and not made from recycled material).
Then put in an ice chest large enough to hold turkey.
Place turkey in bags, pour in brine & add remaining water till it covers the bird.
Press out air and tightly close each bag seperately.
Keep turkey cold by piling bags of ice over and around the closed bags. Brine for 24-48 hrs

BBQ

You need:
1 brined turkey 
4 tablespoons melted butter for basting

Instructions:
Take the turkey out of the fridge/brine 20-30 minutes before roasting so that it can somewhat reach room temperature. 
Make sure the turkey is completely dry.
Baste the turkey with the butter
Bbq for 1 hr at indirect medium heat
Thereafter cover the wings and leg ends with foil and return to the bbq
Add more coals to keep temp. above 350 degrees f. 
Bbq turkey until internal temp reaches 145-150 degrees f.  (In the thick part of the breast) 
(A 12 lbs turkey takes approx 2 hrs bbq)
Take the turkey off the bbq, cover in foil to retain heat.
Let the turkey sit for 20-30 minutes (internal temp. Will rise 10-15 degrees)

Enjoy! 

Location:Jægersborggade,Copenhagen,Denmark

PAPRIKA PORK SHOULDER CROCK POT

As soon as the grey, dreary weather kicks in, I go stew-mad! There is nothing better than a rich stew at the end of a rainy day; its yummy, its economical and it lasts for a few days. This pork shoulder recipe is one of my favorite, the spanish paprika adds a delicious smokey flavor and the pork just falls apart.

You need: 

1 onion finely chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
Approx. 2 lbs. pork shoulder (bone out)
4 tablespoons spanish paprika
3 medium size carrots copped into chunky pieces 
1 parsnip peeled and chopped into chunky pieces
1 pepper fruit (prefer red but any color will do) finely chopped
1 bay leaf
2 cups tomato sauce
1 quart beef broth 
1 large potato (optional)
1 can garbanzo beans
1 cup barley
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions: 
Sautee onion in a skillet with olive oil and put in the crock pot. 
Add chopped carrots, parsnip, pepper fruit.
Rub 1 tablespoon of spanish paprika on all sides of the pork shoulder, cut of any strings on the shoulder, and place it in the crock pot.
Add beef broth, bay leaf, tomato sauce and salt and pepper and set crock pot on 8 hrs/low temp
Add 2 tablespoons of spanish paprika 
1 1/2 hr before serving add the garbanzo beans and potato (if applicable)
At the same time, in a separate pot, boil the barley for 20 minutes
Add the barley to the stew and let it cook together until done.
Break up the shoulder into smaller chunks with a fork and serve 

Enjoy!