Pepsi brined smoked turkey with Southern trimmings

One of the things we ate in Texas which was so much better than expected was smoked turkkey at Kreuzs in Lockhart (after a morning of blasting away with all the firearms banned in the UK). Much ore subtle than the hard smoked brisket and sausages, it was juicy and delicious (and the hot German style potatoe sala was excellent too).

Sometime I’ve been waiting to try for ages is ham baked in CocaCola (made famous by Nigella, actually another old Southern recipe). However having bought Pepsi (it’s was 99p for 2 litres and Coke wasn’t on offer) I found myself wondering if the two things coud be combined? I’ll save baking ham in coke for another time.

End result - turkey brined in sweet and spicey Pepsi (which smells like Chritmas when you make the brine), smoked for the afternoon, with greens (Harlem style, mixing my regions) and cornbread (thank to The Cloake ).

If I’ve not mentioned these before, the charcoal chimneys are great kit. Makes BBQing a 100x easier (also, buy a quality one, mine is cheap and I burn myself everytime, especially since the handle fell off).

You will need

• A turkey crown, defrosted.
• 2 litre bottle of full fat cola-type-product
• Black pepper corns
• Coriander seed
• Star anise
• Cloves
• Cabbage greens
• A large onion
• Butter
• two eggs
• 200g of cornflour
• 250ml of butter milk (or in my case milk and some left over yoghurt)
• Salt
• A pack of sausages

Do

Make the brine and brine the turkey

1. Stick the Pepsi in a large pan on a hot heat
2. Add a good tablespoon each of black peppercorns, salt and corriander seed
3. Add a couple of star anise and cloves
4. Bring to the boil and boi for 5 mins
5. Leave to cool
6. Put the turkey crown in a large plastic bag and add the cooled brine.
7. Leave overnight (in a large bowl helps)

Smoke the turkey

1. Take the turkey out of the brine and pat dry
2. Light up a chimney of charcoal (I use a long burning hardwood)
3. Once the coals are ready stick a smoke box full of wood chippings in (this was beech in my case)
4. Smoke turkey and sausages high up for around 4 hours. Check the turkey is properly hot though (I googled the correct temperature)
5. Replenish coals if needed
6. Let the tueky rest for 15 minutes. Clingfilm wrapping would have been a good idea

Make the greens

1. Rough chop the onion and stick on low heat with a good knob of butter for 30 mins (covered)
2. Stir as needed so it doesnt’t stick
3. 10 minutes before you’re ready to serve add the cabbage and a splash of hot water
4. Cook covered, stirring occationally
5. You’re looking for a “silken” texture.

Make the cornbread

1. Put the oven on 220 oC
2. Whisk eggs and “buttermilk”
3. Add the corn, a teaspoon or salt and another of sugar
4. Add ¹⁄₄ teaspoon of baking soda and 1 teaspoon of baking pwder
5. Whisk with vigour
6. In a case iron pan suitable for the oven melt a good knob of butter
7. Once the oven is up to speed, turn up the heat on the butter and then pour in the batter
8. Sizzle for a minute or so, keep your nose oven for it catching
9. Bake in the oven for about 20 minutes or until a pokey stick comes out clean

Result

See pictures