The Turkey Thread

[dcbc 14465]

1 hour ago, Rip76 said:

Traeger

No idea about a water pan there.  If it's for supposed added moisture, I'd skip it.  I suspect it's not for a heat sink since that setup should be pretty automated.  I vote skip.  Maybe a pan underneath to catch drippings to use later in gravy?  You can put some broth in it if you don't want it empty?

Edited November 24, 2021 by dcbc

[dcbc 14465]

1 hour ago, DallasHorn26 said:

I've got a 19lber I'm going to do on the WSM. Gonna use the Franklin method. Taking it overt to a friends place around 12 to eat at 2 (will transport in cooler). Thinking I should be putting it on around 730-8 to pull on time.  Does that sound about Right?

I'd say put it on about 9:30.  I also adhere to the Franklin method, and I'm putting mine (20 lbs on WSM 22.5") at 9 for a 12:30 or 1 pm. (who can say) lunchtime.  I run the WSM wide open with an empty water pan.  It usually takes just under 3 hours for me with the bird on the top (hot) rack.

That would give you about 45 minutes to rest it and time to slice and serve right at 2.

Don't mess with low and slow with Turkey.  Hot temps equal crispy skin.

Edited November 24, 2021 by dcbc

[CooterBrown 18002]

Anyone fried a Turkey using an infrared fryer? Going that route this year for convenience. Seems too easy. 

I use the Charbroil Big Easy propane air fryer. I’ll never roast, oil fry, or even smoke one ever again. It turns out perfect every time.

[DallasHorn26 586]

I'd say put it on about 9:30.  I also adhere to the Franklin method, and I'm putting mine (20 lbs on WSM 22.5") at 9 for a 12:30 or 1 pm. (who can say) lunchtime.  I run the WSM wide open with an empty water pan.  It usually takes just under 3 hours for me with the bird on the top (hot) rack.
That would give you about 45 minutes to rest it and time to slice and serve right at 2.
Don't mess with low and slow with Turkey.  Hot temps equal crispy skin.

Thanks. I was thinking 3-3.5 hours. I’ve got the 18 inch but should be similar. It seems like last time I tried to run it hot, I couldn’t get over 275 but I didn’t open the door at all. I plan to fill the base with charcoal then load a full chimney on top, or should I do two chimneys? I’m aiming to leave my place around 12 or just before.

[dcbc 14465]

20 minutes ago, DallasHorn26 said:

Thanks. I was thinking 3-3.5 hours. I’ve got the 18 inch but should be similar. It seems like last time I tried to run it hot, I couldn’t get over 275 but I didn’t open the door at all. I plan to fill the base with charcoal then load a full chimney on top, or should I do two chimneys? I’m aiming to leave my place around 12 or just before.

I always minion method on the charcoal, which I know doesn't make sense when I'm cooking hot, but procedures are in place.  Mine gets up to about 300F wide open.  I haven't bothered cracking the door, but that's an option.  Just keep the water pan empty.

With turkey, I consider it a pretty tight window.  I'd rather be late and last on the buffet line than early.  Once it's sliced up, we're sitting down to eat.  So I like it to be the last thing ready.

Also, I don't know who may need to hear this, but cut those turkey breasts off the bird and cut against the grain (heard it called scallops).  Such an improvement.

Edited November 25, 2021 by dcbc

[Anastasis 23456]

My thanksgiving turkey is sitting in the fridge in brine right now.

 

[RamjetFDO 10575]

24 lbs of turkey... 24 hrs of brine... now in the oven.



Post-roasting shot later!

[TXSG8R 3362]

I’m trying a new method this year, cooking halfway breast side down and then flipping. Supposed to keep the breasts a little more moist and prevent having to tent them. 

[Anastasis 23456]

1 hour ago, RamjetFDO said:

24 lbs of turkey... 24 hrs of brine... now in the oven.



Post-roasting shot later!

That's a pretty bird. 

[Beau Vine 54205]

Oh, it's on!

[dcbc 14465]

Got it on a little after 9 a.m. It's at about 145F. About to butter it up and put it in the pan to finish.

[DallasHorn26 586]

My wsm cruised along. Actually got up to over 500 at the grate after taking the lid off to foil and pan it. Cook time was around 3:20. Can’t wait to cut into it.

[Jerry Callo 8695]

Cruising right along. Wrapping in about 30 minutes.

[Laxtonto 12078]

Nothing crazy this year. Just bacon wrapped maple syrup glazed with some herb butter stuffed under the skin…

 

In the oven, and now we wait…

 

 

Edited November 25, 2021 by Laxtonto
After basting at 90 min mark

[Beau Vine 54205]

[horncyclist 1387]

All y'all cooking on a WSM...have you ever tried finishing in the oven on higher heat (say 425) to crisp the skin? In the past I've followed Franklin's recipe with the butter bath and foil the last half to third. But skin winds up rubbery. Wondering what would happen if I skipped the foil and just put in the oven after basting with butter.

[luke duke 6412]

We travel to the in-laws every other Thanksgiving. The MIL asks me at the last minute every year if I’ll cook the turkey. It’s fine with me since I do a better job than anyone else there. This year we were running behind getting out of town so I just stopped at Central Market and bought the stuff in the picture below. Cooked at 325 until the breasticles were 165. Brined 15lb turkey for 16hrs. It was the best whole turkey that I’ve ever had (no pics). Highly recommend for anyone that wants to simplify Thanksgiving.

[horncyclist 1387]

Well, that was a disaster. Skin contracted and kind of burnt. Franklin wraps it to protect the skin. Lesson learned. Hopefully it's still moist and tasty.

 

[dcbc 14465]

Really good results this year.

[RamjetFDO 10575]

So. Full.

[Underdog 28544]

Taters/gravy pool quite strong, would eat. 

[Rip76 4924]

F’ing perfect 

Thanks for the help

 

[TXSG8R 3362]

The flip method actually works pretty well. It would have been perfect if I didn’t tuck some butter between the skin and the breast. That created some hot spots and the skin got darker there then the rest of the bird. Pretty sure I would have been able to skip tenting the breast if it wasn’t for that. 
 

I also smoked a breast using Franklin’s method and some legs as well. 

[Dutch 4465]

Tried a Bon Appétit recipe and it turned out very well; probably the best bird I’ve made. Perfect skin.

Good work all around on this thread today. Happy Thanksgiving, you filthy animals.

[dcbc 14465]

On 11/25/2021 at 9:52 AM, TXSG8R said:

I’m trying a new method this year, cooking halfway breast side down and then flipping. Supposed to keep the breasts a little more moist and prevent having to tent them. 

Before I took over and started smoking the turkey, my family elders  (mom) went off some recipe my sister scrawled down watching Martha Stewart on some morning program.  The notes are frantic and hilarious and written up the side of the notepad paper.  Anyway, one of the instructions is to cook it breast down for most, if not all, of the cook For some reason, no one ever noticed that instruction in the scrawl until my in-laws asked for the recipe and I asked them why the Turkey was upside-down. 

TLDR, it works well for roasted turkeys. 

[Bevo&Pevo 5120]

On 11/23/2021 at 3:18 PM, Classic Rock said:

I am trying one of these this: https://store.donsspecialtymeats.com/whole-deboned-turkey-stuffed-w-cornbread-dressing-serves-8-10/

I have cooked their chickens before and they are fabulous.

Try these guys

Home - Cajun Meats

They may or may do boneless turkeys, but ANY of their boneless chickens w dressing are bad ass.  Located out on Kuykendahl Rd.  IIRC they sell the chickens to some of the Bucee's.

[Gil Bang 25907]

I smoked a prime rib, so the turkey went in the oven, but, my brined turkey was nothing short of fantastic. 

[Kennythetiger 9374]

I wonder what the one stuffed with boudin tastes like?  Boudin and turkey, probably. 

[Hpara759 1778]

probably discussed somewhere in these 11 pages......

but can anyone tell me where to get uncooked turkey legs....and i want some big un's  the ones I've seen at HEB are rather smallish

[Jerry Callo 8695]

4 minutes ago, Hpara759 said:

probably discussed somewhere in these 11 pages......

but can anyone tell me where to get uncooked turkey legs....and i want some big un's  the ones I've seen at HEB are rather smallish

I would check with local meat markets / butchers.

[Texzilla58 4731]

I’ll post it directly out of my Justin Wilson book without comment since the ingredients are sure to spark some surly comedy

I love Justice n Wilson but liquid smoke ain’t going into anything I cook.

I am pro brine with unprocessed fresh birds. I think wet brining a turkey that has been plumped with the finest saline/chemo solution makes for a mushy product.

[UncleBuck 6452]

I like getting those 3lb turkey breast roasts that are in the jet-netting. Brine 'em about 6 hours. Season 'em real nice and then throw 'em on my WSM, still inside of the netting. I usually have the temp around 250 when I thrown 'em on and let it rise up to about 290-300ish. Turn out great every time. Glad I saw this thread, need to go ahead and stark stocking up on them. 

[HouTex 1866]

11 minutes ago, Texzilla58 said:

I love Justice n Wilson but liquid smoke ain’t going into anything I cook.

I am pro brine with unprocessed fresh birds. I think wet brining a turkey that has been plumped with the finest saline/chemo solution makes for a mushy product.

I’m anti liquid smoke as well, but he puts it in the water pan.  I can’t imagine it would make a difference either way.  

[Baboontyme 2809]

It's time. 

[dcbc 14465]

I've picked up a 22 pounder last week when I was under the impression that the seven additional people we were expecting for Thanksgiving were, in fact, coming.  That's okay.  More meat for gumbo the next day. 

 

Doing the Franklin method.  Nothing heritage about this bird.  Straight butterball.  Don't care.  Don't have to brine.  It'll be delicious.

Edited November 14, 2022 by dcbc

[CoachTex 2623]

[NoName 16350]

smoking turkey breasts (boneless, HEB one) this weekend. can't recommend it enough, smoke, cool, slice, vac seal and heat up on thanksgiving day with sous vide or redneck sous vide on the stovetop. gives you flexibility around eating time.

usually roll with the Franklin Method

• 2:1 pepper to salt on the bird
• smoke at 265 until golden brown or 145 IT
• double wrap in foil (don't skimp on doubling up on foil), skin side down with 2 sticks of butter
• smoke until 160 IT
• cool to 140, slice, enjoy

i've also done it like Chud does which is basically the same (brine, pat dry, season, smoke 275 until 145 IT, confit in hotel pan w/ clarified butter + herbs until 155 IT, cool to 140, slice, enjoy) and used dukes as a slather.

[Baboontyme 2809]

Do you take the skin off like AF? I've always wanted to try but never have been brave enough to do it with an actual whole bird or titty. 

[dcbc 14465]

21 minutes ago, Baboontyme said:

Do you take the skin off like AF? I've always wanted to try but never have been brave enough to do it with an actual whole bird or titty. 

While you wait for @NoName to respond, when I mentioned the Franklin method, I was referring to the Thanksgiving episodes of the PBS web series.  Skin stays on in that one, but the rest of the first method he mentions looks like what I've been doing with a whole bird.  Only difference is I do a Mack Brown addition by stuffing the carcass full of orange slices.

Edited November 15, 2022 by dcbc

[pearlandhorn 3269]

I skinned and spatchcocked the turkey last year with a butter injection (two sticks, melted, with a quarter cup of cholula) and seasoned with BBQ rub and smoked it at 275 for about an hour and a half.  Put it in a pan and basted with butter, covered until it hit 160 and then threw some bbq sauce on it.  Pulled at 165 in the breast. 

I've been told that I'm cooking turkeys from now on for Thanksgiving.  Will take pics this year.

Edited November 15, 2022 by pearlandhorn

[Mo Horn 8819]

I'm going to Istanbul and Ismir Turkey next year, and got excited when I saw this thread bumped. I now has disappoint. 

[South Austin 52442]

12 hours ago, Mo Horn said:

I'm going to Istanbul and Ismir Turkey next year, and got excited when I saw this thread bumped. I now has disappoint. 

You thought it would be about Turkish prisons?

[NoName 16350]

16 hours ago, Baboontyme said:

Do you take the skin off like AF? I've always wanted to try but never have been brave enough to do it with an actual whole bird or titty. 

yes, i take it off. don't get enough temp to crisp it up and nobody in my fam likes it anyway.

[Dry Elbows 142]

23 hours ago, NoName said:

 

i've also done it like Chud does which is basically the same (brine, pat dry, season, smoke 275 until 145 IT, confit in hotel pan w/ clarified butter + herbs until 155 IT, cool to 140, slice, enjoy) and used dukes as a slather.

I'm doing the Chud method this year.  But am going to slather with Dukes.

[Baboontyme 2809]

10 hours ago, NoName said:

yes, i take it off. don't get enough temp to crisp it up and nobody in my fam likes it anyway.

Interesting. I do a whole bird for my side of the family and a breast for the in laws. I don't think they are adventurous enough to let me try the skin off method but on my side I'm the cook and I do what I want.  Except I'm scared to try it and fuck it up. Anyone do skin off for a whole bird? I typically butterfly it and smoke it at 300-325. But the skin is always meh at best. 

[tx 3 putt 76865]

Donated turkey for local elementary pta teachers lunch 

 

[dcbc 14465]

So is skin off basically removing the skin, seasoning the meat, cooking the skin separately at higher temps to crisp and draping it back on?

[Baboontyme 2809]

No it means removing it and leaving it off. I think some people may use it for stock or other purposes. 

[NoName 16350]

30 minutes ago, dcbc said:

So is skin off basically removing the skin, seasoning the meat, cooking the skin separately at higher temps to crisp and draping it back on?

removing it entirely, then slather (if you choose to), then season & smoke

[South Austin 52442]

Removing the skin from the Thanksgiving turkey?  What the fuck, are we in Russia?