The Turkey Thread

[Jerry Callo 8749]

Two hours on the smoker.

[Jerry Callo 8749]

Smoking the one 21 pounder today for the family.    Assisted with smoking 150 turkeys yesterday for the community.

[TwiceHorn 31619]

3 hours ago, TwiceHorn said:

Welp, it's in the oven now.  Gonna slather the upper regions with butter when it comes out, kind of depending on the thigh/breast temp differential toward the end.

Welp, the differential was not great Bob.  After two hours the breast was at 160 and the lower thigh barely 130.  Took another 40 minutes to get the thigh part up.  But I basted and buttered every 15 minutes and quit taking the temp of the breast.

I think I am fairly adept with the thermapen as far as putting it in, but I seem to get fairly variable readings.

[dcbc 14544]

I overshot my time-target by about an hour.  Thankfully, everyone is running late.  Moved from the smoker to the oven and am encouraging it at 425F.  Breastesess just hit 160

[Jerry Callo 8749]

Dinnertime is specifically set for everyone but the cook - flexibility is the cook's perogative.

[Anastasis 23473]

Soon. 

 

[BearSchlong 8128]

Mine is on the Recteq at 225 with apple wood pellets after a 24 hr brine. Gonna pull it hopefully at 7 am, rest it in an ice chest and drive over to north of Baton Rouge.

I slept 7.5 hours, and the Recteq temp never varied. When I woke up, I cranked it to 350 for an hour, pulled it, and it was perfect. That brine really seals in the juice.

[TexasHooch 5152]

1 hour ago, Jerry Callo said:

Dinnertime is specifically set for everyone but the cook - flexibility is the cook's perogative.

That's my general principle when I'm at the smoker/grill, but It's harder to say "it's done when it's done", when there are 4 or 5 side dishes being prepared based according to your timeline.  Traditional BBQ is much easier for me because sides are generally cold, reheatable, or non-existent.  I just had to tap the brakes on my turkey, which is fine.

[immamac 43255]

2 hours ago, PittsburghTiger said:

So, I sliced it up and the cook was a bit uneven. 85% is perfect and I will gently heat it up and take it with us. Because I was not certain how completely thawed it was, as others have mentioned, I will hold on to the legs to heat up later this weekend. The taste is very good.

Overall, I am pleased but, I do a lot better on the smoker with beef, pork and chicken and veggies.

Next time spatchcock.

Got mine on now 325 for a while then I'll crank it to 450+ and crisp it up. 

Got another one I'm injecting with 2lbs of butter then frying. 

2 12 pounders instead of a gigantic 20+ seems to be much better results IMO

[TwiceHorn 31619]

2 hours ago, TwiceHorn said:

Welp, the differential was not great Bob.  After two hours the breast was at 160 and the lower thigh barely 130.  Took another 40 minutes to get the thigh part up.  But I basted and buttered every 15 minutes and quit taking the temp of the breast.

I think I am fairly adept with the thermapen as far as putting it in, but I seem to get fairly variable readings.

Somewhat to my surprise, came out very well. Breast was nice and juicy. For the sheer hell of it I took a last reading of the breast once the thighs got done and it was over 185 without letting the probe run all the way up.   

Thought it would be dry as fuck, but was quite good. I basted and buttered pretty well the last 40 minutes of cooking, which may have dubious effects including making it greasy. But not a problem. 

[Baboontyme 2829]

2 minutes ago, TwiceHorn said:

Somewhat to my surprise, came out very well. Breast was nice and juicy. For the sheer hell of it I took a last reading of the breast once the thighs got done and it was over 185 without letting the probe run all the way up.   

Thought it would be dry as fuck, but was quite good. I basted and buttered pretty well the last 40 minutes of cooking, which may have dubious effects including making it greasy. But not a problem. 

Separate them mid cook next time. I had the opposite problem. Thighs legs and wings were done an hour before the breast. 

We just finished eating, my God it was good this year. 

[Anastasis 23473]

Ok let’s go

 

 

 

[Tonesky 962]

Headed to in-laws for dinner (with stuffing and a pecan pie), but smoking a boneless breast for the house at wife’s request.  It’s getting close. 

[jimmyjazz 46296]

6 legs down, 3 breasts down, 6 thighs in the oven.  Two hams marking time.  SOMETHING has to taste good.

[dcbc 14544]

No pics, but I crushed it this year. WSM always does a great job and I can set the BBQ Guru to hold temp while I spend the morning getting the sides in order. Lots of compliments from guests, including my niece who told me that my turkeys have completely spoiled her, and the Friendsgiving attempts this year were quite inferior. I need to add her to the will.

Edited to add that I really think the orange wedges in the carcass do a great job at evening out the cooking between breast and thighs. It also contributed a nice flavor to the end product.

[luke duke 6420]

Two hours on the smoker.

Where’s the smoker?

[Dutch 4488]

Happy Thanksgiving, assholes. 

 

Edited 6 hours ago by Dutch

[PittsburghTiger 6210]

6 hours ago, immamac said:

Next time spatchcock.

Got mine on now 325 for a while then I'll crank it to 450+ and crisp it up. 

Got another one I'm injecting with 2lbs of butter then frying. 

2 12 pounders instead of a gigantic 20+ seems to be much better results IMO

Yeah, I'll definitely do it differently next year, or in between to practice. The 18-pounder was a bit too big for not being sure it was completely thawed.

I thought about cutting it like you suggested here but, the weather this week has been not very great and my deck is not covered. I also had an airport run yesterday early evening and then Poker Night up at a buddy's farm, so I was pressed for time. I looked at some videos for what you said and it looks like it'd be much easier and consistent.

Still, there was no turkey left of what I took up the river today.

Edited 3 hours ago by PittsburghTiger

[BigDHornfan 6559]

[That Guy 962]

This guy spent about two hours in the egg. Brined for about 20 hours and smoked with cherry and pecan. 

[dcbc 14544]

Confession.  My turkey had zero heritage.  It was a 24 lb, solution-injected, Honeysuckle Rose I bought at WalMart for $0.88 per pound.  And I do this every year.  And on the WSM with the Franklin video method posted above (with oranges up its ass and no brine because it came with one), it kills every time.  I always have to remember how to cook it because I only do it once each year.  But those cheap-ass turkeys smoke up just fine (and  many of my relatives are good cooks who wouldn't go this route on if it hadn't proven solid).

Edited 2 hours ago by dcbc

[immamac 43255]

Smoked breast missing becsuse its sliced. It was bomb. 

[mdleast 8318]

Smoked breasts on the WSM for 3 hours then 1 hour with each wrapped in foil with a stick of butter. Easy, breezy and delicious.