The Turkey Thread

[dcbc 14398]

1 minute ago, South Austin said:

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

It sounded suspiciously Rooskie to me too.

 

[NoName 16286]

1 minute ago, South Austin said:

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

when you are smoking it at 265 it isn't getting hot enough to crisp it up, and when you are putting it in foil with butter, even if you did crisp it up you are going to make it rubbery

side note: your profile picture is amazing and makes me laugh every time i see it.

[dcbc 14398]

4 minutes ago, NoName said:

when you are smoking it at 265 it isn't getting hot enough to crisp it up, and when you are putting it in foil with butter, even if you did crisp it up you are going to make it rubbery

side note: your profile picture is amazing and makes me laugh every time i see it.

I do mine on a WSM and let it go wide open with an empty water pan.  I wouldn't call it rubbery, but it isn't cracklin' either.

 

The reason I mentioned cooking the removed skin was based on a "competition" episode of BBQ with Franklin where he removed the skin from chicken thighs, cooked it separately to crisp, then toothpicked it back on.

Edited November 17, 2022 by dcbc

[tx 3 putt 76294]

49 minutes ago, South Austin said:

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

the skinless turkey people need to start their own thread !

[jeevsie 3720]

On 11/15/2022 at 5:07 PM, 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. 

Stay away from the places that do the bombs. (I laid over in IST last week; glad it didn't hit close to home)

[dcbc 14398]

This is timely.  Just put this out today. It's different from his last T-giving video.  Interesting choice on the low cooking time instead of drying it out beforehand.  I assume he's definitely popping it in the oven at 375 before serving for skin's sake.  Good grief, the amount of butter. 

 

/off to buy more butter.

 

 

Edited November 18, 2022 by dcbc

[mchookem 16184]

On 11/21/2021 at 12:00 PM, Baboontyme said:

Annual bump of Kenji articles. You don't need to brine. I like brining, particularly wet brining. But it is a large pain to do. Kenji swears by dry brining which is a helluva lot less of a pain.

https://www.seriouseats.com/the-food-lab-the-truth-about-brining-turkey-thanksgiving

i am cooking my first ever turkey in three days, for friends and some new people. NO PRESSURE.

anyway...i followed this rabbit trail and landed on...im gonna try the dry brining and basically follow generic instructions for 'per pound' cooking. i have a ham for backup. 

and...i have this

which i will wield as necessary. 

surely i can avoid this! 😜

[Baboontyme 2807]

You got this bro. Post up with any questions. Lots of amateur turkey master baters around here. You'll get solid advice. Procured the 18 lb whole bird today, picking up the breast for the in-laws tomorrow. Dunking both into the wet brine whenever I can find time tomorrow afternoon. 

[Baboontyme 2807]

Annual tomfoolery 

[squib 1120]

It's bad enough that you took a Sawzall to that poor creature, but the ball-peen hammer, the mini BFH, the screw driver and the duct tape. I have a bad feeling about what may be in your garage. An 87 YJ?

 

 

[Baboontyme 2807]

It's actually a pretty brilliant display of laziness. It was windy. Gorilla tape makes a more convenient paperweight than it does an adhesive.

[billfromlaketravis 11357]

Picked up a 12 pounder for $5.25 from HEB today. What a country. 

[Baboontyme 2807]

What the fuck surly. It's Thanksgiving Eve and no 🦃 talk to speak of. 

[Fudbelty 2785]

Not cooking this year. I’m on call for work.

[Hook1997 5270]

19 minutes ago, Baboontyme said:

What the fuck surly. It's Thanksgiving Eve and no 🦃 talk to speak of. 

Have mine in the bucket brining.  Putting it on the pellet grill at 6 am.  

[Baboontyme 2807]

I got my guys out of the juice this morning. Patted dry and chilling. And the Griswold family tree has been procured. LFG

[staboner 4956]

gonna dry salt mine and air chill two birds for 36 hours or so. but not having turkeyday till Saturday myself cuz Australia

So jealous of the cheap ass birds in the US. well,  cheap food in general. ~ 12 lb bird down here fresh = $100. 😐

[Zepol87 9168]

Deep frying so no prep work needed other than making sure the damn thing is fully defrosted. HEB delivery is a breeze 

[PantsTent 2002]

Spatchcocked and dry brining. Went ahead and just put the pepper and Cajun seasoning on now too.

[scottsins 1953]

I’m smoking a deboned breast this year. I think I want to try dry brining. For a whole Turkey, 12-24 hours is recommended by Serious Eats. Can I lop off a decent chunk of time since I’m just doing a breast or nah?

* Or, can I get away with no brining at all? I did this a couple of years ago and did a wet brine for about 20 hours and the finished product had a god awful texture. Do not want.

[Biff Tannen 45491]

Drove the turkey and a half gallon of gravy two hours to the in law’s. FIL immediately dropped the gravy container and exploded it on the kitchen floor. God dammit. 

[Wiler77 1556]

1 hour ago, staboner said:

 

So jealous of the cheap ass birds in the US. well,  cheap food in general. ~ 12 lb bird down here fresh = $100. 😐

$100 AUD or USD?

Also, the cheap birds in the US are garbage.  Bread to get as fat as possible, as quickly as possible, with as much white meat as possible. Thus they are tasteless. And injected with a solution and then frozen.  If that's what you're paying $100, AUD or USD, I'd switch to something else. Kangaroo burgers anyone?

[PantsTent 2002]

16 minutes ago, scottsins said:

I’m smoking a deboned breast this year. I think I want to try dry brining. For a whole Turkey, 12-24 hours is recommended by Serious Eats. Can I lop off a decent chunk of time since I’m just doing a breast or nah?

* Or, can I get away with no brining at all? I did this a couple of years ago and did a wet brine for about 20 hours and the finished product had a god awful texture. Do not want.

I'd say just shoot for the 12 hours. If doing lunch salt it late tonight and if doing dinner salt early tomorrow morning.

* pretty sure you're a lawyer so I guarantee nothing and bare no responsibility to the quality and texture of your turkey breast.

 

[Baboontyme 2807]

No expertise on a dry brine in terms of time. Scroll back in this thread and find my bump from last year with the Serious Eats/Kenji article about brining. One note in the future if you wet brine make sure you pat it very dry with paper towels and let it rest uncovered for at least 24h in the fridge. 

[dcbc 14398]

1 hour ago, Wiler77 said:

Also, the cheap birds in the US are garbage.  Bread to get as fat as possible, as quickly as possible, with as much white meat as possible.

Emblematic of the American holiday that this is.  As for the tasteless part, that's what the butter is for.

 

Don't be a turkey snob when there's so much beer and wine out there.

Edited November 24, 2022 by dcbc

[Damor 1232]

Dry brining for ~48h, hence the cheesecloth recommended by Kenji:



@scottsins, I can't imagine a short dry brine would do any harm.  I will say that I've been much happier with a dry brine in terms of simplicity and results.

[Baboontyme 2807]

48 minutes ago, dcbc said:

Emblematic of the American holiday that this is.  As for the tasteless part, that's what the butter is for.

 

Don't be a turkey snob when there's so much beer and wine out there.

Jesus man butter is crazy expensive right now. It's the one thing a forgot and had to make a run, it's like $6 for a box of 4 sticks Kroger brand. I bought 6 lbs because I didn't want to skimp. 😂

Yes I sarcastically blamed the President to my 10 year old and yes she understood but some of the people around me may not have and shot me a dirty look. 

Turkey stock for giblet gravy currently in fridge. I still have to make a roux tonight, sigh. 

[dcbc 14398]

15 minutes ago, Baboontyme said:

Jesus man butter is crazy expensive right now. It's the one thing a forgot and had to make a run, it's like $6 for a box of 4 sticks Kroger brand. I bought 6 lbs because I didn't want to skimp.
Yes I sarcastically blamed the President to my 10 year old and yes she understood but some of the people around me may not have and shot me a dirty look. 
Turkey stock for giblet gravy currently in fridge. I still have to make a roux tonight, sigh. 

 

Dude, I've been buying an extra box of Kerrygold each grocery trip and stashing it in the outside fridge so I didn't feel the hit all at once of the $2+ per each stick of butter.  I bought a box of WalMart butter last month and nobody will touch it.  I finally snuck a couple of sticks it in the two dressing pans I prepped tonight.  I may smear the rest on the turkey tomorrow, but it doesn't smear all that well.  That shit is hard as a rock and doesn't seem to really soften up.  I'll never stray again.


 
Also, the correct remark is "Thanks, Obama."

Edited November 24, 2022 by dcbc

[Baboontyme 2807]

This page is a mess, scroll about 2/3 down for the recipe card, but this is what I used for the giblet gravy. It thickened up nicely and looks great. Sorry no pics 

https://www.thefreshcooky.com/giblet-turkey-gravy/

[South Austin 52105]

14 hours ago, Baboontyme said:

I got my guys out of the juice this morning. Patted dry and chilling. And the Griswold family tree has been procured. LFG

Dad, did you bring a saw?

[luke duke 6383]

Drove the turkey and a half gallon of gravy two hours to the in law’s. FIL immediately dropped the gravy container and exploded it on the kitchen floor. God dammit. 

[dcbc 14398]

Fat American Turkey went on at 8:30. Happy Thanksgiving, you filthy animals.

[4th and 5 4914]

Butterball breasts and/or bone in breast

Pat dry

salt, pepper, paprika

place on rack above foil pan of water

lightly cover with foil

place on smoker, add probe

clean burning fire

rotate/flip birds

pull around 140

wrap with butcher paper, probe again 

Back in smoker or oven

Pull at 152

rest and let the T come up and start dropping

unwrap, remove netting for butterball

quick blast to crisp up

slice and serve the best tasting juiciest bird you’ll ever have

[Biff Tannen 45491]

43 minutes ago, luke duke said:

Pretty much what happened

[Baboontyme 2807]

Bird on 

[billfromlaketravis 11357]

To lazy to own a smoker.

I think fried turkey is the best option. Also too lazy for that. 

We use Gordon Ramsey's recipe. Basically, a shit ton of butter and lemon. 

https://www.gordonramsay.com/gr/recipes/roast-turkey-with-lemon-parsley-and-garlic/

[Lurch 5921]

[Lurch 5921]

I’ve fried a Turkey for the last 10+ years. Decided to smoke one with Cherry wood this morning and it was fanfuckingtastic. Not sure I’ll go back to fried

[Baboontyme 2807]

Looks great! 10 sticks of butter in here. 

[Brisketexan 104537]

Roasting this year instead of smoking, just felt lazy.

The boy roasted one in Glasgow for his mates, showed all the UK kids an American thanksgiving with all the goods.

Daughter is traveling….her thanksgiving meal in Helsinki, which actually looks pretty fucking good. I love doner.

[immamac 42513]

Smoke roasting one and frying another. Feeding 16.

Smoker turkey is 13lb brined in turkey bath holiday flavor apple sage rosemary and half a cup of kosher salt and a bunch of water. Deskin it season under the skin, nothing on the skin except the wings on top. Made seasoning from some chicken seasoning and MI tienda adobo seasoning. Smoking over oak and apple. @375F for about 2-2 1/2 hours till it reads 158 or so.

https://cloud.thermoworks.com/shared/VU4v0NgC8lsSnvAm39xb

Fried turkey is 12lbs and Tony's all the way. Injection and outside seasoning. Fried turkeys are easy. Oil is preheating now. 

 

[immamac 42513]

[pearlandhorn 3269]

2 hours ago, Baboontyme said:

Bird on 

I see you fam.

[dcbc 14398]

Pre butter wrap and success.

And stock for gumbo.

[immamac 42513]

[mdleast 8256]

My go-to, super easy Thanksgiving turkey dish is WSM smoked turkey breasts. Delicious and always judged to be better than the turkey prepared via other methods brought by family members.

However, posting here mainly to note the price increase.








Bought one breast back in April and kept it in the meat freezer for later use and then also bought a second breast last week. $0.99/lb purchased in April versus $5.99/lb purchased last week. Damn!

[staboner 4956]

On 11/24/2022 at 12:43 PM, Wiler77 said:

$100 AUD or USD?

Also, the cheap birds in the US are garbage.  Bread to get as fat as possible, as quickly as possible, with as much white meat as possible. Thus they are tasteless. And injected with a solution and then frozen.  If that's what you're paying $100, AUD or USD, I'd switch to something else. Kangaroo burgers anyone?

yeah AUD and it was $130 for one ~13 pounder. All food here is waaaay expensive due to continue flooding of farm and ranchland for almost 2 years now. on top of all the other reasons why food is more expensive these days

all my non American friends are pumped to have a whole turkey and do it proper 🤘

hope all you homies had a nice Thanksgiving

[RMac5 1550]

Fried turkey is so good and so easy. I always go to the Mexican market and get 4 gallons of their used chicharron grease, makes a great fried turkey.

[tx 3 putt 76294]

On 11/21/2022 at 7:15 PM, billfromlaketravis said:

Picked up a 12 pounder for $5.25 from HEB today. What a country. 

[tx 3 putt 76294]

You can buy packs of Turkey tails and they’re damn delicious