The Turkey Thread

[irishtexan 11519]

So i've been spatchcocking for the last 5 years or so. But I'm wondering what the negatives would be to butchering the whole bird and cooking the breasts separate from the thighs/legs/wings, and I can't really think of any. Breast meat is done at 160, but I prefer my dark meat to be cooked to around 180. Any reasons I should NOT do this?

[kilroydos 267]

3 minutes ago, irishtexan said:

So i've been spatchcocking for the last 5 years or so. But I'm wondering what the negatives would be to butchering the whole bird and cooking the breasts separate from the thighs/legs/wings, and I can't really think of any. Breast meat is done at 160, but I prefer my dark meat to be cooked to around 180. Any reasons I should NOT do this?

It's even better than spatchcocking for temp control, and the only reason not to do it is for presentation, which goes out the window with spatchcocking anyway.

[BabaYaga 15298]

I can say the "two lemons under the skin" method needs testing before being served to the In-Laws.

 

[South Austin 52504]

Thigh.

[Jerry Callo 8703]

3 hours ago, BabaYaga said:

I can say the "two lemons under the skin" method needs testing before being served to the In-Laws.

 

It's going to take everything I have not to do that to one of my turkeys this year.

[Deej 76791]

5 hours ago, BabaYaga said:

I can say the "two lemons under the skin" method needs testing before being served to the In-Laws.

 

FitLump turkey.

[Armybrat 40844]

Mrs. Brat fixin’ to pour the raw vegan dressing  from her grandpa’s 110 year old crockery bowl into the baking pan

 

[Dbeasy 15051]

Well, I was getting ready to prepare the brine for the turkey and realized I don't have enough room in the fridge to hold both the brine and the turkey. So, how do I do this without the turkey temperature getting too warm and potentially having safety issues?

[dcbc 14484]

3 minutes ago, Dbeasy said:

Well, I was getting ready to prepare the brine for the turkey and realized I don't have enough room in the fridge to hold both the brine and the turkey. So, how do I do this without the turkey temperature getting too warm and potentially having safety issues?

Add ice.  Then, add more ice.  Eventually, that becomes problematic though from a desired salinity level.

Maybe put the bucket in a larger vessel or cooler and pack ice around it.  Repeat adding ice as necessary.  Not ideal, but . . .

Edited November 24, 2020 by dcbc

[Baboontyme 2812]

1 hour ago, Dbeasy said:

Well, I was getting ready to prepare the brine for the turkey and realized I don't have enough room in the fridge to hold both the brine and the turkey. So, how do I do this without the turkey temperature getting too warm and potentially having safety issues?

I'm not sure what blogs you're reading but the turkey goes INTO the brine so there is no need to make room for both separately. 

[texashorne 1178]

On 11/23/2020 at 12:04 PM, irishtexan said:

So i've been spatchcocking for the last 5 years or so. But I'm wondering what the negatives would be to butchering the whole bird and cooking the breasts separate from the thighs/legs/wings, and I can't really think of any. Breast meat is done at 160, but I prefer my dark meat to be cooked to around 180. Any reasons I should NOT do this?

I take the breasts off at 160, and leave the thigh/drumstick on for another 30-50 minutes.. Its all presentation, and comes apart easier when cooked..

 

[irishtexan 11519]

I cannot figure out Dbeasy's issue here. I'm vexed.

I'm brining mine in a Ziplock BigBag, and putting it in a cooler full of ice. 

[Dbeasy 15051]

I have a small second fridge with minimal room. I thought about ice chest, and dumping ice on it to keep cold. Any concerns about rising temps for that on a 24 hour soak?

[South Austin 52504]

I'm planning on making turkey gumbo with the leftovers, and using the carcass to make my stock.  Never done that.  Any tips?

Edited November 24, 2020 by South Austin
I'm a god. Not the God.

[dcbc 14484]

52 minutes ago, South Austin said:

I'm planning on making turkey gumbo with the leftovers, and using the carcass to make my stock.  Never done that.  Any tips?

First, make a roux. 

For the stock or the gumbo?  I'm doing gumbo on Friday.  Using the dark meat to sub for chicken in a recipe I've used before. 

As far as stock, if I go homemade, and it's already roasted or smoked, I'll just chop up the carcass and other bones to fit the pot, add 6 quarts of water, an onion (cut in half), some carrots, bouquet garni or equivalent dry herbs.  Scrape off the smudge that rises to the surface, boil for an hour, then pour through a sieve.  Salt and pepper to taste.  

Like this.

 

Edited November 24, 2020 by dcbc

[Anastasis 23469]

Hell yes, turkey gumbo gonna happen.  

[Zepol87 9186]

With any leftover turkey I recommend making tamales as well. My grandma would make them with smoked turkey instead of pork this time of year and they went so hard. 

[Baboontyme 2812]

1 hour ago, Dbeasy said:

I have a small second fridge with minimal room. I thought about ice chest, and dumping ice on it to keep cold. Any concerns about rising temps for that on a 24 hour soak?

I have the er, 'advantage' of living in a colder climate but I've done that before in the garage and never had a problem. I've used a cooler lined with a garbage bag. 

[South Austin 52504]

41 minutes ago, dcbc said:

First, make a roux. 

For the stock or the gumbo?  I'm doing gumbo on Friday.  Using the dark meat to sub for chicken in a recipe I've used before. 

As far as stock, if I go homemade, and it's already roasted or smoked, I'll just chop up the carcass and other bones to fit the pot, add 6 quarts of water, an onion (cut in half), some carrots, bouquet garni or equivalent dry herbs.  Scrape off the smudge that rises to the surface, boil for an hour, then pour through a sieve.  Salt and pepper to taste.  

I've made chicken stock, but recall someone saying that turkey stock can render more fat than chicken so you need to be more vigilant about skimming the fat. 

I've also never put cooked chicken in my gumbo.  It usually starts raw or at the most browned, and then put in with the stock after the roux and trinity are done, so the chicken cooks with it all for a few hours.  Not sure if you need to hold off on adding the cooked turkey until after the stock cooks down so the meat doesn't string apart.

@Brisketexan, care to weigh in on turkey gumbo?

Edited November 24, 2020 by South Austin
calling the expert

[Brisketexan 105139]

17 minutes ago, South Austin said:

I've made chicken stock, but recall someone saying that turkey stock can render more fat than chicken so you need to be more vigilant about skimming the fat. 

I've also never put cooked chicken in my gumbo.  It usually starts raw or at the most browned, and then put in with the stock after the roux and trinity are done, so the chicken cooks with it all for a few hours.  Not sure if you need to hold off on adding the cooked turkey until after the stock cooks down so the meat doesn't string apart.

@Brisketexan, care to weigh in on turkey gumbo?

The meat will string apart if you add cooked meat and cook it too long.  For my smoked chicken gumbo, I usually 1) smoke the chicken, 2) let it cool and pick the meat off, putting the meat in the fridge, 3) use the bones, skin, etc. to make smoked chicken stock (refrigerate, scrape the fat and solid grit off the top).  Then when making the gumbo, I add the stock as a big part of my liquid, and add the cooked chicken near the end -- just simmer with it in there a bit.

I LOVE turkey gumbo (turkey stock is so damned good).  And I'd do the same.  Add the stock, then add the leftover cooked turkey near the end.  I've made it before.  Damn it's good.

[South Austin 52504]

7 minutes ago, Brisketexan said:

The meat will string apart if you add cooked meat and cook it too long.  For my smoked chicken gumbo, I usually 1) smoke the chicken, 2) let it cool and pick the meat off, putting the meat in the fridge, 3) use the bones, skin, etc. to make smoked chicken stock (refrigerate, scrape the fat and solid grit off the top).  Then when making the gumbo, I add the stock as a big part of my liquid, and add the cooked chicken near the end -- just simmer with it in there a bit.

I LOVE turkey gumbo (turkey stock is so damned good).  And I'd do the same.  Add the stock, then add the leftover cooked turkey near the end.  I've made it before.  Damn it's good.

[HouTex 1867]

Turkey pot pie is also very good with the leftovers.

[dcbc 14484]

4 hours ago, South Austin said:

I've made chicken stock, but recall someone saying that turkey stock can render more fat than chicken so you need to be more vigilant about skimming the fat. 

I've also never put cooked chicken in my gumbo.  It usually starts raw or at the most browned, and then put in with the stock after the roux and trinity are done, so the chicken cooks with it all for a few hours.  Not sure if you need to hold off on adding the cooked turkey until after the stock cooks down so the meat doesn't string apart.

@Brisketexan, care to weigh in on turkey gumbo?

Yes, I'd wait.  I throw sausage and shrimp in as well (kind of like combo fried rice of gumbo) and wait until there's about 15 minutes left in the simmer. 

/edit.  Just saw @Brisketexan's post.  What he said. 

Edited November 25, 2020 by dcbc

[Sam Lin 3559]

8 hours ago, Dbeasy said:

I have a small second fridge with minimal room. I thought about ice chest, and dumping ice on it to keep cold. Any concerns about rising temps for that on a 24 hour soak?

No issue, I brine a pile of turkeys outdoors in a cooler every year. Just keep plenty of ice in it and keep it out of the sun.

Late freebie turkeys thawing on the left, overnight brining on the right:

Coolers full of brining:

[BearSchlong 8093]

Brining mine in a Turkey fryer pot in the fridge.  Just removed a shelf to make room. 

[PantsTent 2002]

Dry brining

[Chewbacca 7777]

Brining mine in a Turkey fryer pot in the fridge.  Just removed a shelf to make room. 

You need to live somewhere colder. I've got my Capon thawing in a water bucket in the garage. It's currently 8 degrees outside, so no worries about bacteria.

[Your Mom 4806]

My dad always made turkey enchiladas with the leftovers.  Great stuff.  I've done it once but I'm usually too tired the day after to do any real cooking.  It's usually sandwiches for me.

[McCroskey 1504]

Keeping things nice and simple this year.

Brined, dried, and smoked.

[dcbc 14484]

This old girl went on the smoke at 8:45.

[Dbeasy 15051]

Put in a dry brine 16 pound turkey at 5:30 at 250 in the electric smoker and the temp probe in the breast already shows 150 degrees. Will it really cook that fast? Everything I read said 30 minutes per pound. Or will it stall now, like a brisket?

[Buzzrock 14920]

How it started. How it’s going. 

[Steel Shank 9425]

[Both Tacos 1806]

Got a couple of turkey breasts on the smoker. Will be frying up a turkey later.

[Flg8rfan 201]

Just pulled this one off the smoker, pulled it’s twin a couple hours ago, bird #1 is in the fryer with its sisters all lined up

[Buzzrock 14920]

Crushed it. Brined overnight and then hit it with salt pepper garlic. 2 hrs on light pecan smoke and basted with butter a few times. Pulled it off at 150° and rested it for 25 mins, carved off the breasts and sliced medallions. Fantastic. 

[kevwun 15788]

Brined turkeys cook fast on a smoker.  My bird was 14.5 lbs and it took just under 3.5 hours at 300 degrees.

[Steel Shank 9425]

Just pulled this one off the smoker, pulled it’s twin a couple hours ago, bird #1 is in the fryer with its sisters all lined up

Good looking bird.

[Anastasis 23469]

3 hours ago, Buzzrock said:

Crushed it. Brined overnight and then hit it with salt pepper garlic. 2 hrs on light pecan smoke and basted with butter a few times. Pulled it off at 150° and rested it for 25 mins, carved off the breasts and sliced medallions. Fantastic. 

That color looks perfect. Mine turned out too light. 

[kevwun 15788]

On the lonestar? They burn so clean that it takes a lot longer to get good color compared to other pits.  I put my turkey in the pan when the breast hit 145 and it had a good dark color.

Edited November 26, 2020 by kevwun

[Anastasis 23469]

12 minutes ago, kevwun said:

On the lonestar? They burn so clean that it takes a lot longer to get good color compared to other pits.  I put my turkey in the pan when the breast hit 145 and it had a good dark color.

I roasted mine.  Didn't get the crispy brown color I was looking for, but meat turned out great. 

Anyways, on to the stock for T+1 gumbo.  And the bourbon. 

[dcbc 14484]

Best bird yet. Pulled with the breast at 165. Skin in top split, which was a new one for me. But no matter. This is just before I buttered it and put it in a foiled pan for the last hour or so.

[Both Tacos 1806]

Turkey spread of smoked Turkey breast and fried Turkey.

[Buzzrock 14920]

Btw this is the link where I read about pulling turkey breast at 150°. I’ll never go 165° again. 
 

https://www.seriouseats.com/2016/11/how-to-take-the-temperature-of-your-turkey-video.html

[billfromlaketravis 11479]

I wouldn't suggest Goode Co smoked turkey to my Aggy neighbor. 

I ordered it sliced which they interpreted as boneless. The white meat was OK, but dry. The dark meat just had this gamey funk that wouldn't expect from turkey.  Almost inedible without dressing and cranberry sauce. 

I'm over turkey until next year.  Beef tenderloin, maybe ham for Christmas. I'll probably switch it up with a fried turk -duck-en from Ragin' Cajun for Thanksgiving 2021. 

[kevwun 15788]

Goode Co BBQ is fucking awful.  The seafood place isn't bad, but I would never willing try their BBQ again.

[billfromlaketravis 11479]

1 minute ago, kevwun said:

Goode Co BBQ is fucking awful.  The seafood place isn't bad, but I would never willing try their BBQ again.

The Taqueria is pretty good, but I agree in general with your thesis. 

I thought they could handle smoking a turkey. They can't. 

[NeverMarryAStripper 21907]

Leftover turkey noodle soup.

Sauté your vegetables in olive oil

[NeverMarryAStripper 21907]

Add garlic and thyme and saute a little longer

 

[NeverMarryAStripper 21907]

 Add a couple of cans of chicken broth and some water, throw in a couple of bay leaves and a leftover turkey neck, add kosher salt and ground pepper.  Bring to a boil and then simmer.

 

Edited December 5, 2020 by NeverMarryAStripper