Turkey test run and a question (pic included)

Did you cook over direct or indirect heat? Direct heat cooking might cause the outer layers to be tougher/dryer possibly...

Were you going by the dome temp or a digital thermometer inside the Akorn? My Akorn and quite a few others seem to read 40-60 degrees lower than actual temp on the dome thermometer.

Try and ice the breasts next time. May help.





I assume you mean that the outside of the breast was done? This may help keep the breast meet about 1/2 or so behind the rest of the bird?

You can also foil or tent the drums, thighs and wings if they're getting too dark. Maybe the skin was just burnt a little too much? The suggestion about icing the breastesses is probably the best one.

since i tried the ice on the breast idea years ago, i have had great turkeys. it takes the stress out of cooking the two meats. at least that works for me. by the time the breast is about 165 i know the rest is done. also do not truss the bird up tight, leave the legs loose.

Lower temp with longer cooking time maybe?

Cover the breasts in bacon until the IT gets to 145-150, then pull the bacon and feed it to the dog. Provides a nice shield for the breast meat, acts as a baster and it's BACON! Helps keep the breast moist while the rest of the bird catches up.

350 seems a bit high. I usually smoke at 300. Last one was 13lbs and smoked for 3 hours 30 minutes. The Breast temp was about 175 when I took it off - and perfect.

some people recommend not trussing the legs. It allows the dark meat to cook more evenly with the breast meat. Similar to icing the breast, but without the ice. When doing an untrussed bird at higher temps, it helps to make sure there is air flow through the center of bird so it cooks from the inside too. If you fill it up with so much stuff that it impedes the flow, the cook will end up closer to what you describe.

Nothing wrong with cooking at 350 if you like good skin, but it's possible the grate temps were hotter than the dome temp..

I personally prefer my dark meat cooked to 180+. By trussing the bird, you are slowing down the cooking process of the dark parts. By the time dark is in the right zone, white is overcooked when trussed or stuffed.

You might try spatchcocking or splitting?