Help with a turkey!

Re: RE: "Already Enhanced" ?

chad said:

What do you mean by "already enhanced"?

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Butterball type bird. Turkey that has not been preinjected or brined will say so on the label.

I don't mean to step on any response James has!!

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Yep, that would be about what I woulda said...

As stated, the reason that I prefer the factory enhanced birds is that during the holilday season, we smoke a bunch of birds. These birds have already been brined or injected and they not only turn out pretty danged good, but saves me a lot of time...

Now if you only doing a turk or two, then by all means find you a good bird and go to town with your own brine or injection... just remember that even your worst mistakes still make pretty good eats...

James.

Re: RE: "Already Enhanced" ?

brdbbq said:

Now, don't get me going about frying these things...
James.

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I just hit the start button.

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Well, now these are very easy to do, so long as you observe some simple safety guidlines that go along with cooking with a large quantity of boiling oil and an open flame!!! You can not be too cautious when deep frying turks...

Again, I prefer a 10-12lb bird. Any larger and I have found that while you still get a good tasting bird, the outer meat cooks too long and drys out before the inside gets good and done...

This is a situation where a good injection is a great idea... I don't have any recipies handy, but do a search on cajun butter injections. You can also find these in most grocery stores. I think it is the Chef William's brand that even includes an injection needle... There are others I'm sure...

Inject the bird the night before and let it rest in the fridge overnight, this allows for the injection liquid to migrate into the meat. If you inject and then cook right away, you end up with pockets of liquid surrouned by a small amount of soggy meat... I usually just put them in an aluminum pan wraped in plastic wrap or if I have several to do, I have found that those 2 gallon zipper bags work great when ya gotta store them in an ice chest...

I use a couple of high output propane burners/turkey fryer contraptions. Also remember to make sure that the pot is big enough to totally submerge the bird... You don't wanna go too big, but not too small either...

I personally prefer standard ol' veggie oil over peanut oil, but that is just me. You will not be getting the oil hot enough to burn and I really can't justify the extra expense of the peanut oil. A pot of veggie oil that has not been burnt will easily be enough to fry several birds before it breaks down... I always discard the oil after the cook anyway...

When ready to cook, bring the oil up to about 350-360 degrees. While the oil is coming to temp, take the turk out of the refer and pat the skin and the inside of the cavity as dry as you can using paper towels (this will help, but not eliminate the oil spatter). I also don't put any rub or anything on the outside of the bird because it will either burn or just wash off of the bird and skunk up the oil that much faster...

The standard turkey fryer setup will include the pot and either a basket or a turkey stand. Place the bird in or on... Make sure that you are well dressed because you will more than likely get splashed with a bit of hot oil (the less exposed skin the better and gloves are mandatory!)... When you are ready to submerge the bird TURN OFF THE FLAME!!! Slowly start dipping the bird into the oil (remember the flame is still turned off)... I dip the bird into the oil a bit and then then wait a few moments, then a little further etc. until the bird is submerged. DO NOT DROP THE BIRD INTO THE OIL. This will def. cause it to boil over... Only after the bird is completely sunk in the oil... re-light the flame under the pot. By now the oil will have dropped to about 325 degrees. This, for me is about the perfect temp.... Maintain the oil temp at around this mark for the duration of the cook.

I cook the birds about 3.5 mins per lb or until they reach the desired internal temps... suggested temps are the same as a smoked or oven cooked bird. 180 thight, 170 breast...

Prior to removing from the oil, I again suggest cutting the flame, let rest for 20 - 30 minutes and enjoy... This is actually my favorite way to prepare turkey. Crispy skin, moist and flavorful meat... These also re-heat very well w/o drying to much due to the injection...

Pretty simple huh... Just be safe and sober around that much hot oil...

Here is a link to one such bird... http://www.bennett-family.com/pics/pits/james/friedturkey/DSCN0324.JPG

and also a link to a site that is pretty informative and somewhat mirrors my methods: http://www.randyq.addr.com/friedturkey/friedturkey.htm

James.

RE: Re: RE: "Already Enhanced" ?

Not much to add to that, James. Good directions, pretty much the way we do it here. I agree with you about the veggie oil. I have used peanut oil and veggie oil and now I always go with veggie.
A couple of add-on points about safety. You are right, you cannot be too careful.

If you are using a turkey stand, Please be sure to insert it into the turkey through the neck cavity, so the bird will go into the oil breast down. Reason, the NECK cavity is so much smaller, if it is up, the hot oil will vocano up out of this and be almost un-controlable.
Also, I enlist a helper, and use a 6 foot piece of 2 x4 or something similar, and run it through the turkey basket bail, or the turkey stand handle(looks sort of like a coat hanger, with a hook to grab the stand.) with one person on each end, you can lower the bird into the oil without being quite so close.

Again, Great directions, James, and definitely the best way to cook a whole turkey. I can't stop cooking them this way if I wanted to, my family would not let me

Edit: If you read this already, my dyslxia got me. I just changed the part about inserting the turkey stand. It should have read that the neck cavity is smaller than the rear but I got it backwards the first time. sorry.

RE: Re: RE: "Already Enhanced" ?

This thread has enough good information in it, I just added to Roadmap at the top of this forum for ease in finding it come Thanksgiving

RE: Re: RE: "Already Enhanced" ?

One other thing to add. Before you start filling up the pot with oil, use water first with the turkey in the pot so you can figure out the right amount of oil to use. There's nothing worse than filling the pot with too much oil and you can't put the turkey in cause it boils over. Then you have to dip the oil out and find a place to keep it while it cools down. I have two marks on the inside of my pot. One for a 11-12# bird and one for a 18-20# bird. Of course they're only scratches and I have to look real hard to find them each time.

And remember, long pants and long sleeves (leather shoes and gloves are a given). That hot oil will pop on you and it doesn't feel too good on uncovered skin.

RE: Re: RE: "Already Enhanced" ?

I have been asked to do the family Thanksgiving Bird (And a couple slabs o Spares Please)
So Im thinkin Big Beer Can Turkey W/ injection any input

Re: RE: Re: RE: "Already Enhanced" ?

GitUrDone said:

I have been asked to do the family Thanksgiving Bird (And a couple slabs o Spares Please)
So Im thinkin Big Beer Can Turkey W/ injection any input

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Get a big can... Foster's or sumsuch and you'll be just fine... If you can't find a big enough can, go down to wallymart and get one of those wire paper towl holders... that will work too...

James.

Am I reading this correctly that if a bird says it is enhanced with xx% solution that you should NOT brine it yourself again? Just don't want to get the bird TOO salty! And how long would you need to brine a full 12 pound turkey?

Jeff, I brine all my turkeys, "pre basted" or not. At least overnight, sometimes a couple days. Never noticed too salty.

James, you mentioned using cheese cloth over the bird to keep it from getting too brown. Do you do anything with the bottom (back)of the bird? or do you not notice the dark color on the back? And do you lay the cheese cloth on the bird or acctualy wrap it around the bird?

Anyone,when you cook a bird for someone else, how do you recomend they reheat the thing? I know hot and fresh is best but I have alot of people that want one a day or two ahead of when they actualy plan on eating it.

A couple of tips... First, I use Italian dressing doctored with Worchestershire sauce, salt, pepper, and garlic for both marinade and injection. I strain the mixture, inject and let sit at least overnight as James stated. Second, I use the "Sittn' Turkey" stand filled with beer/marinade mixture.
http://www.cookschoice.com/sittin_chicken_beer_can_chicken.html
This thing is made of glazed ceramic, which cleans itself in the dishwasher. I'll be frying a turkey, and maybe smoking 2 or 3 in the new smoker. Please post pics of your birds, and thanks James for the post.

midnight said:

James, you mentioned using cheese cloth over the bird to keep it from getting too brown. Do you do anything with the bottom (back)of the bird? or do you not notice the dark color on the back? And do you lay the cheese cloth on the bird or acctualy wrap it around the bird?

Anyone,when you cook a bird for someone else, how do you recomend they reheat the thing? I know hot and fresh is best but I have alot of people that want one a day or two ahead of when they actualy plan on eating it.

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As far as the cheese cloth, I just drape it over the top of the bird. The bottom does not see much smoke residue and does not need to be protected (at least on my pits)...

As far as re-heating, I just tell 'em that if they need to re-heat, to cover the bird with a bit of foil and heat in a slow oven until warm. This will dry the bird out a bit, but with the factory injected or self brined birds they still come out pretty good...

James.

nmayeux said:

Second, I use the "Sittn' Turkey" stand filled with beer/marinade mixture.
http://www.cookschoice.com/sittin_chicken_beer_can_chicken.html
This thing is made of glazed ceramic, which cleans itself in the dishwasher.

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Thanks Noah! That's a great idea! I just ordered a Sittin Turkey!

BTW... I'm curious about the turkey drippings in the smoker. We always take the juice from the pan in the oven and add to either dressing or gravy for dinner. If I'm doing the sittin' turkey (beer can turkey), can an aluminum pan be placed in the regular water pan to catch some of the drippings for use in other things or will it be minimal with the can/device shoved up it's rear end?

Jeff_in_KC said:

BTW... I'm curious about the turkey drippings in the smoker. We always take the juice from the pan in the oven and add to either dressing or gravy for dinner. If I'm doing the sittin' turkey (beer can turkey), can an aluminum pan be placed in the regular water pan to catch some of the drippings for use in other things or will it be minimal with the can/device shoved up it's rear end?

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I use an aluminum gadget like the turkey sitter - and I use the liquid IN the gadget/beer can for gravy as well as the drippings in the pan underneith

The Virtual Bullet has a great sounding Turkey [font=Verdana,Helvetica,Arial]recipe to try so here it is:[/font]


http://www.virtualweberbullet.com/turkey6.html

It also has other good information

This is a good use of apple juice, better then in the water pan