TALKIN' TURKEY!! (The official/unofficial turkey thread)

[Visioneer]

Originally Posted by MS2SB

Cherry goes great with turkey and also provides a really nice color to the bird.

+1 on the cherry wood! That's all I use anymore. Awesome coloring and flavor. Used too much hickory one year and it tasted more like ham than turkey.
I did 10 eighteen pound birds last year on my Lang 84 for 12 hours @225/250 with nothing but cherry wood and they came out awesome. That was for a senior dinner the day after Thanksgiving. Gearing up to do it again this year.

[Humble Soul]

Would using lump instead of charcoal on my kettle be a total headache? I have a bunch of royal oak laying around am wondering if that would work with the bird..

[Crotonmark]

I have used it using the indirect heat method

[bigjake690]

Originally Posted by Visioneer

+1 on the cherry wood! That's all I use anymore. Awesome coloring and flavor. Used too much hickory one year and it tasted more like ham than turkey.
I did 10 eighteen pound birds last year on my Lang 84 for 12 hours @225/250 with nothing but cherry wood and they came out awesome. That was for a senior dinner the day after Thanksgiving. Gearing up to do it again this year.

I am part way through building my UDS, so I can use it for Turkey Day and it looks like I will be getting some cherry wood....thanks for the tip guys!

[CErnst]

I have a cut up frozen turkey from after 2012 t-day sales. After reading this thread...I think I know what I'm doing this upcoming weekend.

[dadsr4]

What is a "frozen turkey"?
I thought this was interesting. Its from http://bbq.about.com/od/turkey/a/aa110709a.htm

"Fresh vs Frozen: Thanks for heavy lobbying by the Tyson Corporation the definition of "fresh" when it applies to poultry means it has never been cooled to lower than 26 degree F. Now I promise you, if you pick up a turkey at 26 degrees F it is hard as a rock so the term "fresh" doesn't really mean anything when buying a turkey at your local store. It just means that it hasn't been hard frozen. Truth is, flash frozen turkeys (frozen fast to below 0 degrees F) can be fresher tasting that many "fresh" turkeys that have been sitting around for a few months.

To further complicate matters the USDA definition of frozen means that the turkey has been brought to a temperature no lower than 0 degrees F. Turkeys stored at a temperature of 5 degrees F can actually be labeled "not previously frozen", though they can not be labeled as fresh. These turkeys are considered "hard-chilled" or "deep-chilled". Personally I call temperatures between 0 and 26 degrees F something other than chilly."

"One quick note about hormones and antibiotics. The rule with poultry is that it can not be given hormones of any type. As for antibiotics, they can only be used for the health of the turkey if a withdrawal period is given to allow the antibiotics to leave the birds system. So if you find someone marketing hormone free turkeys point and laugh at them, then walk away."

[MS2SB]

Originally Posted by Humble Soul

Would using lump instead of charcoal on my kettle be a total headache? I have a bunch of royal oak laying around am wondering if that would work with the bird..

Cook with what you got!

[dadsr4]

My wife came home with a 20 lb turkey, for over a decade I've always bought 12 lb max for the grill. Anyone ever cook such a large turkey on a kettle?

[Wampus]

I think I've done a couple of 16 lb'ers on the kettle, but not quite that big.
You just have to worry a little bit more about diffusing the direct heat from scorching the thighs and legs. If you don't already, use some bricks to hold the coals closer to the outside of the kettle The bricks will not only keep the coals from moving in on you, they'll shield that big turkey.

[BecknCO]

I'm going with injecting versus brining as this will be my first smoked turkey. We only like a spicy flavor profile and I can't get the chica to like anything other than hickory for smoke wood. I think we're going to use her spicy rub that she always makes when she does it in the oven, and it's awesome.

The question is whether or not to inject using just butter (and maybe some other things you guys recommend), or try out the cajun butter that we find easily in the grocery stores - thoughts?

[HankB]

Originally Posted by dadsr4

My wife came home with a 20 lb turkey, for over a decade I've always bought 12 lb max for the grill. Anyone ever cook such a large turkey on a kettle?

I did a 28 lb bird on my 18.5 WSM. I stood it on it's head and used butcher's twine to guy it in place.



I think your biggest concern is fitting it under the lid. I suggest putting the lid on and measuring to the grate from the lid vent and checking that against the size of the turkey. If it doesn't fit, you can always spatchcock the bird but then you may be constrained by grate space. If you have (or can borrow) a second kettle you should be good to go. This is also one of those places where the 26" Kettle really shines!

I plan to use my rotisserie this year. I did a trial run with a 12 pounder yesterday and it worked well.



Done in 2:10 at a lid temp of 300°F! I used apple and cherry for smoke wood and that gave it the mahogany color without an oversmoked flavor.

[Wampus]

Originally Posted by BecknCO

I'm going with injecting versus brining as this will be my first smoked turkey. We only like a spicy flavor profile and I can't get the chica to like anything other than hickory for smoke wood. I think we're going to use her spicy rub that she always makes when she does it in the oven, and it's awesome.

The question is whether or not to inject using just butter (and maybe some other things you guys recommend), or try out the cajun butter that we find easily in the grocery stores - thoughts?

I've injected a doctor'd up butter and also with plain butter. Just depends on what you're going for really. I injected one year with an herb butter. Beware of glogged injectors!

I'd guess the other way to get the "spicy" is just in the rub used as it will cook into the skin as well.

[Riz58]

Originally Posted by BecknCO

I'm going with injecting versus brining as this will be my first smoked turkey. We only like a spicy flavor profile and I can't get the chica to like anything other than hickory for smoke wood. I think we're going to use her spicy rub that she always makes when she does it in the oven, and it's awesome.

The question is whether or not to inject using just butter (and maybe some other things you guys recommend), or try out the cajun butter that we find easily in the grocery stores - thoughts?

I use a Creole Butter injection, and put Tony's Creole seasoning on the outside. Man, I love that flavoring along with the smoke.

[1MoreFord]

I read thru most of this a few days ago and sorta caught up the last few days tonight. If I missed anyone posting about how to carve the bird I apologize. Here's one of the best tutorials I've seen about carving.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MDaPbpokDHk

[k9paws]

Wampus, what is the largest turkey you have smoked on the Turkey Cannon?

Thanks
Gary