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

[Meat Burner]

We did a 14 lb turkey on the Weber. Cook time was 2 1/2 hours on the 27" Weber. Brined for about 8 hours, the overnight uncovered in the Frig. Put butter/Yardbird under the skin and nice coating of Yardbird on the outside. Was super moist and fantastic taste. Did another one on Saturday just to process in the Food Saver and freeze. Just finished doing that. Great Thanksgiving with 4 generations of our families. It was awsome!!

[little pigee]

Thanks for the brining info!

[[email protected]]

Hi BBQs!!!
http://jewelsinnaples.blogspot.com/2...imeswasnt.html

Check out this fun way to have fried turkey year round....indoors.

Cheers!!!!

Frank

[hawk26]

Originally Posted by Hot Grill on Grill Logan

anyone ever inject bacon grease into the turkey? I've been saving some with this purpose in mind, but have never done it. Think it would be awesome, but would like some feedback from someone that has done this.

Did you try this and how did it turnout?

[Superfly]

As a new member to the forum and a new smoker (just got a Large BGE) I noticed two ways of smoking/cooking a turkey. Most recipes I found called for temps set at 350 and cook for 2-3 hours. I found a few that set the temp for 200-250 and cook the bird about 5-6 hours.

I ended up going the low and slow method and found the turkey to be perfectly smoked - of course I do not have a previous attempt to measure it by.

[Wampus]

Originally Posted by Superfly

As a new member to the forum and a new smoker (just got a Large BGE) I noticed two ways of smoking/cooking a turkey. Most recipes I found called for temps set at 350 and cook for 2-3 hours. I found a few that set the temp for 200-250 and cook the bird about 5-6 hours.

I ended up going the low and slow method and found the turkey to be perfectly smoked - of course I do not have a previous attempt to measure it by.

I think it's a personal preference thing actually.
If you're COMPLETELY happy with the low & slow method you used, then that's that. I've tried both methods for chickens and turkeys and prefer the hotter and faster method (above 325 degrees) mainly because I don't think that poultry NEEDS low & slow to be great.

With most BBQ meats, there's a lot of connective tissue, which requires a low & slow approach to properly breakdown the meat and achieve tenderness. With poultry you don't really have that. A lot of folks also don't like a lot of smoke with poultry since it generally takes on the smoke very easily.

BUT.....do it how YOU want.
(OH....and post results if you can!)

[Superfly]

Thanks Wampus! That makes alot of sense. Next time I will try to hotter faster method for my poultry.

My next smoking adventure is going to be a brisket. Another first time. Any ideas? Size of brisket, to inject or not? temps for cooking the perfect brisket and for how long? I will make a post in the brisket section too.

[basuraman]

I wanted to that the Brethren and this thread. I was able to do my first turkey on the WSM this last Saturday. I am not saying a hit a home run but I at least had a stand up triple on this one.
1. 20 Brine in the simple brine at the begining of this thread
2. Homemade BBQ chicken rub and olive oil
3. About 3 hours on the WSM with some hickory (I forgot to get anything else.) at any where from 250 to 325.
4. Used my new Maverick to wait until the breast got to 165ish.
5 Served with roasted red potatoes and acorn squash.

Picture came out a bit blurry..

[Igotgas]

I posted this in the Brining thread too, but it just seems to be me and some crickets over there. I appreciate any insight on this.
I have a question about NOT brining. I have a 8% bird and I have chosen not to brine this time. My question is , should I let the bird air dry in the fridge just like you do after brining? Or am i just overthinking the whole thing?

[Lawdog's Smokewagon]

Going to smoke a 7lb turkey breast on the new UDS for Christmas. Do you guys have any suggestions on an injection? I have some Tony Chatchers Creole Butter what do you think about it? Going to smoke @325 more or less so i figure about 2.5hrs does that sound about right?
Thanks in advance for your help,
Lawdog

[patwill66]

Personally, I gave up on traditional brining a long time ago. Now, I actually inject a regular brine into all poultry and pork that goes on my smoker.

I have found that when I inject, far more brine gets into the meat, making it more moist, more tender and more flavorful in the end and only takes 20 minutes to inject and rest versus overnight.

When I have brined, it definitely has worked better than not brining at all, but injecting brine seems to work better for me and results in a better product.

[Rocco05]

Finished a Cajun rubbed turkey with oak wood chips a little while ago. Took 3 1/2 hours for a 12.5 lb bird with the temperature in the low 40's outside today. Happy New Year Bretheren!

[marvelous]

Great tips Wampus & all. Great way to assure smoky crispy bird. I've been trying a WSM at 275 overnite to avoid the rubberry skins,b ut still. Any ides for pulled Turkey with some crispy?

[Skippy10]

I guess I need to start somewhere, so here I go. I have smoked several turkeys and chickens over the last 3 or 4 years. I have found out a few things: (forgive me if I am posting in the wrong place)
1, ALWAYS BRINE YOUR TURKEY/CHICKENS!
2, I used to use seasoned olive oil, or seasoned butter to inject in my birds, but after fighting plugged up injector needles, I wondered how good it without seasoning. It is fantastic! I don't bother with seasoning my butter, or olive oil I inject. I think that with the flavor of the smoke, you don't need to overpower it with a bunch of spices. Try it, you'll be surprised.
3, there is a difference in turkeys. I have cooked the cheaper brands, and I have cooked Butterballs. Butterballs are noticably better, but I don't know if they are .50 cents/pound better, that they typically cost.
4, About 1 1/2 - 2 hours of smoke is all turkeys, or chickens need, the rest of the time , heat only.
5, I always stuff the cavity with quartered onions. Some folks use celery with the onions, but I hate celery, and don't want it in my house, so I dang sure don't want it in my food.
6, Go easy on the rub too. I lightly rub my birds, but I don't want to over power anything. I put a little in the cavity, and some lightly on the outside of the bird, but with brine, oil/butter injection, and smoke, (I use apple and pecan, or apple and cherry), and a light dusting of rub, there is tons of flavor, and it is still delicate to boot. I have heard several times, " that's the best turkey (or chicken) I ever ate". In fact, I had 2 couples in there 80s' tell me this year at Thanksgiving, mine was the best turkey they ever had. That seems like a pretty bold statement, because, does anyone realize how many great cooks there are in East Tennessee? Anyhow, I was on cloud 9.

[NU2QN]

This year I cooked a turkey in my Weber 22.5 kettle. Not a complete failure. Thank goodness for the fried bird. I brined both turkey's, 12-13 lb.ers two days prior and let them refrigerate the last 24 hours prior to the cook. I used a small Ice chest to brine both the birds at the same time. The problem was I forgot to start the bird breast side down.

Anyway, to my question: If cooking a Turkey in the UDS, do you have to flip/rotate the bird at all during the cooking process? I wouldn't think so as the heat source is below the bird in the UDS as opposed being off to the side in the Weber kettle.