bbq1980
Knows what a fatty is.
Just wanted to quickly thank the brethren for the turkey know-how, as I pooled several tips and tricks into one successful cook.
Started with a fresh 16 lb gobbler. Borrowed thirdeye's tip and modified his "halfcocked" approach, keeping the dark meat as is, but butterflying the white meat and removing the keel bone and wish bone, pre-cook, so it would lie flat. I liked the concept of cooking both parts separately.
Then took the patio daddio brine and the Briner I had ordered back in October. Not necessary per se and a bit of a uni-tasker to use an Alton Brown term, but it made life easier for sure and clean up was a non-issue.
Air dried the bird in the fridge over night, then fired the UDS on Thursday, late AM. Iced down the white meat about ~ 1 hr before it went on the pit. I normally use a water pan but ditched it instead for a perforated pizza pan I had tinkered with in the past.
No rub on the bird. Just a light coat of canola oil. Purposely went light on the smoke, with a single chunk of pecan and three chunks of peach. Ran it with Basques sugar maple lump @ 325 with the original FireBoard running the show and probes in both parts of the bird. Drum had no problem running that high in mid 40's weather (and could have easily run hotter).
Sure enough, consistent with what others described, the white meat hit 160 after 3 hrs, 45 mns and the dark meat hit 175 literally about 10 mns after that. Naturally, since nobody was over for dinner, said bird promptly finishes early. It had a somewhat surprising yet pleasant light color and both parts turned out well. The skin was crispy in parts but is the only thing I'd look to improve. May also add a chunk of cherry.
Thanks to the brethren for the vast collection of knowledge as I probably spent about 2 weeks or so skimming threads for ideas, seeing what worked for others then deciding which tidbits I'd take. First successful turkey in the books. Now on to leftovers...
Any questions, I'll be glad to pay it forward.
Started with a fresh 16 lb gobbler. Borrowed thirdeye's tip and modified his "halfcocked" approach, keeping the dark meat as is, but butterflying the white meat and removing the keel bone and wish bone, pre-cook, so it would lie flat. I liked the concept of cooking both parts separately.
Then took the patio daddio brine and the Briner I had ordered back in October. Not necessary per se and a bit of a uni-tasker to use an Alton Brown term, but it made life easier for sure and clean up was a non-issue.
Air dried the bird in the fridge over night, then fired the UDS on Thursday, late AM. Iced down the white meat about ~ 1 hr before it went on the pit. I normally use a water pan but ditched it instead for a perforated pizza pan I had tinkered with in the past.
No rub on the bird. Just a light coat of canola oil. Purposely went light on the smoke, with a single chunk of pecan and three chunks of peach. Ran it with Basques sugar maple lump @ 325 with the original FireBoard running the show and probes in both parts of the bird. Drum had no problem running that high in mid 40's weather (and could have easily run hotter).
Sure enough, consistent with what others described, the white meat hit 160 after 3 hrs, 45 mns and the dark meat hit 175 literally about 10 mns after that. Naturally, since nobody was over for dinner, said bird promptly finishes early. It had a somewhat surprising yet pleasant light color and both parts turned out well. The skin was crispy in parts but is the only thing I'd look to improve. May also add a chunk of cherry.
Thanks to the brethren for the vast collection of knowledge as I probably spent about 2 weeks or so skimming threads for ideas, seeing what worked for others then deciding which tidbits I'd take. First successful turkey in the books. Now on to leftovers...
Any questions, I'll be glad to pay it forward.
