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

[Scuffletown Smokers]

In Chris lilleys book, he has a recipe for smoking a turkey where you foil from the beginning but cut a two inch hole in the top for "just the right amount of smoke". Anyone tried this method? Results?

[Wampus]

Originally Posted by rogwadd

so I don't poison myself or my guests.

I received a fresh Butter Ball turkey last Wednesday from a friend for Thanksgiving. It's been sitting on the bottom shelf of my fridge (under 40degrees) through last night night when I pulled it out to apply a dry brine and seal it up in plastic. I'm going to unpack it and let it air dry Wed night.

Butterball says their fresh turkeys will survive unopened refrigerated through the sell by date (which is Dec 2).

I don't think I need to sweat it, but it's really bugging me. Am I overthinking this? My method's the same as last year, but I got that turkey much later and just a 2 day brine.

I do know that most "fresh" turkeys are actually technically not frozen, but they pretty much are, just not to as cold a temp as what is technically frozen. When you bought it was it stiff at all, like on the edge of frozen/thawed? If so, I wouldn't be worried about it sitting for a few more days in the refer.

If it was actually fresh and never frozen, I'd still likely trust the label on the bird from Butterball. If it says 12/2 and you're cooking it before the weekend, you should have nothing to worry about.

[rogwadd]

Thank you Wampus. Yes, it was somewhat "firm" and I thought it was frozen until I took a look at the label. Looking forward to cooking this.

Originally Posted by Wampus

I do know that most "fresh" turkeys are actually technically not frozen, but they pretty much are, just not to as cold a temp as what is technically frozen. When you bought it was it stiff at all, like on the edge of frozen/thawed? If so, I wouldn't be worried about it sitting for a few more days in the refer.

If it was actually fresh and never frozen, I'd still likely trust the label on the bird from Butterball. If it says 12/2 and you're cooking it before the weekend, you should have nothing to worry about.

[bacchus99]

Yeah my "fresh" bird was a little frozen...I ended up with a 15lb honeysuckle white. The frozen butterball's were 1.09 a lb but i didn't have 4 days to defrost in the fridge nor did i wanna deal with the water defrost. I have never smoked the honeysuckle white brand before...hope it comes out good.

My plan is to inject with Louisiana Brand Cajun Butter and then rub down with Plowboys Yardbird. Smoke at 325 to 350 on WSM with 2 fist sized chunks of cherry and use stubbs natural briquettes.

I'm thinking about leaving a stick of butter out til soft and mixing the plowboys with it and then rubbing that between the skin and meat. Thoughts? I think with the cajun butter injection i need to go bbq flavors and not herb and spice flavor.

[Wampus]

Originally Posted by bacchus99

I'm thinking about leaving a stick of butter out til soft and mixing the plowboys with it and then rubbing that between the skin and meat. Thoughts?

The butter on and under the skin may darken things a bit, just so you know, but it will sure make the taste and tenderness pretty awesome.

I sometimes even inject butter or herb butter into the turkey and rub the "oozings" all over and under the skin. Pretty good stuff.

I think this one was rubbed with butter. You can see it got a little darker. The smoke will do this too, depending on the amount and quality of smoke.

[GPER]

I have done the beer butt turkey for a few years now stuffed with apples, injected with frozen concentrate apple juice and drenched in butter. I was wanting to try the brine before I inject the apple juice this year along with cooking at a higher temp that I have been reading about. Looks like I will have to re figure my cook time for a 13 pound bird at 350, great info thanks.

[bacchus99]

Couple more quick questions.

1. Would injecting tonight with the store bought cajun butter and cooking in the morning be an issue? Just don't want the meat to ham up or have a weird texture. Anyone ever do this?

2. If I cook on a WSM at 325F how long am i looking for an injected 15lb bird? I was figuring 3.5 hours but now i'm thinking 4.5 hours?

3. Apple, Cherry or pecan or a combo?

[Wampus]

Originally Posted by bacchus99

Couple more quick questions.

1. Would injecting tonight with the store bought cajun butter and cooking in the morning be an issue? Just don't want the meat to ham up or have a weird texture. Anyone ever do this?

2. If I cook on a WSM at 325F how long am i looking for an injected 15lb bird? I was figuring 3.5 hours but now i'm thinking 4.5 hours?

3. Apple, Cherry or pecan or a combo?

1. Personally, if I were injecting (and I plan to) I wouldn't do it until tomorrow morning. I don't really know if it would be a BAD thing to inject overnight, but I just see the risk as being greater than the rewards. The flavor that you're going to introduce with the injection will likely work just fine if injecting right before cooking since they'll do their work while the meat is heating up and the juices are flowing. Injecting the night before may just leave pockets of the cajun butter (which will congeal when it gets cold) and not evenly distribute or affect some parts of the turkey more than others while holding in the fridge. Only my personal opinion on it and I could be , but it's up to you.

2. According to THIS SITE you're looking around 4.0 hrs for an unstuffed 15 lb bird roasted at 325.

3. YES. I think apple, cherry AND pecan are all great smokewoods for turkey. Use them solo or a mixture and it'll work out great either way, IMHO.

[jasonjax]

Anyone have a rough idea how much cooking times are changed using beer can style? I'm cooking a 14# turkey using the Sittin Chicken device http://www.amazon.com/Sittin-Chicken.../dp/B00091PKQE with chicken broth and some aromatics. My understanding is that since I will be steaming from inside it will lower the cook time, but I'm just not sure by how much. Even a swag of an idea would be helpful.

Also, along with my 14# whole bird I am cooking 2 ~6# whole breasts. The site I read claims 20 minutes per pound @325, but that just seems a bit low to me. Any thoughts on that also?

Thanks guys, hope everyone has a stupendous Thanksgiving cook and gets to enjoy time with their family and friends.

[Wampus]

I've done the Turkey Cannon several times and while it's not exactly the same device as the one you linked to, it's still a "beercan style" cook since it does steam from the inside out as well.

I've not noticed a substantial difference in cooking time from just doing one "normal" and doing one with a roaster device.

[daveinwestmont]

Wampus, thanks for creating this thread, this will be the second year smoking the bird with your advice, nice job on your part and all the contributions!!!

[Crotonmark]

Originally Posted by daveinwestmont

Wampus, thanks for creating this thread, this will be the second year smoking the bird with your advice, nice job on your part and all the contributions!!!

Just wanted to adds my thanks as well

[Jaman]

a couple of spatchcocking related questions...

will spatchcocking a bird before brining impact/shorten brine time at all?

and for a 17# spatchcocked bird, cook temp = 300, I am guesstimating 2.5 hours. Does this sound about right?

[Humble Soul]

Yep, much thanks Wampus and the rest of the brethren for helping out during what can be a stressful time to us newbs!

Side note, my 13 lbr. Is currently brining using Patio Daddio's recipe. First time using this one, but the smell is great so I know it's good! Excited for tomorrow!

[Hitman0321]

Just wanted to say thanks for all of the great info guys! Going to do my first smoked turkey and a ham on the UDS tomorrow, and wouldn't be able to with out you all.

Cheers!

Hitman