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

Does anyone know if the Coastal Range Organics brand turkey at Costco is already brined? 2.79 a lb tho! Those butterballs look great at 1.09 a pound for fresh turkeys.

I have never brined my own bird. Does it really make a huge difference to find an unenhanced bird...brine it in salt and sugar solution rub it and smoke it than to just buy a brined bird and rub and smoke it?
 
I always have chicken stock in the freezer that I use for gravy. The plan this year is to have a drip pan with some onions, carrots, and celery under the bird. While the bird is cooking I will have the spare parts bag in the chicken stock simmering on the stove. When the bird is done I will use the drippings to make a roux to thicken it.
 
mike-cleveland said:
I never have much success trying to get rub or what not under the skin. Anyone have a good tutorial? I usually keep my turkey pretty simple. Baste the outside with butter, salt, and pepper.
Click to expand...

I use the handle of a wooden spoon to loosen the skin and then dispense the rub or compound butter on the meat. Just loosen the skin a bit with your fingers and work the handle under the skin to your liking. The wooden spoon is less likely to break the skin than a metal spoon. it works great!
 
Agree, 24 is more than enough. After that, it probably won't equalize any more...
 
Tonight I cooked a turkey breast. Easily the best I've ever made. My recipe:

Oakridge Game Changer Brine (half strength) with one part orange juice and three parts water. Brine approximately four hours.

Cooked on a Kamado Joe at 280-300 for two-three hours. I used ONE sassafras wood chunk.

Rubbed lightly with SM Pecan rub.
 
My plan was to do an 8 lb turkey breast on the Weber grill using the snake method (35 coals stood upright, 30 next to them, 25 on top).

The temps in my area on Thursday will be about 25 degrees F. Mild wind (10 mph max). Will I be able to do it. Any suggestions?
 
nikjd68 said:
My plan was to do an 8 lb turkey breast on the Weber grill using the snake method (35 coals stood upright, 30 next to them, 25 on top).

The temps in my area on Thursday will be about 25 degrees F. Mild wind (10 mph max). Will I be able to do it. Any suggestions?
Click to expand...

Don't know why not. Weber kettles are pretty solid, even in the cold. You MAY have to wrap it up in a blankey just for insulation, but maybe not. I think the wind plays more of a part than just temp.
 
Humble Soul said:
Can't talk turkey without some gravy! Any gravy tips? How do you prepare your gravy?
Click to expand...

Giblet gravy is a MUST at my house. I always have my Mom whip it up.
I have a hard time saving drippings since I do turkeys on such high heat, so if I don't have much, I'll just use chicken stock to make it.


This is pretty much how we make up the GIBLET GRAVY, although we add some carrot, celery and onion in the saucepan to cook with the giblets in the beginning.
 
Wampus said:
Don't know why not. Weber kettles are pretty solid, even in the cold. You MAY have to wrap it up in a blankey just for insulation, but maybe not. I think the wind plays more of a part than just temp.
Click to expand...

I had this problem last year
It worked out but it slowed down the cook
Did it in a weber kettle
 
Salinity of Brine

Any dorks like me who have a salometer and measure the brine strength? I've seen conflicting thoughts on a good strength - some say 21 degrees others say upwards of 30 degrees.

Also, anyone ever have issues with the meat being "watery" and flavorless?
 
Probably been asked ... but does anyone brine AND inject? If so, how have your results been?
 
jasonjax said:
Probably been asked ... but does anyone brine AND inject? If so, how have your results been?
Click to expand...

I do, but I don't use the "traditional" injection, but just butter.
I've never actually used a poultry injection for chicken or turkey, so I can't offer any input on a salty or flavor injection.


I just like the richness and....well....buttery taste and texture that injecting butter into the bird gives to the final result. I still mainly rely on the brine for flavor and moisture and the aromatics in the "rub" and what I stuff in the cavity for the flavor.

I do a whole stick of melted butter in the bird right before it goes on the smoke.
 
Anyone have a good butter herb rub?
I am doing a couple of 18 lb birds injected with Butcher bird booster herb.
I usually rub with Oakridge pork and chicken rub, but it doesn't hold up to the high temperature. So I'd like to do a herb butter rub.
Approximately 3-1/2 to 4 hrs @325 sound in the park for time?
Thnks
 
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