Help with a turkey!

Turkey

Check under the Roadmap Section under Sticky above. There appear to be some good Turkey threads there.

RE: Turkey

I only smoke turkey breasts.

If you do those, I got lots of ideas

Inject Inject Inject

Re: RE: Turkey

willkat98 said:

I only smoke turkey breasts.

If you do those, I got lots of ideas

Inject Inject Inject

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and/or brine brine brine
especially if you are doing whole turkey

RE: Re: RE: Turkey

I do whole turkey all the time. Probably my best Q. Inject with a can of apple juice concentrate that has been thawed. Rub lightly with your favorite rub and don't forget the inside of the bird as well. Cut three apples in half and stuff in the cavity. Smoke using apple wood or chips for at least the first 4 hours. Discard the apples prior to carving. I personally do not foil my bird until the very end. Then I will wrap it and set it in cooler for an hour or so prior to carving. Without a doubt, the most flavorful and moist turkey you will ever eat. You will get calls to smoke more turkeys if anyone trys it.

Sounds good to me.

Inject with a can of apple juice concentrate that has been thawed.

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I use concentrated AJ instead of diluted AJ all the time.

Is one can enough for a whole turkey, or am I missing something?

Thanks,

TIM

Should be plenty. Like most Q, low and slow. Probably 12 hour cook minimum at 200*-220*.

We do a lot ot turkeys around the holidays.. Between last Thanksgiving and Christmas, I think we smoked up about 30 of them...

Here is the simple low down on how I do them...

Turkey is the only meat or poultry product that I prefer to buy already 'enhanced'. I like to use those Butterballs or similar in the 12lb or so range... The smaller size helps for a quicker cook and more even doneness and the 'enhancements' done by the turkey factory helps to retain moisture just as brining or injecting does.. You could brine them yourself, and I have with great results, but when cooking in quantity, I just don't have the space to do so. If you decide to inject your bird, do so at least the night before you put it on the pit... This allows time for the injection fliud to migrate into the meat instead of puddling at the injection point...

My favorite wood for turkey (or anything really) is pecan. I run the offset at a much higher temp than for normal BBQ (275 - 300) for turks, so I can't really recommend this method for combined cooks, but you could always put the turkey on after the briskets etc... come off and you can then ratchet up the heat in the pit...

Now, all I do to the birds is take 'em out of the fridge, ice chest or whatever, remove the wrapping and that little pop up thermo and stick a hand up it's butt and remove the neck and inards etc... I then give 'em a rinse under cold water.. Rub 'em down with a bit of olive or veggie oil. You can apply a rub if your so inclined but I think it makes for a dirty looking bird... Then I put them on the pit breast side up...

I don't like the skin to turn too dark so I usually will cover them with a piece of vinegar soaked cheese cloth, You won't taste the vinegar on the birds, it just helps to keep the cloth from sticking.... Remove the cloth about an hour to an hour and a half into the cook to let the skin begin to brown.

At the higher temps, the bird will cook faster, it will still have incredible smoke taste and the skin will be edible, but still not 'oven crispy'... Also, I'm very cautious about cooking poultry, so the higher temps also mean that the bird will be in the danger zone (40 - 140) for less time...

The turk should be good to go after about 3 - 4 hours (these 'enhanced' birds seem to cook faster). You'll know that the bird is ready when you can 'shake hands' with the turk... That is, if you grab a leg and it is loose in the joint... The first time you try this you'll realize what I mean... other wise, take it up to about 180 degrees in the thigh and about 170 in the breast.

Sorry for being long winded, but I ain't had one turn out bad yet using this method... If your can't get or don't want to use a factory enhanced bird, then deff. brine or inject.

Here is a pretty good brine/injection recipe...
Shake's Honey Brine
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1 gallon water
1 cup kosher salt
2 TBSP Morton Tender Quick
1 cup honey
3 bay leaves
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp pickling spice
Combine all ingredients in a large pot and heat to 160*F. Temperatures above 160*F will harm the flavor of the honey. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature. Makes about 1 gallon of brining solution.

Here be a pic of one birdy...

Now, don't get me going about frying these things...

James.

James, great post!! Only thing I would add is to have the moistest possible product, as soon as the bird hits 180 int (170 on a breast) pull the thing off the fire and eat. Over cooking = dry turkey.

Check this recipie out. It's the only way I cook turkeys now. The only thing I do differentlhy is that I cook the bird on the 'dera or Weber instead of the oven.

www.thepatwhiteshow.com/perfect_turkey.htm

kcquer said:

James, great post!! Only thing I would add is to have the moistest possible product, as soon as the bird hits 180 int (170 on a breast) pull the thing off the fire and eat. Over cooking = dry turkey.

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I agree with KC, I'll be trying this one in the next few weeks.

Great advise for turkey (must be getting within Thankgiving range!) - I've cooked several in my WSM using the older style (read that as taller) wire "chicken stands" and it works great on birds up to about 12-14 pounds. Cooking a turkey "standing up" gives you the same benefits you get with beer can chicken and leaves the sking in great shape. I guess you could use a Fosters or large Heinikin can, too. I have not tried beer can turkey (ie. never had the fluid there.

"Already Enhanced" ?

James: "Turkey is the only meat or poultry product that I prefer to buy already 'enhanced'"

What do you mean by "already enhanced"?

RE: "Already Enhanced" ?

What do you mean by "already enhanced"?

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Butterball type bird. Turkey that has not been preinjected or brined will say so on the label.

I don't mean to step on any response James has!!

RE: "Already Enhanced" ?

Now, don't get me going about frying these things...
James.

Click to expand...

I just hit the start button.

Re: RE: "Already Enhanced" ?

chad said:

What do you mean by "already enhanced"?

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Butterball type bird. Turkey that has not been preinjected or brined will say so on the label.

I don't mean to step on any response James has!!

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If it has been, it will say something like "packed in a 10% solution" with the % ranging from 9-12, but I see 10 and 11% often

Thanks. Are Butterballs both preinjected and prebrined?

Ag76 said:

Thanks. Are Butterballs both preinjected and prebrined?

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I would say brined only. The salt water (or whatever the solution is) is what its packed in. Not injected into it.

I inject with Tony Chachere's Creole Butter, or a no sugar maple syrup

I appreciate all of the help, Bill. I have not tried to smoke a turkey yet, but plan to this Holiday season.

I typically fry a whole one, and smoke 2 to 3 turkey breasts.

I've never smoked a whole one, to my recollection. Mighta, but don't recall