Thanksgiving Turkey Help Please

Here are 14 pages of advice, to start.
http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=120494&page=14
On a kettle, this is how I started back in 2001.
View attachment 150596
Works quite well.

Ever since I cooked a turkey on my UDS, I've been assigned the task of cooking the Thanksgiving turkey for my extended family. The biggest impact I've noticed is brining. Just about any wood, time or temp will probably work just fine, but brining is key. I use salt and brown sugar as the base and then add whatever herbs I feel like at the time, along with some lemons and oranges. Let it all simmer for a little while to mix flavors and then chill it down and let the bird soak over night.

The last few years I've spatchcocked it and cooked skin side down. The skin isn't very edible after that, but my family doesn't care too much for the skin and it helps keep all the juices in the meat instead of on the fire.

This year, I'm going to try something a little different. I'm still going to brine, but for cooking, I plan on hanging halves in my vertical stick burner. I just built a grid rack that I can hang hooks from and cook with an oak fire. I tried it with a small chicken and it turned out fairly well. In the next few weeks, I'll do a test turkey and if that all goes well, I'll do the same for the main event.

Lots of options for you, so I'd say do one or two test cooks to see what works best for you. Good luck!

Do you want whole turkeys? I like to cook it in pieces, breasts skinned and boned, thighs skinned. If you want the big presentation, whole is the way to go. If you just want the meat to be juicy and delicious and cooking times optimal for very different cuts, pieces is my solution.

I've only smoked a few turkeys and the skin was rubbery on all of them. The white/dark meat was awesome because of the brine. Diggles is right with it being the major player in your prep.

If turkey skin is a must, roasting is the good option, deep frying is the best option.

I see you have four cookers, I think I see four practice sessions in your future.

I'm going to have to do the same thing. I agree that the biggest part (other than not over-cooking) is to brine. Brining is a game changer. But I just got a new vertical and I think I'm going to try a few chicken cooks to test the waters before the main event.

I dry brined and smoked my turkey last year in the mini wsm (14.5"). I am going to do the same this year.


Here is the cook thread.

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I have tried brining, went back to no brining. I feel it's not worth the effort.

SirPorkaLot said:

I dry brined and smoked my turkey last year in the mini wsm (14.5"). I am going to do the same this year.


Here is the cook thread.

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Once you dry brine your turkey with Naturiffic's Harvest Brine, you will be forever hooked. Moist and juicy turkey every time. No other seasoning is needed unless you want to throw on some herbs for looks. Just make sure to NOT use a Butterball or other processed turkey. You want an all natural unprocessed bird. I spatchcock my turkey and cook skin side up hot and fast on my BGE. A little apple wood gets thrown in.

John (SirPorkaLot) is a fellow Brethren. Just go to the website.

Dry brine is the way to go, it gives a deeper turkey flavor.

Springram said:

Once you dry brine your turkey with Naturiffic's Harvest Brine, you will be forever hooked. Moist and juicy turkey every time. No other seasoning is needed unless you want to throw on some herbs for looks. Just make sure to NOT use a Butterball or other processed turkey. You want an all natural unprocessed bird. I spatchcock my turkey and cook skin side up hot and fast on my BGE. A little apple wood gets thrown in.

John (SirPorkaLot) is a fellow Brethren. Just go to the website.

Click to expand...

Just bought some so looking forward to trying it!

Sounds like maybe I shouldn't use a rub on the skin afterwards?

jasonjax said:

Just bought some so looking forward to trying it!

Sounds like maybe I shouldn't use a rub on the skin afterwards?

Click to expand...

the HB is all I will use on tukey, I don't rub any after the dry brine but I do a herb compound butter slather under and on the skin. I do sprinkle a little coarse black pepper on the skin just cause it looks cool

Simply put: If you can smoke a pork butt then you can smoke a turkey.

For generation after generation people have been putting turkeys into the oven and roasting for hours until done. They use different types of stuffing's and those little pop up timers (LOL). Guess what? Anyone can make a great turkey this way, but wouldn't it be great to go one step further...?

Smoked turkey is more flavorful and tender than one roasted in the oven. Breaking away from tradition can be hard, but The Brethren are here to guide you with your questions. You'll find pages upon pages of information and previously asked questions in our Official/Unofficial Talkin' Turkey Thead http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=120494

Smoking a turkey is really very simple, however most people tend to over think the process making something easy, more difficult.

Turkey, like most poultry has a lighter more delicate flavor. One does not want to lose the lighter flavor of the meat with an overpowering smoke flavor. The difference between a great turkey and a good turkey may be the type of wood you are using, the amount of wood, or possibly the temperature you are cooking at. Because of this careful consideration should be given to the smoking temperature, the type of wood you plan to use, as well as the amount of wood being used.

You will get many recommendations, but I prefer to smoke my turkeys at 325 degrees and I prefer apple wood chunks, or an apple/cherry wood chunk mixture.

I also feel one should really consider the benefit of using a brine, not only for moisture, but for imparting great flavors as well. If you plan to brine, make sure you do not select an "Enhanced" turkey as these birds have already been brined by the processor. If the bird is "Enhanced" and you brine it, you may end up with a slightly over-salty flavored turkey, and it may also effect the texture of the meat.

I prefer the flavors imparted by Patio Daddio's Ultimate Thanksgiving Brine.... The flavor is truly awesome!!!!
http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showpost.php?p=1087814&postcount=1

Here is a guide to smoking the turkey by the same person.
http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showpost.php?p=1450009&postcount=1

There is also a good article in Smoke Signals Magazine starting on page 26...
http://issue13.smokesignalsmagazine.com/

From the archives - Wampus Smokes a Turkey.....This mirrors the article in Smoke signals.
http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=176618

and of course the Brethren Unofficial Turkey Thread....
http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=120494


To Brine or Not to Brine
http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showpost.php?p=1464686&postcount=1

Patio Daddio's brine is awesome I did this to a turkey I did on the Egg a while back
Smokin Okie has a great tutorial and brine- Brining 101 @ cookshack.com- a great read

I've done quite a few following Meatheads instructions and they came out fantastic! I highly recommend going this route.

http://amazingribs.com/recipes/chicken_turkey_duck/ultimate_smoked_turkey.html

Crispy skin? Heck just take it off and make some turkey chips! From Serious Eats. http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/...y-breast-crispy-skin-recipe-thanksgiving.html

For the Crispy Skin: Adjust oven rack to center position and preheat oven to 400°F (204°C). Spread skin evenly over a piece of parchment paper set in a rimmed baking sheet. Season generously with salt and pepper. Place a second sheet of parchment on top and carefully squeeze out any air bubbles with the side of your hand. Place a second rimmed baking sheet on top and transfer to oven.



Roast until skin is deep brown and crisp (it will crisp further on cooling), 30 to 45 minutes. Allow to cool and set aside at room temperature. Turkey skin can be roasted in advance, cooled completely, then stored loosely covered at room temperature for up to 3 days. To re-crisp, place in a hot oven for a few minutes just before serving.