Scalding the turkey

halfcocked

halfcocked

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At what point in time should the skin be scalded with boiling water to produce a crisp skin? I'm assuming just before the cook but then you wash off any seasoning and have to re do it or just wait to season until after the scalding. Can it be done in advance, like the day before?
 
I've only heard of scalding a bird to make plucking easier.
Can't speak to making skin crispier.
 
Scald, then season. It should be ok for an hour or two in the refrigerator prior to the cook, but I'm not sure about overnight.
 
There was a discussion here a few days ago about scalding for crisper skin, but I don’t recall if or when to scald was mentioned. Seems to me you would season after, but don’t take my word for it. Also not sure how long before cooking to scald.
 
I have done it on chicken for the last few cooks and it works. This thanksgiving will be my first time on a turkey.
 
Whumpa said:
There was a discussion here a few days ago about scalding for crisper skin, but I don’t recall if or when to scald was mentioned. Seems to me you would season after, but don’t take my word for it. Also not sure how long before cooking to scald.
Click to expand...



Yeah, I believe it was scald, season, then cook right after.
 
Ive done it on wings for years. I would say scald, season, cook right after. If you put it back in the fridge your bird will end up spending time in the danger zone
 
We do that for duck and have done it days in advance. I don't see why you can't do that in advance for Turkey also.
 
4ever3 said:
Cook hotter = crispy skin
Click to expand...

WRONG! ive gotten my WSM up to 470 degrees and still had soft skin. the scalding method works very well. i tried it last week with some wings. the skin was very crispy. Chinese been doing this for thousands of years
 
mph33 said:
WRONG! ive gotten my WSM up to 470 degrees and still had soft skin. the scalding method works very well. i tried it last week with some wings. the skin was very crispy. Chinese been doing this for thousands of years
Click to expand...

Oooookay....


Carry on...
 
mph33 said:
WRONG! ive gotten my WSM up to 470 degrees and still had soft skin. the scalding method works very well. i tried it last week with some wings. the skin was very crispy. Chinese been doing this for thousands of years
Click to expand...

I've gotten my Big Joe up to 900 and the skin was VERY crispy, some might say even burnt... :noidea:

But a bigger question, did you serve the traditional white bread with it?
 
You can definitely cook a bird at a higher temperature and achieve crisp/bite through skin...we’ve done it for years cooking birds at 325.

That being said, you can rub some EVOO underneath the skin to help with crisping it up. Haven’t had to do that in a while, but it definitely works.

Good luck regardless!
 
RuBBQCo said:
You can definitely cook a bird at a higher temperature and achieve crisp/bite through skin...we’ve done it for years cooking birds at 325.

That being said, you can rub some EVOO underneath the skin to help with crisping it up. Haven’t had to do that in a while, but it definitely works.

Good luck regardless!
Click to expand...

Instead of Evoo... What about herb butter?
 
Yes, butter works great. Being a Polak, I usually made garlic butter. Try to separate as much skin from the meat as you can without tearing it. Add a bunch of seasoned butter under the skin. I did that technique when I had my electric Cookshack that only went to 300. Still got crispy skin most of the time. Tried different things over the years, some were more successful than others.
 
Last edited:
@mhh33

Herb butter will work fine. Just make sure you put something under the skin with a high flash point. EVOO takes a lot to ignite. That is why it is used in so many bases for cooks.
 
So OP, how did you make out?

I only did a turkey breast, but it came out great!
 
Prep turkey or chicken. Pour boiling water over the skin, then spice and place in cooker and hit with some Pam. I cook at 325 to 375 for consistently good skin. Just posted my TG turkey cook.
 
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