OT: Let's Talk Turkey

[HuskyHawk]

I'm so disappointed I thought this topic was about Istanbul.

Why did Constantinople get the works? Thats nobody’s business but the Turks.

 

[joober jones]

This will be my first Thanksgiving without my mother or her famous turkey feast. Screw cancer.

 

[Deepster]

1) Brining a turkey (wet or dry) will help prevent drying out the bird. That's a scientific fact. When I make any poultry (other than boneless breasts), I brine it beforehand. It can't hurt and it's easy to do.

2) I would think twice about cooking a turkey on a Weber grill unless a) you are pretty damned confident you can control the heat and get it timed with all your other sides. If it rains, if it's cold and windy, if you don't pay enough attention, you could be sitting around the dinner table waiting for an extra hour for the bird to get up to temp. If you spatchcock it, that will prevent some of the issues with even heat distribution.

3) However you cook it, get a WiFi thermometer probe. That's table stakes.

 

[Dove]

The orinal question came to me as I wondered if brining was a great way to overcome the potential lack of turkey flavor from various turkey brands. Wondered if an A+++ bird was even needed brining. Now I see that brining is a preferred technique.

I am 2 for 2 on cooking a boid on a grill but haven't done it in last 10 years. I have the confidence but actually did not think of what if the weather sucks. I know to add cook time/hour if it is pretty cold.

I will look into wifi thermometers.

EDIT: @Deepster ...so if I get an IGrill2 I will be inserting Probe 1 into the thigh and Probe 2 into a breast? Then, as I cook away in the house I monitor on my phone those temperatures right to my preset desired temps?

 

[Deepster]

The orinal question came to me as I wondered if brining was a great way to overcome the potential lack of turkey flavor from various turkey brands. Wondered of an A+++ bird was in no way in need of brining. Now I see that brining is a preferred technique.

I am 2 for 2 on cooking a boid on a grill but haven't done it in last 10 years. I have the confidence but actually did not think of what if the weather sucks. I know to add cook time/hour if it is pretty cold.

I will look into wifi thermometers.

EDIT: @Deepster ...so if I get an IGrill2 I will be inserting Probe 1 into the thigh and Probe 2 into a breast? Then, as I cook away in the house I monitor on my phone those temperatures right to my preset desired temps?

If you cooked it in it's normal form, you can use the two probes. If you spatchcock it, you would only need the breast probe since it's pretty even heat dispersal. I mean, two probes wouldn't hurt by any stretch. End of the day, you just want it not dried out. That's really the only way you screw up.

 

[CL82]

Doing the boid in a 3-burner Weber Grill.

A guy I know swears by that method. Said it came out great, and save valuable oven real estate to cook other things.

 

[auror]

I've never done it on a grill, but I'd be a bit worried about the direct heat on one part of the turkey. I'm guessing turkey grill recipes have you rotate the bird a few times? The good news is that it would likely cook the breast slower than the thighs if cooked breast up, which is what you want (but not to 250 degrees lol).

 

[Deepster]

This will be my first Thanksgiving without my mother or her famous turkey feast. Screw cancer.

My Mom's gone and I honor her by making her delicious albeit cheap and unhealthy stuffing. Wonder bread, celery, onions, Jimmy Dean sausage, lots of pepper, butter and chicken stock. Not gourmet fare by any definition. The tray weighs about 15 lbs and there's not a bite left by mid day Friday.

Make all the stuff you can make to carry her honor forward.

 

[jibsey]

Thanksgiving is often more complicated or expensive than it should be because you likely won’t get a better turkey. I know because I’ve bought Heritage birds that were supposedly related to Thomas Jefferson’s Turkey. Their fine But not worth it, because this thing is going to be covered in gravy. Just don’t overcook it.
Marketers are savvy and they’ve figured ways for people to pay $100 bucks for a Turkey. Fresh better than frozen, farm raised, free range, went to a private school Turkey. Baloney. Worst birds I’ve had were fresh because by the time they get to you they ain’t so fresh. Butterballs (other market brands great too like shadybrook or even PriceChopper brand) are deep flash frozen immediately and are usually 99 cents a pound, they dont need brine and you can’t generally F them up.
Last year I went for a 27 pounder. Mistake , dried out because it was too big. 16-22 pounds. Seasoning. Kosher salt, pepper, granulated garlic powder, paprika. Olive oil it rub mixture on heavy. 475 for 30 minutes uncovered, cover cook 350 until breast is 165. Rest 20 minutes outside oven covered. Yes, stuffing inside the bird.

 

[Dove]

If you cooked it in it's normal form, you can use the two probes. If you spatchcock it, you would only need the breast probe since it's pretty even heat dispersal. I mean, two probes wouldn't hurt by any stretch. End of the day, you just want it not dried out. That's really the only way you screw up.

Thanks, Deep. The iGrill2 was 49% off at Amazon!

 

[TRest]

I've never done it on a grill, but I'd be a bit worried about the direct heat on one part of the turkey. I'm guessing turkey grill recipes have you rotate the bird a few times? The good news is that it would likely cook the breast slower than the thighs if cooked breast up, which is what you want (but not to 250 degrees lol).

Ive done smaller birds (12 pounds) on both a 3 burner Weber and a kettle, spatchcocking does help. One burner on, 2 off or low, don't remember. Plenty of youtube videos out there on set up.

 

[auror]

Ive done smaller birds (12 pounds) on both a 3 burner Weber and a kettle, spatchcocking does help. One burner on, 2 off or low, don't remember. Plenty of youtube videos out there on set up.

Yeah indirect makes more sense, not sure why I assumed direct. I've done whole chickens that way. But most grills probably can't fit a regular turkey on indirect.

 

[Milo65]

This recipe has never failed me. I even kick it up a notch and inject the turkey with the melted butter and lemon mix. It give the turkey a delicious citrus taste and the family goes nuts for it.

 

[sledog]

The secret recipe:

Get fresh bird quartered - this allows even cook for dark / light meat.. Neck / back for gravy. Get extra quarters per crowd demand. Clean / pluck feather remains. Sunday - soak in sea salt / water &/or apple cider. Wed: Cook neck / back.. Wash / rinse bird. Thur: cook. Time / temp per size of bird. Put cornbread stuffing (w your choice of mixes - no secret divulge here) in muffin tins and bake in oven. Make gravy with drip from bird and neck/back.

Good luck. Been doing for 25 years. Can't beat it.

 

[Hamms30]

I always bone out a large turkey, stuff it and tie it up the night before a la Jacques Pepin. Cooks faster, carving is a breeze and makes a nice presentation at the table. Also will be smoking a breast on the big green egg this year. That I brine and smoke for a few hours and comes out very juicy. Family is a bunch of white meat fanatics, so the extra breast makes sure nobody gets snubbed.