Gonna do a turkey this weekend


 
SteveF (Alpine)

SteveF (Alpine)

TVWBB Fan
Still haven't decided how to prep it. It's a 19 pounder that's been taking up valuable real estate in the deep freeze since Christmas. It's a Butterball, so I guess it's been slightly molested but I don't care, I've got to get rid of this thing...

Any recommendations?
 
A month or so ago, I cooked an old generic frozen turkey my self and I did the following. Put a nice dry rub on it and had it sit inthe fridge for while.

I fired up the WSM by using the standard method and used 1 apple and 1 cherry chunk. I place a foiled empty water pan in the cooker and palced the turkey on a big poulty thronem ala beer can turkey and placed on the bottom rack of the WSM. Put on the lib vents wide open and pulled out a few hours later when the thermometer started beeping.

Results: pretty good for a frozen turkey of unknown quality that was in the freeze for months. Breast was a bit dry and but the skin wasn't rubbery. So overall it was good. Especially for the 10 minutes of total prep-time.
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I've seen a few post of people putting ice bags onthe breast of the turkey to super-chillit so it comes up to temp quicker. But I can't seem to find those links.

Hope this helps.

Enjoy
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content"> but the skin wasn't rubbery. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

What temp range were you at to get good skin?
 
Those really thick pieces of turkey skin are my nightmares!
I can't ever get them crisp.

I have, however, had great results by drying the bird in the fridge, then making a compound butter, and rubbing it under the skin mostly all over the bird.

A little Canola oil on the outside of the skin will give it a beautiful color.
 
The WSM was going about 350-375 so I should have had crispy skin. But I forgot to mention that I did defrost it enough so who knows what that did to the turkey.
 
Has anyone tried one of those pre-stuffed "cook from frozen" Butterball turkeys ? The instructions say to cook for ~6-1/2 hours at 325F, which seems like a pretty straightforward WSM cook without water in the pan.
 
I've done turkey pieces at high heat with this brine. Also used it for a few whole chickens. It came out so good that as I was carving the chickens I was snacking on the breast meat - and I HATE white meat because its always so dry and flaky. But with this brine it was on point.

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I did a turkey in May. High heat was the key for me because it offered the crisp skin. My notes are below. The "turkey triangle" note is in reference to Alton Brown's foil triangle when he roasts. It's a loose piece of foil placed over the breast after the first cooking stage is complete to help keep the breast moist.


BBQ Turkey Notes 5/1/11

Solution soaked, 14 lb bird from Supermarket - do not brine.
Salt, pepper, unsalted butter, veg oil
2 pieces cherry wood
2 chimneys of RO briquettes
Dry, foiled pan inside and out.
AB Foil/Oil Turkey Triangle
Probe thermometer

Brought heat up off the scale and all the way back to zero past the Weber logo.

Assembled smoker
Rubbed turkey
Quickly oiled grill
Added turkey to smoker with probe inserted into breast.

Added wood and left door ajar to keep up heat as well as all vents

Kept this way and at a 350- 375 or so temp for 40 - 45 minutes. Temp gauge was into the Weber logo just near/into the "R" for most/much of the cook period.

After 30 min (internal turkey temp of 76 degrees). Very nice color and crisp skin.
Closed door. Added Turkey Triangle and adjusted vents throughout the balance of the time for a 350ish or so cook to finish. Temps fluctuated around 340-375 and vents/door were adjusted to keep temp in range as needed.

Cooked till breast probe reached 155 degrees. About 1 Hour and 45 min.
Rest 15-20 min lightly tented (temp will continue to carry over) and carve.
**Optional**
Pan is designed to catch drippings for gravy.

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