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help with turkey


 

Corey Elks

TVWBB All-Star
gonna cook a 12 lb bird on the 18 1/2 saturday. My thought was to put it in a foil pan and set the pan on the grate. This way all juices will be contained for gravy. should i use the water pan dry or with water? I was wanting to cook bird at around 350 degrees and was thinking water might not let me get temps up. Was gonna start with full chimney of lit and a unlit chimney on top of that. thinking 3 hours or so till its done. Am i going about this the right way?????? thanks for input. or would i just be better off cooking it on the performer? thanks
 
hi corey, definitely do not put water in the pan since it will keep your heat low. An empty pan with all vents open should get up up to 350, if you are still a little low on temp, open the access door up an inch or two. Many put it in upside down and rest it on top of something so it stay cracked open.

three hours is about right, but would check it starting at two and a half.
 
How'd it turn out, Corey?

When I cook a turkey I put stock or broth along with the neck, giblets, and a mirepoix (celery, onion, carrot) in the drip pan and put it on the lower grate (WSM) or down above the coals, balanced on the charcoal rails (kettle). It makes a great gravy starter.
 
just ok. actually white meat was really good and leg and thigh was way overcooked. Isnt it usually the other way around. Wing were tough as nails too.
 
I did this one a couple of weeks ago Corey. I foiled the wings, it was a 12 lb butter ball over a clay saucer. It worked out well but I was more in the 300 range...just enough to keep the skin crispy.

I just bought a beer can turkey stand and I have added a mid set of grill strap tabs so I can lower the turkey 4 inches into the Weber to give me more clearance in the dome. I want to do a turkey this way with moisure but not the water pan.
 
I just did a 12 1/2 lb turkey over the weekend myself for the first time using the Apple Brine recipe from the site. Overall it came out pretty good for my first attempt. As suggested in the recipe, I started with an empty water pan and two full chimneys of lit briquettes. I added a couple of pieces of apple wood and started around 360 for the first 15-20 minutes. The majority of my cook was around 320 - 330 and I let it run for about 3 hours - but I suspect it was perfect around 2.5 hours (breast was a little dry - but not terrible thanks to the 24 hour brine).
 
I know people around here aren't big on injection but here's what works great for me.

inject turkey breast and legs with 50/50 olive oil and melted butter. I don't add seasonings to the injections cuz my family doesn't like spots of spice/color in the meat.

I rub the skin with the olive oil butter mixture that oozes out. Then I shake on my "bird" rub which is poultry seasoning, red chile powder, onion powder,salt, pepper.

I do not truss the turkey because the legs stickign out help them cook faster. I stick a couple onion quarters and fresh poultry seasoning in the carcass.

load up 3/4 ring of unlit K and dump on an entire chimney of lit K. Put the turkey on the top rack, no water, and toss in a fist size chunk of apple. I usually run with all vents wide open and prop open the door or lid with a stick to get 275 to start and up to 350 by the end. Hard to get hot in Denver.

I take out promptly when breast probe down in the tenderloin hits 160 and tent with foil. If thighs not done after resting for 15 ro 20 min i will put them in the oven or back in WSM for 30 min to rise up some.

Drippings usually too smoky for gravy. In fall I'll do the turky on wsm with only poultry seasoning and no smoke and I place a foil pan on lower rack to catch the drippings. I put 1/2 stick butter and chopped carrots, celery and onion and fresh thyme in the dripping pan during the cook.
 
Sorry, no pics. My last turkey I spatch-cocked, brined overnight and did 3 1/2 hours at 325. I used the water pan with apple juice, apple chips for the first hour and all vents wide open....turned out perfect.
 
The last turkey I did was on the kettle in a roasting rack in a pan.

IMG_0248400x300.jpg
 

 

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