Pros/Cons: Injection and Air Dry Turkey before smoking


 
D

DavidPerts

New member
I am cooking a 22lb Butterball on the WSM 22.5 this Thursday. I put the bird in brine last night and will take out Wednesday night and let it air dry for 8 hours. Two questions for the thread: 1) If I air dry do I also need to coat the skin with olive oil to get it nice and crispy or should I omit one or the other? 2) Does anyone inject their birds prior to smoking and if so are there any disadvantages to this? I have done one turkey in the WSM and used the injection recipe below. The turkey came out super moist but wasnt sure if it was from the bringing or injection. Thanks everyone and looking forward to the Turkey Day smoke!

• 1 Cup water
• 1 Cup lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon garlic juice
• ¼ cup Kosher Salt
• 1 Stick butter
• 10 whole cloves
• 15 shots hot sauce


~ Dave
 
I usually brush with oil or melted butter before cooking, whether I've brined, air-dried, or salted/dry brined. That oil helps conduct heat to the skin for better browning.

I've not injected turkey, I'll let others speak to that.
 
Isn't a butterball turkey already injected? I injected the last turkey I cooked because I didn't have the time to brine. It was good but not as good as my brined turkey. I always air dry wether it's brined, injected or plain old turkey, usually at least 12-18 hours. I don't oil but catch drippings and baste. I've never brined and injected the same bird.
 
Butterball turkeys are already injected with water, salt, modified food starch, sodium phosphates, and natural flavors.
 
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