WSM Barbecued Turkey

[Bruce Cook]

I quartered up and took out the backbone and ribcage of a turkey yesterday. A nice 14 lb Butterball. Dusted with a rub concoction I dreamed up and found in the cabinet. I let it air dry and season in the refrigerator for about 4 hours to help dry the skin a little.

Fired up the WSM with a 1/4 load of charcoal, 8 chunks of oak, and dumped a WSM chimney of lump on top. Let the coals catch and placed the turkey quarters skinned side up direct without a water pan on the top rack. Grilled for about 15 minutes and then flipped to the Rock Swim Cap style of skin down. Brushed heavily with a seasoned melted butter, after taking a thermometer probe and poking a few holes in the meat, and continued to cook for another 45 minutes. Flipped and brushed with a tiny bit of left over butter.

Let this sucker rest, sautéed a few fresh green beans. I must say this was an excellent turkey. I like doing poultry for a short time skin up and then flipping over. Brushing the flesh side up with butter really adds a nice flavor to the meat. Particularly when the skin is not poked by injecting, and poking the holes after the first flip. The butter flowed down and seasoned the bird greatly.

Had a nice turkey sandwich with chipotle mayo for supper tonight.

 

[Susan Z]

Sounds great! One day I'll be brave and try a turkey. I'm a bit of a WSM chicken myself, I guess.

What temps did you cook it at and cook it to, and didja use any smoke wood?

 

[Bruce Cook]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Susan Z:
Sounds great! One day I'll be brave and try a turkey. I'm a bit of a WSM chicken myself, I guess.

What temps did you cook it at and cook it to, and didja use any smoke wood? <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I don't know what temperature. I rarely use thermometers. I will say cooking without the water pan is a different technique. Cooking direct changes things because of the radiant heat from the coals. I used oak chunks.

This same technique can be used with chicken also. In fact I've done it with chicken a few times. Although I spatchcock the chicken and don't quarter it.

The key to this was not puncturing the skin by infecting, allowing the skin to hold the rendered fat in the meat, and the butter or other marinade seeping directly into the flesh through a couple of holes in each breast and the thigh.

 

[Susan Z]

Thanks! One day I'll be brave enuff to try poulty. Jeez, it's cheap enough---not sure what my reluctance is all about.

 

[Larry Wolfe]

Susan,
Don't be skeered!!! Believe it or not I started off smoking, brined turkeys. I did make the mistake of bringing one to a holiday work function. Now, I have about 20 co-workers that pay me $50 per 10-15lb turkey during the holidays. They picked the price, not me. I wouldn't pay that much for a turkey. But I do have to say they are pretty darn good. If you want to try one here is my recipe I have been using for awhile. Don't cringe when you see the amount of salt, unless of course you have high blood pressure. If you do you may not want to use this recipe.

1 10-15lb Turkey (not inhanced w/solution, ie. butterball)
3 cups table salt
2 cups white sugar
3 gallons of water

Mix all ingredients until sugar and salt are dissolved. Brine overnight. Rub with fresh cracked pepper. Smoke until the breast reads 165, any higher will dry the breast out. During the last hour, baste with Maple syrup. It is best to wrap it up in plastic wrap and let it sit in the fridge over night. They are so much better the next day. Let me know if you try it and how you like it. Good luck.