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The Turkey Thread


kevwun

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On 11/16/2020 at 3:55 PM, HouTex said:


Peanut oil is recommended. It takes 2.75 gallons. I used Tony Chachere’s cajun butter for the injection. It was very good.

We're going to fry a couple of chickens this year instead of a big turkey.  Any idea on how much cajun butter to use for a whole chicken?  I found no recommendations on the label.  

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We're going to fry a couple of chickens this year instead of a big turkey.  Any idea on how much cajun butter to use for a whole chicken?  I found no recommendations on the label.  

Not sure but I believe the entire bottle is recommended for a turkey. Maybe 1/4 of the bottle per chicken?
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On 11/26/2019 at 9:53 PM, Assman said:

I'm a turkey noob.  I did my first one last year using some random recipe I found online.  I don't have a smoker, so I'll be roasting it in the oven like I did last year.  Can anyone give me a recipe or tips to take it to the next level?  What the hell should I be doing tonight, tomorrow, etc?

If it has a pop up thermometer, throw it away.  Probe in the breast.  Done at 160F.  Season the inside of the carcass as well as the outside.  Cut two or three oranges into quarters and shove them in the carcass. When the probe temp gets to about 150F, put a crap ton of butter all over it.  Cut breast medallions instead of slices.

Edited by dcbc
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5 minutes ago, dcbc said:

Cut two or three oranges into quarters and shove them in the carcass. When the probe temp gets to about 150F, put a crap ton of butter all over it.  Cut breast medallions instead of slices.

Yes on slicing this way.  Taking off the breast whole then slicing across is the way to go.

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I have a dumb question. My smoker has a wireless temperature probe that tracks the meat temperature wirelessly. I’m having trouble finding a good one for a turkey in the oven. They all have metal cables which stretch outside the oven. Is that what everyone uses?

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2 hours ago, Chewbacca said:
3 hours ago, TankedBevo said:
Smoked or fried only. I haven't eaten a roasted turkey in my life that wasn't DAF 

Frying is best, but as long as you brine there is no reason a roasted turkey has to be dry.

I will gladly make a plate AND say grace for the whole family if you can put a juicy turkey in front of me that that is roasted. I'm dead serious. I want to find the golden chalice. 

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2 hours ago, TankedBevo said:

I will gladly make a plate AND say grace for the whole family if you can put a juicy turkey in front of me that that is roasted. I'm dead serious. I want to find the golden chalice. 

It's actually really easy. Take that 160' temp rec above and throw it away. Breast is done at 140 and is safe after a 15min rest at that temp. Dark meat needs 160 to render. Couple different ways to keep a temp differential in the bird when you cook, ice pack on the breasts while letting the bird rest on the counter 2hr is one of the easier. When breast hits 140, pull it and rest it. It is impossible to not have juicy breast at 140-145.

 

https://www.seriouseats.com/2014/11/buying-prepping-cooking-carving-thanksgiving-turkey-complete-guide-food-lab.html#:~:text=* The USDA recommends cooking turkey,are perfectly safe to consume.

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14 minutes ago, Chewbacca said:
3 hours ago, TankedBevo said:
I will gladly make a plate AND say grace for the whole family if you can put a juicy turkey in front of me that that is roasted. I'm dead serious. I want to find the golden chalice. 

Follow Alton Brown's brine and cooking recipe. You're welcome.

I'm a big fan of Alton. I'll have to try his method but like the lot of us, succumbing to the horrid recipes of years past. 

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2 gallons of water
2 cups kosher salt
2 cups sugar

The turkey I did yesterday on the smoker was juicier than South Austin's mom.  I did season it pretty heavily with salt and pepper after I watched a Franklin video on Youtube.  When the breast hit 145, I put it in a pan, doused it with 3 sticks of melted butter and covered with foil.  I pulled it when the it hit 165.  Best turkey I have ever had.

Edited by kevwun
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11 hours ago, Dbeasy said:

I have a dumb question. My smoker has a wireless temperature probe that tracks the meat temperature wirelessly. I’m having trouble finding a good one for a turkey in the oven. They all have metal cables which stretch outside the oven. Is that what everyone uses?

Yes, you can run your wired BBQ temp probes in the oven, no problems.

10 hours ago, BearSchlong said:

What wood is best for smoking turkeys? Using my pellet grill.

I like pecan for fowl, and/or fruitwoods like apple. But post oak works fine too.  I have a stick burner, so I have no idea how that translates to a pellet rig.

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I have a dumb question. My smoker has a wireless temperature probe that tracks the meat temperature wirelessly. I’m having trouble finding a good one for a turkey in the oven. They all have metal cables which stretch outside the oven. Is that what everyone uses?



https://www.thermoworks.com/shop/products/Cooking-Alarms

Get the Dot or ChefAlarm
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So, for those of you who regularly fry your turkeys (frying my first one this year), what do you do for your gravy?  That's the one big flaw I'm seeing in this thing...there ain't gonna' be no drippins' for the gravy.  Do we need a gravy thread?

Edited by Landomatic
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Ok I have decided to make the turkey in my electric smoker.  Brining may be an issue because I don't have a brine bag or container big enough for the 16 pound turkey. So I guess I'll dry brine it once it thaws out by Tuesday .  I've seen some say to have water in the water pan and others say no.  Thoughts? I guess I'll also have to figure out a different way to do gravy, since we aren't roasting it.

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Wife got a curbside pickup fresh turkey from HEB. I put it in the fridge not noticing a 1 inch tear in the bag and the thing leaks all over the fridge.  I'm assuming it's still safe? But wondering now if the lost juices will affect it. I'm planning to brine it Wednesday and smoke it Thurs. Y'all think the brining will restore any lost moisture? Or what would you do? 

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Just now, BillyBadAss said:

Wife got a curbside pickup fresh turkey from HEB. I put it in the fridge not noticing a 1 inch tear in the bag and the thing leaks all over the fridge.  I'm assuming it's still safe? But wondering now if the lost juices will affect it. I'm planning to brine it Wednesday and smoke it Thurs. Y'all think the brining will restore any lost moisture? Or what would you do? 

Take it back to HEB. 

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5 minutes ago, Landomatic said:

This ^ and no telling when that rip happened and what all may have contaminated it in that time.  I’d be so out on just trying it as-is

Yep. You might wish you'd have COVID instead of whatever that bird might give you. 

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On 11/22/2020 at 8:45 AM, Landomatic said:

So, for those of you who regularly fry your turkeys (frying my first one this year), what do you do for your gravy?  That's the one big flaw I'm seeing in this thing...there ain't gonna' be no drippins' for the gravy.  Do we need a gravy thread?

Use the giblets and the neck to make a turkey stock.  Use stock a base for gravy.

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10 minutes ago, Jerry Callo said:

Use the giblets and the neck to make a turkey stock.  Use stock a base for gravy.

Every Texan should know to make giblet gravy.  My kids always tell me they won't eat giblet gravy because the giblets are yucky.  I cook the giblets, use the stock for gravy, and put the giblets in the blender before returning them to the gravy.  My kids have been eating giblet gravy for years and don't know it.

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13 minutes ago, NeverMarryAStripper said:

Every Texan should know to make giblet gravy.  My kids always tell me they won't eat giblet gravy because the giblets are yucky.  I cook the giblets, use the stock for gravy, and put the giblets in the blender before returning them to the gravy.  My kids have been eating giblet gravy for years and don't know it.

Yeah I always make giblet gravy. Sometimes I put chopped boiled egg in, but sometimes not.

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On 11/20/2020 at 6:57 PM, AustinMT said:

Yes on slicing this way.  Taking off the breast whole then slicing across is the way to go.

I have always done this.

Fuck carving that bitch at the table like I am the roast beef cutter at Golden Corral...

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