Cooking Turkey

I’ve smoked a few in the super cheap smokers… took FOREVER but worked like a charm and was fantastic.

It’s way tougher to overshoot than undershoot, give it a few extra hours to compensate for all the heat loss associated with nervous Nelly checking more than you should.

Threw a pork loin in once for good measure. A lot smaller than the turkey, done much quicker and was just as good.
 
I did it one year. The turkey was excellent, but it didn’t taste like thanksgiving. Now we just keep it traditional and roast it in the oven.
 
I have cooked several on a pig cooker while cooking shoulders. They always turn out really good.
Around here BBQ is a noun.:biggrin:
 
Similar to @skier

Smoked turkeys a number of times, but I also prefer the traditional roasted and stuffed version for Thanksgiving. Since I usually cook that dinner for a crowd, it’s also what they expect.
 
Matthew said:
Similar to @skier

Smoked turkeys a number of times, but I also prefer the traditional roasted and stuffed version for Thanksgiving. Since I usually cook that dinner for a crowd, it’s also what they expect.
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Same. Almost everyone loved it and wanted it every year except for a lone holdout, so it ended up being a one-and-done.
 
I did one earlier this month on the pellet smoker. I essentially used this as my guide:

Grilled Or Smoked Turkey Recipe: The Ultimate Guide To A Perfect Bird (amazingribs.com)


It came out ok. I wasn't blown away. But it was every bit as good as the typical thanksgiving turkey. My wife really liked it.

I think I would modify the seasoning recipe to remove the rosemary entirely next time. Also, I didn't inject butter, and I think I would like to next time. The turkey already had a salt solution applied, so I didn't really brine it. (It was a Butterball) I just did a minimal dry brine. I put a little kosher salt on the breast only about 4 hours before I put is on the smoker. I think I would go ahead and do a full dry brine 24 hours in advance regardless of any prior salting of the bird. I did spatchcock the turkey. So, it did not take that long.
 
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If by BBQ, you are misusing the term to mean grill. No.
If you mean cooked slowly in a smoker. Yes, I have. It takes longer than oven roasting and it comes out pretty nice. The one thing we did learn is that if you are the type to boil down the leftover carcass to make stock, you don't want to do that with one that has been smoked. It really makes the stock way too intensely smoky.

I've deep fried dozens as well. That's great for immediate gratification. Mostly I do it for parties when I do four or so in quick succession (once you set up the oil and everything, you might as well drop several).
 
We’ve done a twist on this by butterflying the turkey, smoking it to about 125*, the turning up the heat to finish it.
 
I've not personally smoked a turkey...or roasted one on a grille.
I have done a few rotisire chickens on my grille though, that turned out pretty good.

but I have deep fried a few and roasted many

by the far my best result was the last one I did
I used spatchcock style
and I did the america's test kitchen way of releasing the skin and adding butter (& I think salt) between the skin and meat with the goal of crisping the skin
...cooked fast and it was nice and moist with a really nice and crispy skin.

I really do not like Turkey, but that one was pretty good....for a turkey.

If it were up to me.... I'd do steaks for Thanksgiving.... but it's never up to me.
 
Same as above. Spatchcock (giggle) the bird, smoke with pellets. Crank up the heat at the end to crisp up the skin. Comes out great.
Throw a brisket on there as well. Cover all your bases..
 
flyingron said:
The one thing we did learn is that if you are the type to boil down the leftover carcass to make stock, you don't want to do that with one that has been smoked. It really makes the stock way too intensely smoky.
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A smoked turkey carcass does make a great basis for a smoked turkey and andouille gumbo. (so does an oven roasted carcass) Down here in cajun-land, not too many end up in the rubbish after Thanksgiving.
 
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Yeah, I guess I you're going to put andouille in it, the stock can be pretty strong. I'll keep that in mind next time.
 
STOP! My mouth is watering.
 
It's not that I wouldn't, but the smoker is a lot of work. Mine is anyway. For me to put that kind of effort in to smoking a turkey, it would have to be as good as ribs.

I like turkey, but it isn't as good as ribs.
 
Matthew said:
An option: Put the turkey on the smoker for an hour or two for flavor, then finish in the oven for drippings and time.
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My brother did that one year. Best smoked turkey I ever had. His theory was that smoking to finish cook makes it way too smokey. After his test, I agree as did the consensus of people that year. (It was a big group, he did one with about 45 min of smoke, oven finished; one oven only; and one a friend brought that was just smoked.)
 
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