Turkey Time

[DaCubFan]

Who is doing their Thanksgiving turkey on the smokefire? Suggested methods and time?

 

[abmet]

Watching this one. I just grabbed a 15 lb turkey at store yesterday. Not sure of plan yet but was thinking about trying to Spatchcock it. I’ve never cooked whole turkey before.

 

[Bruno]

Going to do a Franklin style breast. Just the 4 of us this year. COVID!!

 

[Johnny Guitar]

I plan on doing a 15 ibs spathcock turkey

 

[Dassman5]

Going to do a Franklin style breast. Just the 4 of us this year. COVID!!

I have you beat...a 22# fresh Turkey and a 12# breast for just the two of us.. {Normally we have 14-18 for Thanksgiving, but I had to order from our local poultry farm back in September, before COVID lockdown, as they sell out within a week}

I will probably freeze the breast, and cook/smoke the whole Turkey, have Turkey coma, and then vacuum seal and freeze lots and lots and lots of leftovers...probably enough to last until next Thanksgiving.

 

[Bruno]

I picked up a cheap breast to practice on, I found this creole butter with an injector at Smart and Final. On sale couldn’t resist, I’m going to inject it and smoke it this week for fun. I’m going with our favorite Oakridge rub game bird.

I’m still leaning towards the Franklin style breast for the big day.

 

[G_Gryphon]

Yes, the plan for us is a 16+ lb. pasture-raised turkey, dry-brined, injected, rubbed and spatchcocked. I've done the spatchcock thing for a few years now. IMO, by far and away, the easiest way to evenly and quickly cook a bird that size.

 

[OILBOY1162]

22-24#r. Whole, brined for 24 hrs, dry fridged for 24 hrs,then about 12 hours on the Smokefire. (Oh yeah injected before and during). 8th year but first on my Smokefire.

 

[Bruno]

Picked up an amazing 7 pound boneless skinless breast, going Franklin style.

The bone in practice breast just bugs the hell out of me, 15% solution WTF is that. I’m cooking it now in the oven, we shall see. I injected it because I had the creole butter and a cool ass needle!

I’m happy I sprung for the breast from my butcher.
Just please no rain!! It’s rainy now and I have the bird in the oven. Boooooo!

 

[Bruno]

Picked up an amazing 7 pound boneless skinless breast, going Franklin style.

The bone in practice breast just bugs the hell out of me, 15% solution WTF is that. I’m cooking it now in the oven, we shall see. I injected it because I had the creole butter and a cool ass needle!

I’m happy I sprung for the breast from my butcher.
Just please no rain!! It’s rainy now and I have the bird in the oven. Boooooo!

Well damn! That was some amazing turkey I just cooked and now I’m second guessing myself.
Creole butter and Oakridge or salt pepper and butter?

 

[abmet]

Yes, the plan for us is a 16+ lb. pasture-raised turkey, dry-brined, injected, rubbed and spatchcocked. I've done the spatchcock thing for a few years now. IMO, by far and away, the easiest way to evenly and quickly cook a bird that size.

What temp do you cook it at? About how long per pound do you estimate?

 

[Riddle4x4]

I tested a cheap turkey on the SF a few weeks ago. I found a $6, 12lb frozen Honeysuckle turkey at my base commissary (military grocery store). The commissary is not know for good meat and poultry, but I couldn't pass up testing the SF on a $6 bird. It said it contained 9.5% turkey broth, salt, sugar, and natural flavoring. I knew it was a risk considering I brined my turkey last year before I threw it on a WSM. All I did was season the outside, half a stick of butter spread under the skin on the breast, and a couple spritz of apple cider vinegar halfway through the cook. The turkey came out great! I don't think brining it would have made that much of a difference.

I want to try a dry brine this year on a turkey from Sam's Club. I have make sure the brining process isn't visible to the wife or she won't eat it (she's afraid of open uncooked poultry in the fridge). Has anyone dry brined before and smoked? Should I inject as well?

Frozen Bone-in Turkey Breast | Honeysuckle White

Find where to buy Frozen Bone-in Turkey Breast near you. See our ingredients and nutrition facts before making Honeysuckle White your next meal.

www.honeysucklewhite.com

 

[Bruno]

I’m doing this monster breast after last nights turkey I’m going to season one side with salt and pepper and the other with the creole butter injection and the Oakridge rub.
I may cut it in half. It’s 7 pound boneless skinless turkey breast.

 

[G_Gryphon]

What temp do you cook it at? About how long per pound do you estimate?

I cook the turkeys at 325F and usually plan for about 2-3hrs. It often comes in around 2.5hrs but the most important thing to me is just to cook to 160F in the breast.

 

[abmet]

I cook the turkeys at 325F and usually plan for about 2-3hrs. It often comes in around 2.5hrs but the most important thing to me is just to cook to 160F in the breast.

Excellent thanks!

 

[Spuds]

View attachment 2515I’m doing this monster breast after last nights turkey I’m going to season one side with salt and pepper and the other with the creole butter injection and the Oakridge rub.
I may cut it in half. It’s 7 pound boneless skinless turkey breast.

What was your temp and smoke flavor

 

[whoareya]

I am in the UK, but been watching a few of the Thanksgiving videos that are out for in the States at the moment. They all seem to be Frozen Turkeys being used, are fresh Turkeys in the States not popular?

We have frozen turkeys over here, but fresh are more popular and readily available.

Personally I don't mind a Turkey breast joint rather than the whole bird, and most Christmases including this years I have a fresh Cockerel ordered for the big day rather than a Turkey, hopefully we can celebrate with family but with lockdown and rates still rising over here because of Covid, not sure yet whether it will happen or be allowed, we should find out next week.

 

[Dassman5]

I am in the UK, but been watching a few of the Thanksgiving videos that are out for in the States at the moment. They all seem to be Frozen Turkeys being used, are fresh Turkeys in the States not popular?

We have frozen turkeys over here, but fresh are more popular and readily available.

Personally I don't mind a Turkey breast joint rather than the whole bird, and most Christmases including this years I have a fresh Cockerel ordered for the big day rather than a Turkey, hopefully we can celebrate with family but with lockdown and rates still rising over here because of Covid, not sure yet whether it will happen or be allowed, we should find out next week.

I only do fresh turkeys from a local poultry farm. Expensive, but excellent. This year I have a 22# young Tom and a 12# breast for just my wife and myself thanks to COVID. Will probably do the whole Turkey and freeze the breast.

Then after serious food coma, will vacuum seal and freeze the leftovers.

 

[MojoBones]

Who is doing their Thanksgiving turkey on the smokefire? Suggested methods and time?

I'm planning on (2) 12# Birds using a Cajun Mix for brine & rub. 350 degrees for 1:45 - 2:15 or whenever my instant thermometer says 165 in the legs.

Method:
Brine 24 hours
Air Dry in Fridge for 24 hours
Oil skin inside and out
Apply rub
Truss legs
Smoker @ 350F until done (165 in legs approximately 1:45 - 2:15 hours)

 

[7un47im3s]

I've always used my WSM to smoke a bird in the past and I'm still torn between tried and tested method on the WSM or going with the SF. Looks like the weather won't be a factor this year so I'll probably give the SF a shot.

Defrost 21# Turkey
Wet Brine Turkey for 48 hours in a 5 gal bucket in an ice chest filled with ice in the garage
Pat dry, put a quartered onion a few celery stalks and carrots in the cavity, S&P on the skin.
Drip Pan under the grates, Water Pans (2) on upper grates
Turkey onto the SF with smoke boost for 2 hours using Weber Hickory pellets.
Set temp at 250* and cook until breast probe hits 165*
Remove bird onto carving, tent w/ foil and allow to rest for an hour
Finish making gravy with pan drippings and finish up side dishes.

In the past when using the WSM I knew if I didn't have the bird cooking by 0700, we were looking at dinner by 1700 if we were lucky but the results were always outstanding nonetheless. This year, knowing that I can better control the grill temp, I shouldn't have to worry as much about when it'll be done. I am concerned about placement of the water pans and how effective they will be in adding humidity when they aren't directly over the heat source as in the WSM. Then again we never had any pan drippings with the WSM because of the water pan. Well life is for learning so we shall see (and learn) how it all works out. Happy Thanksgiving y'all.