Talking Turkey

[Jeff Lebowski]

Just straight up smoke, without going to 300+? How big a bird do you have that you can do that in 8 hours?

Good point. Just checked my notes. Two years ago I cooked a 12-lb turkey (two of them) in 8-9 hrs. Last year I did a 20-lb turkey and it was done in 9 hrs. 225 degrees both times.

You can always pull it and finish in the oven or smoker at 300 or 350 degrees if you get nervous.

Wood = Apple.

[old_gregg]

Good point. Just checked my notes. Two years ago I cooked a 12-lb turkey (two of them) in 8-9 hrs. Last year I did a 20-lb turkey and it was done in 9 hrs. 225 degrees both times.

You can always pull it and finish in the oven or smoker at 300 or 350 degrees if you get nervous.

Wood = Apple.

jl you should sell copies of your little black book

[BigFatMeanie]

Please, please, please. Enough. This needs to stop in Trump's America.

A vegetarian main so epic, you won't miss the turkey

Step 1 - prepare the eggplant...

I didn't even bother to wait for Step 2.

[HuskyFreeNorthwest]

WTH is a food-safe bucket?

A bucket that the FDA has said is safe for the storage of food, usually are square instead of round. Hope that helps!

[smokymountainrain]

A bucket that the FDA has said is safe for the storage of food, usually are square instead of round. Hope that helps!

helps me. I may look for one of those this holiday season!

[Northwestcoug]

I'm planning on smoking 2 turkey breasts after an overnight brine. This is the first time I've done turkey on my new Traeger (sorry, haven't updated the 'smoker' thread), so I'm going to try a longer smoke on one of the breasts. The brine is heavy on apple cider and I'll be using apple wood chips. I'm hoping that if the one that uses less smoke time has too much apple flavor, the smokier one will taste less sweet.

[Clark Addison]

In Alton Brown's newest book he has a modified version of his turkey. It's still brined, of course, but cooked in a dutch oven. I assume no one has tried this yet?

[BigFatMeanie]

In Alton Brown's newest book he has a modified version of his turkey. It's still brined, of course, but cooked in a dutch oven. I assume no one has tried this yet?

Do they make dutch ovens big enough to cook a 16-18 lb turkey?

[Clark Addison]

Do they make dutch ovens big enough to cook a 16-18 lb turkey?

I doubt it. His recipe calls for a 10 to 12 pound bird, both so it can fit, and to make temperature control easier. 10 to 12 is fine with me, as I am planning on doing one in the oven and one in the smoker, and we'll only have 11 people for Thanksgiving.

[old_gregg]

is his recipe the one where you break down the turkey before cooking?

[Clark Addison]

is his recipe the one where you break down the turkey before cooking?

No, not in this one. Basically, you heat the Dutch oven in a 500 degree oven until it is piping hot. Put the turkey in it and cook 20 minutes covered, another 20 minutes uncovered, and then out of the oven in the Dutch oven another 20 minutes or so until done.

Seems interesting, but maybe a bit risky.

[Moliere]

I brought up the idea of smoking a brisket for thanksgiving. I lost by a vote of 4:3 with MJ casting the tie breaking vote. Interestingly enough, the vote was down gender lines with all males voting for the brisket and all females voting for the turkey (citing tradition as the main reason with MJ actually saying she likes turkey).

I still don’t like turkey, but frying it has at least made it edible for me.

[smokymountainrain]

No, not in this one. Basically, you heat the Dutch oven in a 500 degree oven until it is piping hot. Put the turkey in it and cook 20 minutes covered, another 20 minutes uncovered, and then out of the oven in the Dutch oven another 20 minutes or so until done.

Seems interesting, but maybe a bit risky.

that sounds interesting. may need to give it a shot.

[jay santos]

After getting used to sous vide turkey breast cooked at 140, I'm dreading my mother-in-law's turkey. I'm pretty sure more people have died on Thanksgiving from choking on dry turkey meat than salmonella poisoning. At least she nails the mashed potatoes and gravy.

[Bo Diddley]

I brought up the idea of smoking a brisket for thanksgiving. I lost by a vote of 4:3 with MJ casting the tie breaking vote. Interestingly enough, the vote was down gender lines with all males voting for the brisket and all females voting for the turkey (citing tradition as the main reason with MJ actually saying she likes turkey).

I still don’t like turkey, but frying it has at least made it edible for me.

Dude, I think the first thing I ever smoked was a turkey. Best turkey I've ever had in my life!