Talking Turkey

[Donuthole]

The last few years, this is how I keep the Turkey(s) cold during brining:
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[Pelado]

The last few years, this is how I keep the Turkey(s) cold during brining:

I just put mine in the extra refrigerator in the garage.

[Donuthole]

I just put mine in the extra refrigerator in the garage.

I don’t have room for a turkey in there, let alone two.

[beefytee]

I just put mine in the extra refrigerator in the garage.

I guess if you have the room in there it helps keep the temperature regular, but I’m guessing you don’t need to worry about it being too warm in Idaho outside overnight in November.

[Pelado]

I guess if you have the room in there it helps keep the temperature regular, but I’m guessing you don’t need to worry about it being too warm in Idaho outside overnight in November.

Sure, but I want it to thaw from frozen.

[Northwestcoug]

The last few years, this is how I keep the Turkey(s) cold during brining:

Hey whatever works!

thanksgiving is usually cold enough for me to just keep the 5 gallon bucket outside. But today the high will be 48. I piled some snow around the bucket just to be safe.

[Bo Diddley]

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Hey whatever works!

thanksgiving is usually cold enough for me to just keep the 5 gallon bucket outside. But today the high will be 48. I piled some snow around the bucket just to be safe.

I've heard if you put ice in with the water that it's fine as long as there's still ice. The snow probably works just as good.

[Northwestcoug]

I've heard if you put ice in with the water that it's fine as long as there's still ice. The snow probably works just as good.

Yeah I usually use ice just to cool down the brine. It takes FOREVER for it to cool down once I've dissolved the solutes and I get impatient. But yes on warmer nights I will add a few cubes if they're still not there.

[Eddie]

Only three of us at home this year, but we're going to have the big dinner with extended family. I offered to cook the turkey, because my mom tends to over-do it and dry it out (same with ham), but she told me my sister was cooking it instead. I'm having this urge to spatchcock a bird and cook it anyway - but that might just have to be for a different weekend.

Lately I have seen people try to argue that mac n cheese is a Thanksgiving food.

I'm not sure what is going on there.

My wife went to Smiths to pick up some tater tots for something she was making and they were out. The lady refilling stuff in the frozen aisle told her that it's because tater tot casserole is apparently a thanksgiving tradition in Utah. I have never heard of that - but maybe that's what you serve with the mac and cheese?

[BigFatMeanie]

I spatchcocked a turkey and put it on the Traeger. I've done a spatchcocked chicken before but this will be my first turkey on the Traeger.

[Bo Diddley]

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Was thinking about this chart when I looked up what the danger zone was. The published danger zone is 40-140. I think the high end is really closer to 135.

[Northwestcoug]

Tip no. 3: separate the parts.

The truth is that turkeys were not designed to be cooked whole. The part that will cook fastest, the breast, is the part you want to keep at a lower temperature, and the part you need to get up to 185, the thigh, won't get there until the very end. Take a few minutes to pull the thing apart. There's something oddly empowering about deconstructing the turkey, but more importantly you will be able to manage the temps of the individual cuts to get each part just right. Then you can give the legs to the two cavemen of your party, hot-temped thigh meat to the savory minded, and perfectly moist breast meat to the rest. (This comes at the cost of your Norman Rockwell moment, admittedly, and I don't discount the value of tradition lightly. I mean, if you really wanted the best turkey possible, you'd ditch it altogether and smoke a brisket.)

Looking back in 2019 I didn't heed your advice about letting the turkey dry long enough after brining. But still, an hour today did help a little.

But I did follow tip #3! Glad I did. It took an hour off of cook time though, so I had to turn down the heat for timing dinner. But that came with more smoke flavor, so good!

[Donuthole]

This is a guy I follow on YouTube. Reading AA's tips reminded me of this video I watched a couple of weeks ago. I might try it this year:

I did this method for our “leftovers” turkey. Incredibly easy, cooks super fast, and very easy to cut up and serve when it’s ready. I’ll probably do this again.

[Pelado]

I was undecided on whether to spatchcock or break it down into parts until last night when I salted it. Turns out that 5 days in the garage refrigerator doesn't really defrost the bird that much. It was still pretty much encased in ice.

I tried using salt to thaw it and when that didn't work quickly enough, I thawed it in a sink of cold water. It was still pretty frozen after that step, so I quartered it, salted all the pieces, and then put the quartered pieces on a rack on a pan back in the garage fridge.

I think next time is going to be a wet brine to make sure it's fully thawed.

I got it out and seasoned it all over with parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme. Put everything on the smoker at 450 for about 30 minutes before turning it down to 225. I was getting a bit anxious, so I pulled everything when the breasts were registering 149 degrees. By then, the thighs were around 190.

I kept them in the oven at 170 until the guests arrived. After wrestling the frozen, raw bird the previous night, I didn't really want to carve it. I delegated that to my sister-in-law. She threw out most all of the crispy, seasoned skin, which was frustrating but serves me right for delegating.

Turned out quite tasty.

[clackamascoug]

I'm thinking that I'd like to take a marriage sabbatical and live in Turkey for a year - all by myself. Was thinking Kas - on the southwestern coast. I lived in Turkey back in 66-68, and I'd like to come full circle as it's been something I've thought a lot over the years. Wife won't go - so I would go without her. Kind of 50/50 and floating the idea.

Do any of you know of someone that just wanted a pause in their life - and gone off and done something for themselves for a year. Would your wife support such an idea?