Tips and Tricks to ward off "diemeleagrisphobia"

This is for the SM020/025...

Racks on the lowest setting

275* on temp setting

Butter soaked cheese cloth for the first 2 1/2 hrs

Hit with butter flavored Pam when you take cheese cloth off.

Hopefully you end up with something like this...

Make a GOOD green bean casserole, as opposed to the same old one that grandma made with a can of mushroom soup.

It's not that difficult, and MUCH tastier!

Alton Brown's Green Bean Casserole

Although I still sometimes cheat and use the canned onions.

Practice first! Don't try to pull off your first smoked turkey on Thanksgiving! Don't overextend yourself, enjoy your family and friends first, everything else will fall into place.

quote:

Originally posted by Wilber:
Practice first! Don't try to pull off your first smoked turkey on Thanksgiving! Don't overextend yourself, enjoy your family and friends first, everything else will fall into place.

Practice EARLY or by the time the big day arrives, you'll be sick of turkey!
I made ribs!

quote:

Originally posted by Joe M:
Practice EARLY or by the time the big day arrives, you'll be sick of turkey!
I made ribs!

Some tips:

1. Brine (whether wet or dry). Regardless of some of the latest views that brining is a waste of time my taste buds tell me different. I did a test two weeks ago and 100% of the people in the class preferred the brine over the not brined.

2. Know thy temp Make SURE to test whatever thermometers you use so that 1) you'll know the smoker is running at the internal temp you want and 2) when you pull it on whatever temp for the Turkey that it's really going to be that temp.

3. Don't stress, write down a schedule One of THE big stress points if figuring out what to do when. Build a list of everything and create a timing chart/list. Just like a contest. It'll save a LOT of issues, just make sure you do the turkey and they do the rest

4. NEVER NEVER NEVER They said it already, but do not wait until T-Day to do your first whatever version of turkey. I've done them enough I know my timing for my method be it whole or spatchcocked.

quote:

Originally posted by cal:
...

Hit with butter flavored Pam when you take cheese cloth off.
...

Really Cal? Butter "FLAVORED" Pam. Go for the real stuff, it tastes better

I put a lot of butter,rub paste under the skin, two sticks of butter on the cheese cloth....guess your right, a little more couldn't hurt anything!

Have a Happy Thanksgiving Smokin' and thank you for all you do.....

Mine will be better than ever this year. 9 pound Butterball Select Organic. Will smoke at a low temp for an hour or 2 just to get some good smoke on, then it's going in the electric rotisserie. I will make a paste to go under the skin with hearthealthy margarine + rub.

What is "hearthealthy" margarine? Typical margarine is loaded with transfats (i.e., partially hydrogenated vegetable oils), definitely not good for your heart. I use butter exclusively when I need a solid fat. Calories are the same and no artificial ingredients.

^^^ Yep, what he said. Butter for this guy as well. I work with a bunch of chemists. Those people are a little wacky! I'd trust a cow much more than I'd trust a chemist.

As I like to remind the chemists... PhD means Push here Dummy!

5. Get rid of the popup thingy Okay, we're all about the details. IF the popup is supposed to popup around 175° take a look next time and see where it's located. In the back of the breast, near, but not in the dark meat. REALLY? Breast cooked to 175°? No wonder they don't work. Theoretically you could remove it and place it in the dark meat but why bother. If you follow Tip #2 you're have a real thermometer, one that you've tested and and trust. Not some bi-metal glue that's supposed to pop at a set temp.

6. Use real butter Hey it's the holidays. If you want to impart flavor, use the butter. Margarine at best will have a weird taste and if you want to use it because it's mostly oil, use a good oil instead. Me I'm a fan of compound butters.

7. Butter under the skinYup the guys above covered it. IF you do it, put plenty under the skin and I like to make the butter up ahead of time so the seasons can marry up a little.

Hey Cal. Just saw your turkey. It looks spectacular. I can almost taste it.

quote:

Originally posted by Jay1924:
What is "hearthealthy" margarine? Typical margarine is loaded with transfats (i.e., partially hydrogenated vegetable oils), definitely not good for your heart. I use butter exclusively when I need a solid fat. Calories are the same and no artificial ingredients.

It's just a vegetable oil base. I would normally coat the bird in olive oil before the rub anyway. Also, I want to come out of the holidays in as good shape as I am now ! Cal uses butter flavored Pam, same difference !