Whole Turkey Help

I'd read Smokin's 101. Follow it closely, and you should get fine results.

Use a remote thermometer. dont trust a given time per pound or the pop- up deals.

Yep, read the 101..

If it's enhanced as yours is.. don't brine.. at least I wouldn't.. I believe brining is for fresh turkeys.. not injected ones.

You mention Heavy Smoke at 250.. cooking at 250 is the ultimate as far as I'm concerned.. but, Heavy Smoke?? Poultry takes up smoke easily. I would not use more than 2 oz of wood.. even if you have a smoker full of chicken and turkey or you will probably find, as I did, that the smoke was too much. 2 oz is plenty for the first try. Experiment later.

Personally, I don't care for reheated poultry as much as right out of the oven. I'd start early and foil it in a cooler covered with towels to retain the heat.. plus, that'll allow the juices to pull back into the meat.

I've cooked a bunch of 10-14# turkeys in my smoker and do them at 250. They only take about 4 hours.. just a tad longer then chickens which come out in about 3 hrs. I think cooking at 200 would take forever.. but, that's my process.

Thanks very much.
Yes, I learned the "hard way" about over smoking regarding chickens. I have cut way back and and very happy with the results.
I cook chickens almost every week of the year and have been having good luck cooking them a little longer and at lower heat...but lets face it...perfect is still perfect.
I might(depending on outside temp) put the
turkey in the smoker around midnight and turn the smoker on around two...smoke for 5 and have him come by around 8 or 9....

I will use a temp probe but never been to confident with the readings...that is why I asked about the little popup timer in the breast just don't trust um'. Great advice

OK, I am thinking of breaking down and trying the cheesecloth method on turkey day.

Where might one find cheesecloth?

GLH, you can usually find cheesecloth on the bakeware isle of any supermarket such as Safeway, Albertsons, QFC/Krogers etc.

Kelly

Okie Dokie, Kelly, thank you very much. What is bakeware? They have pots and pans and such at Kroger? What about Wal-Mart? Will they have it there? Kinda limited here on where to go. We have Kroger, Wal-Mart, Home Depot, Ace Hardware, Tractor Supply...that's about it. Dang I wish we had a winemaking supply store. They would have it. This is smalltown hickville Arkansas. Wouldn't trade it for anywhere though. Thanks again, Kelly!

GLH,

Look in the actual bake isles where they have the flour and sugar.

I make cheese from time to time so I get it from an actual cheese making supply store online, but the larger super markets should carry it!

quote:

Originally posted by GLH:
Okie Dokie, Kelly, thank you very much. What is bakeware? They have pots and pans and such at Kroger? What about Wal-Mart? Will they have it there? Kinda limited here on where to go. We have Kroger, Wal-Mart, Home Depot, Ace Hardware, Tractor Supply...that's about it. Dang I wish we had a winemaking supply store. They would have it. This is smalltown hickville Arkansas. Wouldn't trade it for anywhere though. Thanks again, Kelly!

Heck, I think I've seen cheese cloth in painting supply areas for wipeup. However....

Cheese cloth in not a necessity. When I was growing up my grandmother and my mother used an old torn up (clean) sheet that was brushed with melted butter. I didn't remember that until this discussion and I think I'll be trying that in the smoker. The only thing I don't like about the cheese cloth is that it seems to stick so tightly to the bird, pulling off some of the crispys (mostly skin). Another thing she used was an old cotton dish towel.. not the terry cloth type.

The bird will not know the difference between the sheet and the cheese cloth.. believe me

Home depot sells cheesecloth near the stains & mineral spirits.
Beating a dead horse, I know.

GLH - I got my cheesecloth at Walmart. Check in the fabric section.

Bob

quote:

Dang I wish we had a winemaking supply store. They would have it. This is smalltown hickville Arkansas. Wouldn't trade it for anywhere though. Thanks again, Kelly!

LOL Neighbor! Wine makin supplies in a Dry County! Guess I've heard of stranger things!

Let us know how that cheese cloth turns out. I've had decent results brushing the skin with olive oil just before tossing the ol' gal in.

The best turkey I did, I separated the skin (breast), liberal amount of EVOO (ExtraVirginOliveOil) between, and put thick sliced strips of bacon between the skin and meat (your choice on the bacon, I like the maple) to tent the breast and crisp the skin. On the outside of the skin (all over the bird, used liberal amount of butter and then a strip of bacon on thigh/leg. Tuck the wings under as much as you can (don't worry about breaking anything). 1 or 2 apples in the cavity (great for moisture/flavor) with some Montreal Chicken/Poultry inside and out. A little of cookshack poultry on the outside for flavor, asthetics, and crisp.
Best to stay small for whole in the 10-12# range in a 55 or 08 and set at 250˚ (max).

Just did a Butterball boneless breast in the 55 yesterday for a test and turned out great with EVOO and Montreal Chicken on the outside(250˚ 4hrs)...I was impressed, almost as good as the whole breasts I have done in the past, same method, but with with some CS rub.

For those using the cheeze cloth method, try a cotton game bag (cut what you need), soak in EVOO or my preferred, grapeseed oil if you can find it and then go with the butter won't stick as bad.
I normally do not brine as I use the pre-brined turkeys and do not feel one should brine an already brined turkey, just easier, less pain. I have done farm raised/organics and one should brine.


Works for me.
Rob

What is EVOO??

Sorry Steve, changed post,
ExtraVirginOliveOil
Thanks,
Rob

Thanks everyone!

Don't get me started on dry counties. Redneck Christianity at it's worse. That's all I got to say 'bout dat!

I have done turkey's every which way except with the cheesecloth and just thought I would try it. I normally place quartered apples and oranges inside, rub with a mix of spices and EVOO, let it go on 250* until done. I am never satisfied with the breast. It is never really really dry, just not as moist as I would like. I will try the butter and cheescloth thang this time, with every other aspect pretty much the same. I like fruit wood with turkey. I have apple and cherry. Might use an ounce of each.

Thanks...I did some thinking and thought it might be olive oil after posting.
Its funny that we are talking about winemaking. I happened to bottle 30 bottles of Pinot last Sunday. I also have tow carboys of beer fermenting right now. I do alot of this and have fun with it.
Living in a dry county should not be that big of a problem if you like doing this./ all of these online places ship...

The reason to use Cheesecloth over other cloth is smoke penetration. You don't want the cloth to keep smoke from coming onto the bird.

I'd removed the cheesecloth during the cook so the outside will get to that color you want. The CC method is primary to keep it from getting to dark/black from smoke. Use a lighter wood also.

CC is usually in Wally World, in the same isle with cooking utensils and it's in a plastic bag hanging on the rack.

I too, for TG don't like to reheat. I just doesn't seem to work. And the 12 hours is pretty long. We did some research here with times, maybe someone will dig it up.

DO a search in the Poultry archives. Found a bunch:

Turkey Search

Thanks all. Wife found it in the craft department.

Well I just got the turkey (13.75 lbs.) out of the fridge after getting the smokette all ready to go with 2 oz. cherry. It ain't thawed yet! I put it in the fridge on sunday afternoon! The breast side seems to be the most thawed. OK, so just melt the butter and mix my rub with it, drape the cheesecloth over the entire topside of the bird, pour the butter mixture over the top? I hope that is the way, cause that is what I am planning on doing unless someone chimes in and says otherwise!

I hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving. I know we all have alot to be thankful for just being alive!

I'd add some butter/rub under the skin.

Take the cheesecloth off say an hour before it's "done" so they don't stick together and give the skin time to darken.

Report back.

Oh yea, will give full report sir.

Butter and seasonings are under the skin of breast, legs, thighs. Poured more butter concoction all over entire bird, draped with the cheesecloth and poured on the rest.

I plan to take out of the Smokette at 165 in the breast, take off cheesecloth, brown under indoor broiler.

Thanks.