Posted on 11/24/2010 5:05:16 PM PST by traderrob6
OK folks, lets talk Turkey. I just put my 18# bird on in a Bradley smoker with light Applewood for two hrs. then 215 deg. for another 9 hrs.
Green bean casserole already done, just waiting untill20 minutes before dinner to put it in the oven with 1 1/2 cups cheddar to finish it off. Needless to say all other bases are covered....sweet Yams, Taters, gravy, etc etc will wait untill tomorrow.
Please, post what your doin with your bird.
That oughtta smoke a turkey, quick...
Add a little orange zest and juice to that and it puts it over the top!
There have been times when the deep interior shows some pink but I go ahead and serve the outside. That’s why although we say the blessing with the turkey on the table (photo op), we carve it in the kitchen. I do use a temp prob and then let the bird rest at least a half hour. No one has every gotten sick by the way on the two or three occasions (in 40 years). I prefer it slightly underdone to over done.
I’d smoke the wife if she’d fit.
Getting together with friends and family. Someone else doing turkey. I’m doing a pork tenderloin, bacon jalapeno poppers, my other doing dressing, pies, and green bean casserole
Just to let everyone know - there’s still time to brine your turkey tonight.
If you’ve never done it, it’s easy. There are a lot of brining recipes on the web, just pick one, get a bucket and some salt (and perhaps sugar) and stick the bird in it for about 8 hours overnight in a cold place (garage or outside if cold enough). Then pat dry, leave in fridge and cook like you normally would.
If you never tasted a brined bird, boy are you in for a treat!
Does the turkey continue to cook after it has been 'let' out of the oven? We only let it sit 5-10 minutes as it was just me and my honey and we were HUN-GRY!
many Thanksgiving blessings to you and yours!
Sounds like you’re cooking for a crowd. Hope it’s a great day for everyone
In the past I have brined and it has turned out nicely. Yet. I am too lazy this year and keeping it simple with both the ingredients and the process and the practice turkey flavor was still very nice. The juicy part I will let you know about tomorrow. I agree though if someone wants to give brining a try it sure leaves it moist and tasty! Good post.
Temp guage will do it although I despise lancing my bird during cooking. 165- 170 deg. is safe. I bring mine to about 160 and let it temper for an hr. The temp will actually rise 6-10 deg just sitting there.
So to baste under the skin do you basically make a moist mixture and shoot it with the baster underneath the skin instead of just placing dry thyme etc under the skin?
Sounds good!
Jucier?
you’re such a specialist ;-). I hate lancing mine as well. Good to know it continues cooking after the fact. How long do you usually cook yours, how big is your fellow and at what degree?
Yes. It continues cooking. You should plan on letting it rest for at least 30 minutes. Hard to do with people clammering for food. But it takes that long to get the gravy right and warm up the rolls.
I hate green been casserole
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/2632386/posts?page=1
I’d sooner be roofied by Barney Frank than be subject to the holiday abomination known as green bean casserole.
Definately.
And do add sugar to the brine. 2:1 salt/sugar ratio
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