Would you mind sharing your smoking technique?
TIA
Local butcher offers Shelton which I go ahead and buy. Too many people to try and go heritage or more exotic. Happy with Shelton once brined and BBQed.
I would be happy to. Before I had my XL BGE I just used my Weber Platinum and though it pains me to admit it, the Weber does an even better job. I am sure you know how to brine. Take the bird out of the brine several hours in advance, a day if possible, and after patting dry the skin, brush it with an even mix of honey and water (microwave the two and the honey will thin easily). Let the bird sit on a rack for the time above. This helps dry the skin for future crisping. If using a Weber, you would use an aluminum pan underneath to catch the juices and use the two baskets with apple chips wrapped in aluminum foil above. If using a BGE, I again recommend using apple and maybe a little cherry chunks wrapped in foil among the lump under the BGE “plate-setter”. Again use a pan to collect the juices but there is no need to fill the pan with water. Using either the Weber or the BGE, turkeys cook pretty fast. Don’t be afraid of heat-300 to 325 degrees is fine. I flip my bird once after the breast is a deep bronze to apply some heat and browning to the other side. That’s really all there is to it, it can’t be easier or simpler. You will know it is done when the legs begin to get loose and the bone at the end of drumsticks emerges. Or use a Thermapen. Be sure to let it rest an hour before slicing.
If you don’t mind a follow-up – how does the skin come out? I’ve heard that it doesn’t crisp nicely, so I was considering a smoke, followed by a pop in a 350 degree oven. Also, roughly how long does it take on the BGE?
Much appreciated (because I don’t want to ruin Thanksgiving)
If you don’t mind a follow-up – how does the skin come out? I’ve heard that it doesn’t crisp nicely, so I was considering a smoke, followed by a pop in a 350 degree oven. Also, roughly how long does it take on the BGE?
Much appreciated (because I don’t want to ruin Thanksgiving)
Good question. When first taken off the BGE, the skin is crisp on the breast/wings/legs but never gets crisp on the back side (the skin there is never good anyway so who cares as long as it is browned). The problem as you know is that if you let it rest for 45 mins to an hour, the skin loses it’s crispness. Not totally-it is somewhere between optimum and passable but not rubbery-if you let it rest with towels-so that steam can escape. The skin over the breast meat gets the softest-the skin on the legs tends to stay crisp even with resting. So the dilemma is that if you serve it immediately after taking off the BGE you will have crisper skin but the juices don’t have a chance to redistribute. When you cut that hot turkey, you are going to have gushers of juice flowing out. If you try to pop it into a hot oven again after resting, and just before carving, you face the distinct possibility of over-cooking the bird. My "vote’ is to let it rest and not worry about softer skin over the breast meat. People look for moist and flavorful meat before they look for crisp skin. The honey-water coating helps get the deep mahogany color I like but doesn’t do much for crisping the skin.
I am of the opinion that there is only one way to get crispy skin on a turkey-deep frying. I love deep fried turkey as do my relatives but I hate the clean up out in the cold backyard when there are a hundred better things to be doing.
Assuming you maintain 300-325, the turkey should be done in three and a half hours give or take a half hour assuming something in the 18 lb range. I don’t know why this is. The books and references will tell you that at that temp it should take longer. For some reason, on both a Weber and a BGE with fire, the cooking time is faster. Perhaps the natural convection of the dome?
I am a heathen. I go to Stop and Shop. I buy the cheap frozen turkeys that they sell as loss leaders. I then brine it for two days with a lot of Cajun spice, honey, sugar, kosher salt and some chopped fresh garlic. Much better than one of those heritage turkeys that taste like they crossed the road too many times. I am, in fact, roasting one tonight because I like turkey.
Crisping the skin? Brush with oil a few times towards the end. Or with meted butter.
Meted amply, in fact. 
D’Artagnan
Orgazmic ! (sic)
I’m going to Bresse it ;
+1001, I buy several to have over the next couple months.
That sounds pretty amazing actually.
I’ve tried a lot of different turkeys, including heritage birds and local birds from the uber-ethical butcher in my area, but I never find that much difference between that and a commercial bird so I usually just go with the inexpensive option.
Huh. The few times I cheaped out and bought a grocery store bird, I found it barely edible. I do agree with Barrister Hack that the uber-expensive heritage birds are tough/chewy and on top of that there is not much meat. As is often the case, the best bang for the buck is in the middle.
Do you need to soak before cooking?
No soaking required. I usually hit it with some more salt in fact as the initial dry brine they do doesn’t season it heavily enough for my tastes.
I am shocked at this, but trust Elliot’s opinion 100%. I stopped buying chicken/meat at TJ years ago because I found the quality to be poor (and freshness sorely lacking).
Well I’m not going to vouch for the turkeys they have on the east coast but the ones out here in LA are always fantastic.
The TJ’s Kosher birds are dry-brined and not soaked? Are you sure? That might get me on board to try one. I detest wet-brined birds and birds with added “flavour enhancer” solutions like just about every frozen bird out there.
I usually end up with a Jenny-O or one from Sprouts.
Kosher meats by nature cannot be considered kosher if they are wet brined. The whole point of salting them after slaughter is to draw any excess blood out of them which also has the added affect of dry brining. So no, they don’t wet brine them.
I didn’t get an allocation this year. How long where you on the list before getting an offer?
Guess I will need to start thawing my 23# Butterball soon.
D’Artagnan organic from Fairway. $4.99/lb. and they toss in 3lbs of mashed potatoes for free (sweet or white). Will spatchcock it or just break it down and start legs ahead of time