Poultry Thanksgiving is almost here.....

[ExquisitesAngelsBBQ]

My wife brought home a frozen 13 pound Butterball yesterday. I will start thawing it several days before Thanksgiving. Several years ago, the weather was unseasonably warm in Northern Illinois so I cooked the turkey on my gas grill. Every year since then, it has been too cold and windy to do that. With the Traeger, even if temperatures are below freezing, I should still be able to get it done unless we have a blizzard. Normally, we do not get our first major snowfall until after Thanksgiving, so I am hopeful.

Down in Birmingham, it should be great weather for smoking the Thanksgiving turkey.

Do you brind your butterball. I plan on getting 2 and just injecting them with rub

 

[Shedd]

Wow I’m glad I read this, I’m doing my 1st turkey or 2 on my 575. I have to travel 2 hours. Once done I didn’t know how to transport. Didn’t know a yeti or a cam box will work. Will the skin become rubbery or soggy due to the steam? How to prevent that if it does.

 

[Shedd]

Keeping it double wrapped in foil tightly will prevent it from getting soggy. I’ve kept them at a safe temperature for over three hours without issues. I put a couple hot towels fresh out of the dryer in the cooler. One in the bottom then one on top of the wrapped Turkey. I also keep a temp probe in it to monitor internal temp. You don’t want it dropping much below 145 before opening it up to carve, it’ll cool down quick. Yetis do hold the temp best, however most cooler’s will still work just won’t hold temps as long.

I’ve found that smoking my turkeys a day or two ahead makes life easier and less stressful. After smoking and a good hour rest I go ahead and carve it. I then put it in food saver bag’s (vacuum seal) and put in refrigerator. Then about a half hour or so I drop the bags Into my Sous vide bath at 165 until the Turkey is warmed ready to eat. So if traveling you just put on ice in a cooler then heat at your place of get together. Hi Papa PapaWhen you remove it from the bags, it’ll taste just like you cooked it. Before I had my Sous vide I just put the bags in a pot of simmering water until they are good and warm. I do similar with pulled pork, ribs, chicken and even burgers. They all taste just like it was freshly cooked.

 

[ExquisitesAngelsBBQ]

Keeping it double wrapped in foil tightly will prevent it from getting soggy. I’ve kept them at a safe temperature for over three hours without issues. I put a couple hot towels fresh out of the dryer in the cooler. One in the bottom then one on top of the wrapped Turkey. I also keep a temp probe in it to monitor internal temp. You don’t want it dropping much below 145 before opening it up to carve, it’ll cool down quick. Yetis do hold the temp best, however most cooler’s will still work just won’t hold temps as long.

I’ve found that smoking my turkeys a day or two ahead makes life easier and less stressful. After smoking and a good hour rest I go ahead and carve it. I then put it in food saver bag’s (vacuum seal) and put in refrigerator. Then about a half hour or so I drop the bags Into my Sous vide bath at 165 until the Turkey is warmed ready to eat. So if traveling you just put on ice in a cooler then heat at your place of get together. Hi Papa PapaWhen you remove it from the bags, it’ll taste just like you cooked it. Before I had my Sous vide I just put the bags in a pot of simmering water until they are good and warm. I do similar with pulled pork, ribs, chicken and even burgers. They all taste just like it was freshly cooked.

Thanks

 

[RayClem]

Do you brind your butterball. I plan on getting 2 and just injecting them with rub

Normally, I cook the bird in the oven aat 325F and do not brine the Butterball. However, since I am going to be cooking it at 225F on the smoker, I am planning on brining it this year. While you can purchase brining kits, they cost about the same amount as the turkey. Thus, I plan to clean out a cooler to use as a container, make my own brine mix with salt, pepper, and herbs, add water and ice and let it marinate for 24 hours. Since my turkey is frozen, it will need to thaw about 4-5 days before the brining process. Then it needs to be kept below 40F until time to cook.

 

[RustyJake]

Normally, I cook the bird in the oven aat 325F and do not brine the Butterball. However, since I am going to be cooking it at 225F on the smoker, I am planning on brining it this year. While you can purchase brining kits, they cost about the same amount as the turkey. Thus, I plan to clean out a cooler to use as a container, make my own brine mix with salt, pepper, and herbs, add water and ice and let it marinate for 24 hours. Since my turkey is frozen, it will need to thaw about 4-5 days before the brining process. Then it needs to be kept below 40F until time to cook.

Butterball turkeys are brined already as part of their processing

How to Choose a Turkey

There are a number of considerations to keep in mind when buying a turkey. Check them out here!

www.butterball.com

May not be needed for that brand of bird
If you do brine, probably best to cut down on the salt you use.
Some more information in this link

How to Tell if a Turkey is Pre-Brined (Plus How to Season it!)

If your turkey is still partially frozen, can you still cook it? Yes! Here's how to get the job done without ruining your turkey.

thegrillingdad.com

 

[Mikeycg25]

Who all has turkey duties this year? After last years Traeger success we were hit with "of course CMTiger will do the turkey again".

I have two turkeys to cook in the Traeger. I’m going to spatchcock the 22 lb one snd who cook the other. Those turkeys come out amazing.

 

[RayClem]

Butterball turkeys are brined already as part of their processing

How to Choose a Turkey

There are a number of considerations to keep in mind when buying a turkey. Check them out here!

www.butterball.com

May not be needed for that brand of bird

I realize that. That is why I do not brine the turkey when cooking in the oven. When cooking in the oven, I usually put a tent of aluminum foil over the bird until the last hour to keep in moisture.

The cook on the Traeger will take nearly twice as long as the oven and I am not planning on covering the bird. I will add a pan of water to keep the humidity up. Thus, I feel that the extra brining will help both with juiciness and also with infusion of flavor.

When cooking in the oven, I normally cook the bird as it is while stuffing an onion an a few herbs in the cavity. I am thinking of spatch-cocking the turkey this year. I have never done that, so it will be a new experience.

 

[CMTiger]

Butterball turkeys are brined already as part of their processing

How to Choose a Turkey

There are a number of considerations to keep in mind when buying a turkey. Check them out here!

www.butterball.com

May not be needed for that brand of bird
If you do brine, probably best to cut down on the salt you use.
Some more information in this link

How to Tell if a Turkey is Pre-Brined (Plus How to Season it!)

If your turkey is still partially frozen, can you still cook it? Yes! Here's how to get the job done without ruining your turkey.

thegrillingdad.com

I still brine my frozen turkeys despite knowing all of this. I don’t brine them for as long though. I’ve never had a problem though I probably just do it because of as the article indicates for some…..traditions. I can’t swear it helps or anything

 

[RustyJake]

I haven't brined a pre-brined or 'seasoned' bird.
More of a salt concern for me, for not doing it. But reducing the salt would be an option if I decided to go that route.
I don't normally get the butterball birds, they price them so high up here that the cost is usually a deterring factor.

 

[RayClem]

I haven't brined a pre-brined or 'seasoned' bird.
More of a salt concern for me, for not doing it. But reducing the salt would be an option if I decided to go that route.
I don't normally get the butterball birds, they price them so high up here that the cost is usually a deterring factor.

I take blood pressure meds, so excess salt is a concern for me as well. That is why I am making my own brine mix. I can use some sodium chloride salt, some potassium chloride salt, which does not affect blood pressure in the same way, and lots of herbs.

 

[RustyJake]

I take blood pressure meds, so excess salt is a concern for me as well. That is why I am making my own brine mix. I can use some sodium chloride salt, some potassium chloride salt, which does not affect blood pressure in the same way, and lots of herbs.

BP meds as well here, seems age has a way of giving us all a little extra to live with.
Making your own brine up with the ingredients you want is a great way to control things. The unknown variable is what Butterball uses in theirs. But they sell a lot of birds and the one's I have ever had were always juicy and tender.
Looking forward to seeing rhe results with the cooks going on south of our border next week.

 

[RayClem]

BP meds as well here, seems age has a way of giving us all a little extra to live with.
Making your own brine up with the ingredients you want is a great way to control things. The unknown variable is what Butterball uses in theirs. But they sell a lot of birds and the one's I have ever had were always juicy and tender.
Looking forward to seeing rhe results with the cooks going on south of our border next week.

Sodium chloride is inexpensive, about $70 per metric ton. Potassium chloride is $562 per metric ton, 8 times more expensive. Thus, the only people who use potassium chloride are those who have a pressing need to do so. Most turkeys will be brined in sodium chloride.

 

[CMTiger]

It’s supposed to be 28 degrees when I fire up the 575 Saturday morning. Not looking forward to that. Hopefully she will power through the cold for me

 

[RayClem]

It’s supposed to be 28 degrees when I fire up the 575 Saturday morning. Not looking forward to that. Hopefully she will power through the cold for me

Some of our Canadian friends continue to use their Tragers with ambient temperatures well below that. Just fill up the hopper with dry pellets and monitor the cook from inside your warm dwelling.

If you have concerns, you can always pick up a welding blanket from Harbor Freight or Amazon to throw over the grill. Just don't block the smoke stack. In a pinch, you can always throw an old wool blanket or cotton towel over the top. These materials will withstand the temperature of the grill. Avoid acrylic which can melt more easily.