Poultry Thanksgiving Turkey

[Slimpicker]

You're late, I did ours yesterday! Canadian Thanksgiving LOL! I spatchcock using this method Latin American Spatchcock method. I find it gives me more control temperature wise between the dark meat and the white meat. I used a Thermoworks "Smoke" dual probe thermometer along with the Traeger probe to see if there is a difference. The Traeger was consistently 10 degrees hotter than the Thermoworks. I used a ThermoPro TP-19 instant read thermometer during the cook as well and it was consistently the same as the Thermoworks.

Well, you know it didn't really happen without pics around here...

 

[Data_Dan]

 

[Data_Dan]

Here's the breast meat

 

[RustyJake]

........I find it gives me more control temperature wise between the dark meat and the white meat.....

Here's something that works very well in protecting the breast meat. When you take the turkey out if the fridge prior to cooking, place a ziploc bag full of ice on top of the breast meat. Keep that on there until you are ready to stick in the oven or on the grill. I did that again on the weekend and the breast probed at 32 degrees and the thigh was 42.
So you already have a differential between the two. When mine finished this weekend the breast was 155 and the thigh was 165.
This would work for spatchcock or whole bird preparation

 

[MidwestSmoker]

Here's something that works very well in protecting the breast meat. When you take the turkey out if the fridge prior to cooking, place a ziploc bag full of ice on top of the breast meat. Keep that on there until you are ready to stick in the oven or on the grill. I did that again on the weekend and the breast probed at 32 degrees and the thigh was 42.
So you already have a differential between the two. When mine finished this weekend the breast was 155 and the thigh was 165.
This would work for spatchcock or whole bird preparation

I think I will try this. Still not sure if I will spatchcock. I always spatchcock the birds when I am cooking them for other occasions, but for Thanksgiving I think most like the traditional look.

 

[MidwestSmoker]

I've done a whole turkey once, but in the Orion. I brined and it turned out fantastic.
I've ton several turkey breasts now in the Traeger and I always brine as well. I don't have an injector.....but I have been meaning to get one.

Check your local Walmart. This one is available in mine:

Robot or human?

www.walmart.com

 

[RustyJake]

I think I will try this. Still not sure if I will spatchcock. I always spatchcock the birds when I am cooking them for other occasions, but for Thanksgiving I think most like the traditional look.

Did mine fully stuffed as well this time.
Covered the stuffing end with foil to limit the smoke on it.


Ignore the strings laying on the bird, I always make a sling for the bird so I can pick it up. I forgot to throw them to the side while it was cooking

 

[MidwestSmoker]

Did mine fully stuffed as well this time.
Covered the stuffing end with foil to limit the smoke on it.

I saw the pictures on your FireBoard session and noticed the foil at the end. Truly amazing you did a stuffed bird! That gives me confidence to attempt that. I know that it's safer doing an unstuffed one, but traditions ...........!

 

[RustyJake]

I saw the pictures on your FireBoard session and noticed the foil at the end. Truly amazing you did a stuffed bird! That gives me confidence to attempt that. I know that it's safer doing an unstuffed one, but traditions ...........!

I agree, they push us to not do stuffing in the birds now. But I grew up in a time where that was common place as well as probably some other questionable food safe processes
I haven't actually stuffed a bird in a few years but wanted to try smoking the bird and stuffing this time

 

[Slimpicker]

Did mine fully stuffed as well this time.
Covered the stuffing end with foil to limit the smoke on it.
View attachment 7408View attachment 7409

Ignore the strings laying on the bird, I always make a sling for the bird so I can pick it up. I forgot to throw them to the side while it was cooking

WOW I should ever have one come out that good...

 

[Dcgunman]

I'll be doing this : https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B005VPTZUU/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&th=1 (from a Timmy Link)

then smoke on Traeger with probably 2 tubes going at the regular oven suggested temp

Let us know how this brine is please? I’ve never brined period. So thinking about brining a Turkey before Thanksgiving to see how it turns out but I can’t find any turkeys in our local grocery stores.

 

[Timmy]

Let us know how this brine is please? I’ve never brined period. So thinking about brining a Turkey before Thanksgiving to see how it turns out but I can’t find any turkeys in our local grocery stores.

I’ve brined 2 so far, I’ll continue to brine as I’ve had good luck doing it.

 

[Keeperovdeflame]

Just love cooking Thanksgiving Turkey and just got a Traeger last year. Here is a recipe and method I have used for years cooking on my BGE. I usually cook about a 13 lb Turkey and spachcock it. I use an apple cider / honey / salt /acid brine I got from an Adam Perry Lang BBQ book "Serious BBQ"

Brine Recipe:
Use a food safe container to hold your bird. I use a tall square one intended to pack fish. Add enough cold out of the fridge apple cider to eventually cover the bird while retaining about a quart in a large sauce pan. Add 1 cup of Kosher salt, 1 cup of honey, and a bundle of fresh Simon and Garfunkel fresh herb sprigs to the cider in the sauce pan and heat until the salt and honey are completely dissolved. Spatchcock your bird. Mix the cooled cider / honey mixture with the cider in your container. Add 1 cup of cold orange juice, along with one orange thinly sliced and your herb bundle. Then add your bird, and let it sit in the fridge over night overnight, I usually go 24 hrs. It is important to keep the brine below 40 degrees during the whole process. I take a shelf out of my garage fridge and put my container in my fridge to insure it stays cold.
Cook:
The next day take the turkey out of the brine, wash it off and let it sit uncovered it the fridge for at least 2hrs prior to your cook. On my Egg I cook at between 350 and 375 allowing the temp to rise slowly during the cook. I pull my bird at an !T of 165 in the breast.
I tried to post a short video of last years turkey but it was too large for the site to take it, only pic I have. . I started using this method and recipe years and years ago, my family won't let me cook the Thanks Giving Turkey any other way. Ps. Towards the end of the cook I put some fresh rosemary sprigs on the grill around the bird and let them smoke and singe. Not a heavy smoke, more like a natural perfume essence. Cooking on your Traegers you can still use the brine and general method with some adaptation.

 

[SmokinAL]

I did a bone in turkey breast back in early spring, and man, it was better than fried turkey to me. I’m very likely to cook the thanksgiving turkey and ham on the traeger this year!

 

[Dcgunman]

Has anyone used Meat Church's Bird Bath Brine? I've never brined anything. Haven't injected either. @Keeperovdeflame brine recipe looks interesting also. If any of my local grocery stores ever get turkey in I would like to try a brine recipe before Thanksgiving. Hopefully this week or next they should be arriving in SoCal.