Test run on first RecTec Turkey

Buckeye smoker

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  1. Bull
So after reading the other turkey threads I gave it a shot with a 9lb breast section.... I'm not sure I'll even deep fry one this year after this. As @Mike has said: " this is the only way to cook turkey"..Omg was it easy and delicious.
Maybe I'll smoke and deep fry just to see if the family likes the RecTec better... I used my smoke-tube just 'cause that's how I like it. Dry rub and 350°... 14mins. A pound was perfect to 160° let rest 15mins.
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I'm telling you guys that haven't done this yet... this is the ONLY way to do a turkey. It's amazing and @Buckeye smoker that turkey looks fantastic my friend!

I'm hoping to do a turkey breast this weekend if my plans go accordingly.
 
Wow, that looks amazing! I used to fix two turkeys every year, one smoked on my Big Green Egg and one deep fried. Later I switched out the deep fried one to infrared in a Big Easy. Some people, especially my wife, didn’t care for the deep smoke flavor on a turkey done in the Egg, so I’m hoping using a Rec Tec this year will give me a milder smoke flavor.
 
That looks awesome grate job! I still have not smoked a whole bird, but have done many 5-6# split turkey breast, and they have all been outstanding. Buckeye, you have inspired me. Gotta get one done this week now.
 
@OldBull I've tried a few over time and I use (this is just my personal opinion/taste) Lumberjack 100% all wood all Apple pellets on all white meat.(chicken/Turkey) I use a "smoke tube" that usually is filled with 50% wood chips mixed in with the pellets. ( I feel it helps to get more of a stick burner flavour to the cook) skin on the birds is tricky if you want crispy style .(it's been my experience on the RecTec that low and slow doesn't work skin wise*)
On red meats I really like Lumberjack 100% all wood 100% Hickory. Everyone has different tastes and practices.
 
Thanks @Buckeye smoker, I have some pit boss apple that I will try. I saw an interesting thing that I have not tried, but they helped the skin of a chicken by pouring boiling water over it before cooking, it shrinks up immediately .


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Looks good. I have smoked a whole turkey to 110 IT. Then deep fried it to 157 IT. Rested it for 20 minutes. Came out amazing. The skin was like bacon!!! Of course only my brother in law and myself were lucky enough to have the skin. Told everyone else it burnt in the deep fryer ???.
 
Nice ! Yeah I love the skin too, the wife hates it. So it's only got to be perfect for myself... hahahahha*
 
The refrigerator drying is a good hack, and there is another tried and true method for crispier skin...…..or for crispier anything cooked. Baking soda (some will say baking powder, which is fine, that's just a mixture of baking soda and crème of tartar, it's the baking soda that's doing the job). For the bird make a smearable paste of some oil of choice and baking soda. Rub all over then cook. The drying in the refrigerator combined with the smear will just make it easier to attain crisp.
 
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I’ve done both smoking and frying (infrared in Big Easy) but recently tried a combo of the two that worked perfectly. I smoked for approximately half the time at 250* then finished in the Big Easy. Perfect crispness and juicy! It didn’t have as much smoke flavor as usual, but as Greg Jones stated, some folks don’t like all the smoke flavor. This was a compromise between the two. Guess it’s a “reverse seared turkey.”

I’m going to have to try the backing soda hack too.
 
This was my first run last winter as a test, I spachcocked the turkey. It cooked fast and was crispy and juicy. I can look back for notes for more specifics if anyone is interested.
 

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