Stampede Turkey Techniques

[Cokeman]

For those who are cooking a turkey this week, how do you plan to do it? What recipes and techniques do you plan to use?

 

[Lager1829]

I'm on the fence Spatchcock or parting out as Chef John shows here. No matter what, keep that temp above 300. You'll need to click the watch on YouTube link to view.

 

[SmokeZilla]

Going to wet brine for 30 hours with my homemade brine (k-salt, pepper, parsley, oregano, cumin, smoked paprika, parsley, thyme, rosemary, sage, sugar, etc.) to start. After brining, dry and cover with Ghee as a binder and season the outside with my favorite spices and herbs so the skin will be tasty and crisp. I sometimes clarify some butter, add herbs chill until semi-hardened and work it under the skin. Cut 1 orange and 1 onion in half with a couple of stalks of celery and chopped carrots, stuff the “cave” (turkey chest). Then put it on the smoker at low for maximum inhalation for 1 hour. Then onto the rotisserie on the Lynx Pro for 3.5 hours to finish it off and cross my fingers that all that stuff I said above works. Sheesh!!!

 

[BillsCamino]

 

[Mozekian]

I go 275 on temp with a spatchcock method. Wet brine and will inject.

We don’t eat the skin so I like the 275 to get that smoke flavor and don’t so much need that high temp crispy skin. Cholesterol and doctors, who needs them!

 

[Pacman]

Turkey already fresh and ready for backendectomy today (Sunday).
Spatchcocking and brining starting tomorrow (Monday afternoon)
Pull from brine, rinse, pat dry and air dry Tuesday evening.
Wednesday it will just hang out continuing to air dry.
Thursday morning, maybe shove some compound butter under the skin. This year I plan on a liberal spray of duck fat. A poultry friendly rub will likely dust the underside.
Put on a wire rack over a deep sheet pan to catch juices. Probably will throw some onion, garlic, celery, herbs, etc. under the spatchcocked bird.
Probes in the thigh and breast.
Start at 225 until internal temp of around 125.
Crank up the heat to 375 to complete.

I still need to get word from the "Supreme Leader" when I'm supposed to be done cooking. My start time and requisite math will be applied accordingly. I'm sort of going with 20 - 30 minutes per pound for an 18 pound turkey, but like all good holiday events, my plans will likely change. Last year, I lost the water heater on Thanksgiving morning.

 

[Cokeman]

I’m thinking one of these two

 

[Mike]

For those who are cooking a turkey this week, how do you plan to do it? What recipes and techniques do you plan to use?

I won't be doing a turkey for Thanksgiving this year as I'm heading out of town. Though I'm sure I'll be doing one for the heck of it soon.

I've using smoking turkeys in my RT-700 for the last few years pretty consistently, using the same process as mentioned here - Smoked turkey breast on RecTeq RT-700.

The biggest change is that I now spatchcock my turkeys.

 

[Bytor]

I have a 13.75lb that will be getting spatchocked Tuesday evening with SPOG rub. Come Thursday, I'll mix up some mayo, orange zest, and more SPOG and rub it generously making sure to get underneath the skin and cook in the oven.

I would like to smoke it, but I plan on making soup with the remains and don't particularly like my soup smokey.

 

[Lager1829]

I'm leaning toward the Meat Church dry brine. Keep it simple.

 

[Greg Jones]

I'm leaning toward the Meat Church dry brine. Keep it simple.

That is a great video. That’s pretty much the same process I’ve used for the last 2-3 years, other than I don’t cook it that hot. I’m going to up the temp this year to what Matt did, 325°.

 

[Pete590]

There are so many ways to smoke turkey, you really need to do a few to see how you like it. I would advise everyone to buy a few small turkeys for the freezer,they are never cheaper than now. My local Publix has them for 49 cents a pound! That’s cheap eatin!

 

[Greg Jones]

There are so many ways to smoke turkey, you really need to do a few to see how you like it. I would advise everyone to buy a few small turkeys for the freezer,they are never cheaper than now. My local Publix has them for 49 cents a pound! That’s cheap eatin!

No small turkeys to be found around here now. I bought a 14.5# bird three weeks ago, and it was the smallest they had. A friend bought his last week, and a nearly 21# bird was the smallest he could find.

 

[Jsel45]

Spatchcocked it for the last 10 years (before all the rage!).

This is my first year doing it on the recteq and I’m excited. Last year I did a 3 day buttermilk, yellow mustard, various seasoning brine. I like the idea of taking it out a day early and allowing it to dry to get that crispy skin. I’d love to do a honey mustard glaze to finish it off. Truly salt, fat, acid, heat, and sweet!

Any suggestions on how to glaze and get a crispy exterior?

 

[Pacman]

Any suggestions on how to glaze and get a crispy exterior?

I've never glazed a bird, so I'm no help there, but I experimented on a chicken a couple of weeks ago with duck fat spray. I plan to do that on the turkey this year.

 

[Greg Jones]

Any suggestions on how to glaze and get a crispy exterior?

Only glaze suggestion I can offer is let it drizzle over the bird rather than brushing it on. Brushing only removes the rub and bark.

 

[Mike]

I'm leaning toward the Meat Church dry brine. Keep it simple.

You can rarely go wrong with some Meat Church!

 

[C. Keeper]

You can rarely go wrong with some Meat Church!

If you're going to church, that's the one

 

[Greg Jones]

Turkey Day 2022 is in the books. A 14.5# bird, brined overnight, then spatchcocked, injected with butter and Meat Church Holy Gospel, seasoned with Holy Gospel, then cooked on the RT-700 set to 325° for exactly two hours. I calculated it would need 2.5 hours, so I started probing at 2 hours and it was 8° over where I wanted to pull. Turned out great.

 

[Buckeye1]

Looks awesome Greg!

I did mine at 180 for I hour than about 1 1/2 hours at 350.

Injected with butter and beer
Mayo cavenders, rosemary and thyme rub on top of skin and underneath skin.