OT: How Do You Prefer Your Turkey?

[Lucifer Morningstar]

OK, so the ole Devil had been reading the other turkey thread and the light went off in my head. That light was the idea of how people prefer their turkey prepared fried or smoked? I hate smoked turkey, now that is just my opinion, but for years we smoked and a coonass friend of mine introduced me to fried turkey about 20 years ago. I have never looked back. Now I know frying involves more money, and it is not easy to do. That being said, I am all about the end result. My coonass buddy showed me how to inject it with Cajun butter, throw a little seasoning on the outside and give that bad boy a hot dip.

 

[dorndawg]

Of the 2, I prefer smoked especially if I'm the one doing it; frying is just messy to me.

With that being said, there's something about roasted turkey that just makes it the Platonic ideal for Thanksgiving. Plus you get the pan drippings for that gibblet gravy.

 

[CochiseCowbell]

 

[goindhoo]

Frying with propane is really good, cheaper, little mess.

 

[BIGDAWG44]

Roasted
fried
Smoked

 

[Hugh's Burner Phone]

View attachment 695997

That's what she said.

 

[thatsbaseball]

Smoked at Country Pleasin

 

[greenbean.sixpack]

Fired 100%, but it is much more expensive and a PITA.

 

[Hugh's Burner Phone]

I smoked my first turkey last Thanksgiving for the in-laws side of the family and now I am the designated turkey cooker for that gathering. I did a gunpowder seasoning last year but thinking about doing something different this year.

 

[WrightGuy821]

I would usually say smoked, but I had my first fried turkey this year and it was way better than expected. That being said it was a PITB to get right. It's a whole lot easier to mess up when frying a turkey than it is when smoking it.

 

[biodawg]

I’m responsible for the turkey at our Thanksgiving, and I do brined, spatchcocked, and smoked. I don’t mind fried turkey when it’s hot and fresh, but it’s just hard to beat smoked turkey leftovers.

 

[Lucifer Morningstar]

Let me say as well, I completely agree with the people that say frying is harder and more expensive because it is. Last year I wanted to do my own test so I fired up the ole Yoder and smoked one. I also fried two as is my tradition. I set them both out to the gathering of family and friends. The 2 fried were gone before the smoked one. It wasn't even close.

 

[The Peeper]

Fried is my preference to eat if somebody else is doing it. But when I've got to do the cooking, I'm going to brine it for minimum of 24 hrs, spatchcock it and smoke it for 2-3 hrs depending on the size, it's so easy.

If somebody is serving an oven baked turkey I'm going to nicely ask them if they happen to have a can of tuna or spam because even cold out of the can spam or tuna is better than oven roasted turkey.

 

[HailStout]

It’s just so easy

 

[Car Ramrod.sixpack]

It really depends on who is doing the cooking. If I'm going to someone else's house, give me fried turkey. If I have to cook the turkey, no doubt I'm smoking it. Last year rather than low and slow I smoked it at the same temp as if you were to cook it in the oven. It came out much better than a low and slow cook. The skin was crispy and the breast was juicy with a nice smoke ring.

 

[johnson86-1]

Great smoked turkey is better than good fried turkey. But most people who fry a turkey seem to be able to do it good enough. Most people who smoke a turkey end up with it being a little dry.

 

[NukeDogg]

I started frying them about 6 years ago and after that first one I became the designated turkey fryer for the family. Cleanup afterwards is a PITA but it's so good

 

[Maroon Eagle]

Great smoked turkey is better than good fried turkey. But most people who fry a turkey seem to be able to do it good enough.

My father was known for his high quality smoked turkeys.

Most people who smoke a turkey end up with it being a little dry.

The water pan is there for a reason…

 

[Lucifer Morningstar]

I started frying them about 6 years ago and after that first one I became the designated turkey fryer for the family. Cleanup afterwards is a PITA but it's so good

I encountered the same issue once the family and friends had the fried turkey that was it. I now make up to 10 to 15 fried birds every year for all of them. Also, for the folks that say it is so hard or pita to fry a turkey it really isn't once you get a pretty good handle of your process. The hardest part is cleaning everything up after, and even that is not too hard if you have a process.

 

[HotMop]

Frying with propane is really good, cheaper, little mess.

This is where the propane accessories come in handy.

 

[HomeBoyDawg]

Y'all overthinking this...the correct answer is Popeye's Cajun Fried.

 

[greenbean.sixpack]

Great smoked turkey is better than good fried turkey.

Not even close, Fried x 1,000,0000

 

[greenbean.sixpack]

OK, so the ole Devil had been reading the other turkey thread and the light went off in my head. That light was the idea of how people prefer their turkey prepared fried or smoked? I hate smoked turkey, now that is just my opinion, but for years we smoked and a coonass friend of mine introduced me to fried turkey about 20 years ago. I have never looked back. Now I know frying involves more money, and it is not easy to do. That being said, I am all about the end result. My coonass buddy showed me how to inject it with Cajun butter, throw a little seasoning on the outside and give that bad boy a hot dip.

Can't you just instantly deep fry one with your powers?

 

[johnson86-1]

My father was known for his high quality smoked turkeys.


The water pan is there for a reason…

I'd like to think if it were just a matter of using a water pan you wouldn't see so many dry smoke turkeys. I'm not saying they're awful; they're still pretty good. They're just not as good as a decent fried turkey, primarily because they are a little dry.

 

[patdog]

I'd like to think if it were just a matter of using a water pan you wouldn't see so many dry smoke turkeys. I'm not saying they're awful; they're still pretty good. They're just not as good as a decent fried turkey, primarily because they are a little dry.

Yeah. Water pan does next to nothing to keep the turkey moist. Overcooking is the usual culprit. But one thing someone else posted in this thread may be part of it. He smokes his turkey at a higher temperature for a shorter time instead of low & slow. That's how I've always done it too & mine always come out moist and tender. I think low & slow smoking works fine on pork butt or ribs because of the fat content, but maybe not so good on lean turkey.

 

[Awwhellnaw]

Gobbling hard, horny, suicidal and most importantly, stupid.

 

[dorndawg]

Gobbling hard, horny, suicidal and most importantly, stupid.

I think I dated her for 6 months back in about 2008

 

[HRMSU]

 

[Dawgbite]

A water pan has absolutely nothing to do with how moist meat is. All a water pan does is keep the drippings from flaming and possibly from giving meat too strong of a smoke flavor and the moisture helps maintain a more consistent grill temperature. The moisture in meat doesn’t have anything to do with the amount of fat, having a water pan, or brining or injecting the meat before cooking. Juicy or moist smoked meat comes from pulling the meat from the grill after the calogen breaks down and before the grills heat evaporates this moisture. Different meats hit this window at different internal temperatures. Resting smoked meats in a cooler for anywhere from 30 minutes to several hours also will allow meats to reabsorb moisture from the surface of the meat and the enclosed environment to the internal of the meat.

 

[karlchilders.sixpack]

Deep Fried, Hard to beat it. (as far as turkey goes)

 

[DAWGSANDSAINTS]

Fried Turkey is awesome but for me, frying two 12 lb birds, the amount of peanut oil and the costs plus the time to get said oil to temp, watching constantly, and then the cleanup afterwards, - smoking two turkeys is is much easier and really good with a lot less mess and cost.

 

[DAWGSANDSAINTS]

Anyone injected with creole butter or other seasonings and then smoked ?
I hate the brining process of smoking a turkey.

 

[PooPopsBaldHead]

Anyone injected with creole butter or other seasonings and then smoked ?
I hate the brining process of smoking a turkey.

Just dry brine. Its super simple and it works way better at imparting flavor in the meat than wet brining. When you wet brine, you are really just adding tap water to the meat. When you dry brine with salt and other rub, the juices from the meat itself are drawn out towards the skin and reabsorbed with the delicious salt and other seasonings you brined it with.

24 hours in the fridge with a salt rub will do it. I add a little baking powder for crispier skin as someone showed me a couple of years ago when I got into rotisserie chicken. You can also mix in a little brown sugar too. After brining, you can create a rub for your cook with all the normal goodies you'd use for a dry rub.

As we discussed in the other thread. 150-155 in the breast is plenty (read up on pasteurization times.) The dark meat cooks faster so it will be up to 170 ish by the time the center of the breast is at 155. If you wait until 165 F after a long slow cook you are going to have a much drier bird. I personally like the rotisserie for smoking because I have yet to find a pit that does not have some kind of hot spot and unlike brisket or pork, poultry is gets away from me really fast on the higher heat side.

ETA Last chicken I cooked. Cooked really evenly with flavor and with juices everywhere. The dry brining was critical, but I also assume the rotisserie helps it cook more evenly.

 

[hatfieldms]

Fried

 

[patdog]

Anyone injected with creole butter or other seasonings and then smoked ?
I hate the brining process of smoking a turkey.

By brother has done that with a few turkeys I’ve smoked. It’s not bad, but I prefer just a dry 24-hour brine. Really just personal preference.

 

[The Peeper]

Y'all overthinking this...the correct answer is Popeye's Cajun Fried.

Every time I walk into a Popeye's or heaven forbid I go through the drive thru, I leave pi$$ed off. So, for me it is definitely not an option

 

[ronpolk]

Great smoked turkey is better than good fried turkey. But most people who fry a turkey seem to be able to do it good enough. Most people who smoke a turkey end up with it being a little dry.

Agree with this. I prefer a fried turkey. I guess the cook is a little more involved with frying but it’s also more forgiving, like you mentioned.

 

[Ranchdawg]

OK, so the ole Devil had been reading the other turkey thread and the light went off in my head. That light was the idea of how people prefer their turkey prepared fried or smoked? I hate smoked turkey, now that is just my opinion, but for years we smoked and a coonass friend of mine introduced me to fried turkey about 20 years ago. I have never looked back. Now I know frying involves more money, and it is not easy to do. That being said, I am all about the end result. My coonass buddy showed me how to inject it with Cajun butter, throw a little seasoning on the outside and give that bad boy a hot dip.

 

[greenbean.sixpack]

Anyone injected with creole butter or other seasonings and then smoked ?
I hate the brining process of smoking a turkey.

Yes, last year i brined it, injected it, rubbed and smoked, it was good, but make no mistake, frying is the best method by a mile.

Can't wait to see what you cretins do with "rubbed and smoked" above. @Barkman Turner Overdrive what you got?

 

[dawgpoundrock]