Tell the Pack: Brine your turkey

[RiverCityDawg]

If someone wants to flirt with medium rare turkey, it's a free country. As for me and my house...

All poultry: Cook poultry (ground or whole) to an internal temperature of 165 F as measured with a food thermometer. https://www.usda.gov/media/blog/2022/10/03/cooking-meat-it-done-yet

The problem is the carry over cooking. If the white meat is already 165 when you pull it from the smoker, it's going to easily be over 170, upwards to 175 after the rest. It's edible at that temp, especially if you brined it, but it's not going to be as good as it could be.

Pulling it between 155 no more than 160 will still have it at 165 when you are ready to carve it up. I promise you it will not seem the least bit undercooked.

The dark meat will be fine, you just have to monitor the white meat. When I do it the dark meat around 175-180.

All this applies for chicken as well.

 

[HRMSU]

Saw those at Costco, but we were concerned "roast" as code for an amalgamation of turkey meat.

I've converted to this when smoking turkey. It's faster and easier to serve....just slice it up like brisket. No bones, carcass or waste just great slices of smoked turkey.

Spatchcock would be my choice for a whole turkey or chicken if I didn't just do the chicken or turkey breast.

 

[aTotal360]

Wait...people still eat turkey when there are significantly better options?

 

[Dawgbite]

Dang, this is not the norm, from what those who work food service tell me.

Might not be the norm but this is a local mom and pop that I’ve known all my life and they change the oil every day, or at least they used to. It’s on its third generation so things could have changed, plus I haven’t gotten any used oil in several years. We just don’t fry anything anymore.

 

[Dawgbite]

Saw those at Costco, but we were concerned "roast" as code for an amalgamation of turkey meat.

It really is an amalgamation. I’ve seen them all white meat and mixed but you won’t smoke a better turkey.

 

[HotMop]

This is the best turkey I've ever eaten. I make it every year. This year instead of cooking it in a roaster I'm going to put it in the smoker. I'll still keep it in a pan as I don't need all the butter flaming up.

 

[HotMop]

View attachment 696100

A man of distinction.

 

[IBleedMaroonDawg]

I guess cooking it in the oven is not cool anymore. Well, I've never been cool anyway. I will try the dry brine method.

 

[dog12]

I refuse to cook or eat turkey.

Put me on the list DCD.

(We're having shrimp and grits for our Thanksgiving meal.)

 

[Perd Hapley]

I've not seen an air fryer big enough to do this. Impressive.

In this case I think air fry = propane convection fryer. Chargriller Big Easy can do up to a 16 lb turkey.