Fool proof turkey… need help!

[SkyKing]

I use a fresh turkey we get from the local farm…brine the bird for 24 hrs…brining really helps with the skin…you don’t need to do it longer…spatchcocking it helps it to cook evenly (and this is harder than doing a chicken because the bones are bigger)…I inject the bird with a homemade teriyaki sauce (this helps keeping the meat moist)…I also put a rub on the turkey and bast it during the cook with yum yum juice (melted butter with seasoning)…and I cook it at 350 until it’s done…I take it off when the white meat reaches 160…and let it rest until it reaches 165 before I cut it…

 

[ronaldbretzke]

Hey everyone… I have a 1070 and the family wants me to smoke a 13-15lb turkey for thanksgiving. I have been going over the forum and see lots of suggestions and ideas but I really need to look down a fool proof approach. Right now… I’m thinking to start with a 2 day wet brine… then one day to dry out in the fridge. For the smoke I was going to stick with 275. But I have seen others crank up the temp towards the end. What’s do you guys think is the best way to do this? Also how long should I plan on it taking to get to 165 for a 13-15lb bird? Thank you all for your help!

Lots of opinions, so I won't add mine, just remember, turkeys such as butterball are prebrined. Choose your turkey carefully. Brining may not be necessary. I also inject mine. The best advice I've seen here is to try one before your gathering. Adjust accordingly. I always have a ham as backup for the unforeseen oops, lol! Good luck

 

[jasonbr1975]

This is what I did last year. My first one. I used a 12 lb bird but will go bigger this year to 15 lb.

• Defrost fully
• Brine at least overnight, even if it’s pre-brined
• Spatchcock
• Inject and season outside
• 225 degrees till breast at 150 degrees then crank up the temp to 300 degrees to finish it off
• About 17 minutes/lb so a 13-15 pound bird ~ 4 hours
• When done, remove, place on pan, wrap in foil and let sit ~ 25 minutes before carving up

I come from the ‘only way to cook a turkey is to fry it’ land, but I won’t be frying turkeys anymore. And I’ve been frying turkeys for over 15 years. Plus that dam turkey oil now is like $40/box. Pellets don’t cost that much.
Good luck

 

[Hawkikr1]

I attempted my first bird yesterday to prep for the holidays coming up and it turned out pretty decent. It’s a 12lb bird that I just defrosted and coated in olive oil and used a sweet and savory BBQ rub that I’ve used on ribs in the past. I coated a few cuts of butter with the rub also and put under the skin. It’s was possibly the juiciest turkey I’ve ever cooked but I need to tweak it to get more flavor out of her. I also used this turkey stand off Amazon which I think really helped with the cook. What types of injection are y’all using maybe that’s what I need to do to drive the flavor profile up a notch.

Turkey Roaster - Original Upside... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00795V9F4?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

 

[Edthebook]

Be careful how you make the presentation if you go for the Norman Rockwell look

 

[Crubos]

Hey everyone… I have a 1070 and the family wants me to smoke a 13-15lb turkey for thanksgiving. I have been going over the forum and see lots of suggestions and ideas but I really need to look down a fool proof approach. Right now… I’m thinking to start with a 2 day wet brine… then one day to dry out in the fridge. For the smoke I was going to stick with 275. But I have seen others crank up the temp towards the end. What’s do you guys think is the best way to do this? Also how long should I plan on it taking to get to 165 for a 13-15lb bird? Thank you all for your help!

Spatchcock, dry brine with salt and other spices. Pull in fridge for at least 12-24 hours. Smoker temp at 325°. 1.5 hour cook time for 12# turkey