T-Day Turkey

[srfn4vr]

Planning to spatch cock my Thanksgiving Turkey... How do I get crispy skin with the SnS. Mine turns out rubbery. Suggestions?

[Huskee]

Cook hotter. 340-360. Or start out at 400, then drop down to 340-360. Pat the skin dry before seasoning and placing on the grates. Use 3/4 to a full chimney so you get more longevity, since turkeys could take 2hrs+ depending on size. The standard 325 hot & fast lighting instructions are mainly for chicken, which only need ~90 minutes to cook, so you'll likely run out of coals before a turkey is done.

We've got a turkey recipe up at www.ABCbarbecue.com > BBQ techniques > turkey, in case you haven't seen it yet.

[Ernest]

Yeah, 6 pound turkey. LOL

[Jerod Broussard]

That would be a 6 pound poult.

[Thunder77]

Wait, Huskee, I 'm confused. On Meathead's turkey page, I see "dark meat towards the heat" On your ABC turkey page, I see the opposite, with breast meat toward the heat. Is it less important with the slow 'n sear?

[richinlbrg]

Also dry brine a day ahead of the cook.

[Huskee]

You have to be careful the turkey isn't labeled as "enhanced", "basted", "self basting" etc.

[richinlbrg]

Good catch, Huskee and thank you! I was just reading something else when it dawned on me that I forgot that caveat. ARRGGGHHHH

Also some use a light sprinkle of baking soda, but I have never needed to try it with the recommended temps.

[srfn4vr]

Thanks guys! Will give it a shot and let you know how it works out.

[Jerod Broussard]

I'm going to inject mine with a butter seasoning and then let it sit in the fridge for at least two days to allow the skin to dessicate.

[Huskee]

Thunder77 Good question! The short answer, yes, it's less important. But that's not to say it's unimportant. You'll notice when you cook a chicken or turkey, or anything for that matter, on a kettle with indirect heat that meat nearest the kettle wall on the far side from the heat source will get a little more done by the end of the cook. The outer kettle wall reflects heat back and tends to be a hotter spot. The meat nearest the SnS itself is also naturally a hotter spot. The area dead center, where most of us might cook most things, and perhaps where our probe sits, is the coolest spot. So the medium-short answer is we'd rather scorch the drumstick tips than the breasts.

[We're speaking of a spatchcocked turkey here]

When we cook poultry we usually cook hot, say 325 to 350, maybe even hotter, right? This will obviously cause even more redirected heat from the wall & lid than a rib cook at 225 would. If you positioned a turkey with breasts toward the outer kettle wall (drum tips toward the SnS) there's much less airspace between the top side of the turkey breasts and the kettle wall and lid, because turkey breasts can be tall. You run the chance of overdoing them prematurely. Spun around, with the legs toward the far wall, in effect the dark meat (legs and drumstick tips) is toward the higher heat, which here is the heat radiating back from the wall and lid. The tips of the breasts & wings are closer to the SnS but at less risk of being overcooked than if it were the other way.

When we cook a turkey it's often for a special occasion. And with the delicate white meat of turkey breasts being so susceptible to drying out and overcooking, we want to best odds of an even cook- white meat still juicy and dark meat not slimy. There's a thin line where those two goals are met, and an even thinner line with turkey than with chicken. But as always, experiment! If you find it works better for you the other way we'd love to hear back!

[Thunder77]

Thanks for the comprehensive answer! I had forgotten about the reflected heat from the wall of the kettle. I totally agree that we would rather scorch the leg tips than the breast. I think I will try a spin next time. Maybe rotate halfway thru the cook.