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PBC Turkey 2, got it right this time.

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    PBC Turkey 2, got it right this time.


    Wife didn't like the S&G rub so I used the PBC All Purpose rub. Tried to keep it at 325 (ambient was 33), wasn't too hard to do I just left it with the top off for about 10 minutes and hung the turkey on a single rebar, leaving the other out. It dropped to about 300 twice, once about a half hour in and then about an hour in but I needed to take the foil off the legs anyway.

    I rubbed inside the skin all over with a 50/50 mixture of olive oil and the AP rub. Last time I injected a few hours before nad it frankly made a pretty gross mess as it squeezed out over time, this time I injected about 10 minutes before putting it on. Some folks said you could get a crispy skin with some oil on it so just before putting it in the pit I gave it a good massage and sprinkled lightly with more AP rub.

    I did 2 things that were kind of unique, first I ran across a video for spatchcocking where they scored down the center of the breastbone inside so I tried that, was able to flatten that sucker without a wizard of any kind. The other thing is that I really want hooks that turn the other direction cause sometimes they can get pretty tricky to remove, so I put the hole through as normal but then removed it and slid it in from the other side so the hooks go the same direction.

    Results were fantastic, beast turkey i've eaten by a bit, many others said the same. Skin was really crispy, the family tore it all off and ate it before I was finished slicing.

    Shout if you have any questions, about to start prepping for the big event.

    Potato quality pic here, not really spread out but you can see how seasoned it was. It was a little spicy at the end, just the skin, so you might want to hold off a bit on the outside coating.
    Click image for larger version

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    Here is the final, I didn't oil his little foil booties so a little skin came off during removal but that's it. Note one hook from the inside and one from the outside so they face the same direction.

    Click image for larger version

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    Edit: one more pic, might be a little better.

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    Last edited by _John_; November 15, 2014, 09:57 PM.

    #2
    Deja vu

    Comment


      #3
      looks good, where did you put your thermo probe and what temp did you take it too?

      Comment


      • _John_
        _John_ commented
        Editing a comment
        The temp jumped up pretty fast at the end, was 167 in the breast when I pulled. I inserted the probe from the top, right through the center of the breast going down.

      #4
      I want more info, John! First of all thanks for that tip about scoring the breastbone from the back to aid in spatchcocking. What a good idea. Your successful cook has got me pumped for my Turkey Day cook! That bird looks as good as it apparently tasted.

      Now for the questions: because you feel that the bird was almost over-seasoned, how will you modify the seasonings for the next turkey cook?

      Did you hook under the armpits into the back ribs like MTFord (Matt) did?

      Finally, the stats:

      Weight?
      Cooking time?
      Final meat temp?
      Started fire with chimney or lighter fluid?
      Wood used?

      Kathryn
      Last edited by fzxdoc; November 16, 2014, 07:21 AM.

      Comment


      • _John_
        _John_ commented
        Editing a comment
        This one was 14.5 pounds
        Came in right at 2 hours
        Pulled when the breast was 167 (was shooting for a little lower but it jumped up quicker than I expected).
        I used a chimney with about 40 coals and lit with charcoal bag. I didn't let them ash over as much as I normally do, I wanted them to have plenty of fire so they could set off all my other coals.
        I used 4 chunks of Hickory. The first cook I just used 1 piece, but my family likes really smokey meat, so I obliged! Hickory and Mesquite were all I add, I think I'll use some fruit wood on T-day but I think a piece of Hickory will still be in order.

      • fzxdoc
        fzxdoc commented
        Editing a comment
        Thanks for the additional information, John. I've filed it away in the turkey portion of my brain for my next cook.

        How will you change your rub approach next time?

        Did you hook the turkey under the armpits and through the back ribs? It doesn't look like the hooks went through the breast meat.

        Kathryn

      • _John_
        _John_ commented
        Editing a comment
        Close to the arm pits, just got them through the bone and wasn't too worried.
        I don't think I'll change anything. I really like the oil rub mixture under the skin, it takes some work because you know, it isn't supposed to separate, but the skin doesn't seem like it would let any rub through so putting it directly on the muscle adds flavor. The skin tightens up and locks it all in. My sisters came while I was cutting it up and at all of the skin, so it was a good thing I had some on the meat!

        Edit: After a couple of drops, my main goal is to get as much meat on the pointy end as possible, so the hook on these only comes out about a quarter of an inch which didn't even break the skin.
        Last edited by _John_; November 16, 2014, 02:54 PM.

      #5
      I have to ask- why cut the breast bone when spatchcocking? Typically it's the back bone you cut. You might find this much easier. Then press on the breast bone and snap it flat. Unless turkeys are a different animal in that regard.

      Comment


      • fzxdoc
        fzxdoc commented
        Editing a comment
        I think he cut out the backbone and then scored the breastbone to make it easier to mash flat, Huskee. When I spatchcocked a turkey it was almost impossible to mash that breastbone flat. I ended up standing on a chair next to the counter and pushing down on the breastbone with all my might. It was hard. I pulled a shoulder muscle doing it. Cutting out the backbone first was not so easy either. It was a chore.

        Matt (mtford) removed the breastbone altogether when he spatchcocked his turkey, which I found was an interesting technique as well.

        Kathryn

      • _John_
        _John_ commented
        Editing a comment
        Kathryn answered below, but on my first bird I was expecting to have to apply quite a bit of pressure, so I did, and it did nothing to the breast bone but did crush the rib cage into many sharp pieces. This second time I scored it a few times, it goes deep pretty easily, and barely pushed at all.

      #6
      Gotcha, I misunderstood. Sorry about your shoulder!

      Comment


      • fzxdoc
        fzxdoc commented
        Editing a comment
        That was two years ago, Huskee. Shoulder muscle healed in a couple of days with some bourbon therapy.

        This year I had the butcher spatchcock the turkeys for me.

        Kathryn

      #7
      When "mis-direction" hooks are a problem, I work with the whole rebar. I don't hang, I insert the rebar in the Pit Barrel with the dead flesh already attached.

      Comment


        #8
        Nice job John. That looks awesome!

        Comment


          #9
          It sure doesn’t look like Norman Rockwell’s version. But spatchcocking is the secret to making the best turkey you’ve ever had—in half the time


          great video on the web page link above on spatchcocking and carving up a bird

          Comment


          • fzxdoc
            fzxdoc commented
            Editing a comment
            Thanks, charchamp. it looks so easy when they do it! Scoring the underside of that keel bone must be the secret to mashing the breast flat with relative ease.

            Kathryn

          #10
          Is a 19# Bird to big to spatchcock and hang thru the armpits? Legs could be playing in the coal basket. Has anyone tried spatchcocking and place on the grate?

          Comment


          • fzxdoc
            fzxdoc commented
            Editing a comment
            I've seen several spatchcocked turkeys placed on the grate, both on the PBC and on Weber charcoal grills. Meathead has a nice photo of a spatchcocked turkey on a grate (not a PBC, though) on his Ultimate Turkey page.

            As for hanging the bird on the PBC, if you do get enough clearance for those legs, be sure to oil some foil and cover the tips to prevent the ends from burning.


            Kathryn
            Last edited by fzxdoc; November 24, 2014, 06:51 AM.

          #11
          Looks awesome John! I hope mine turns out 1/2 a good. PBC is arriving Friday.

          I am still a bit imtimidated with the hooking and hanging in the PBC, but those dudes look pretty heavy duty.

          My family didn't like the S&G rub either (I did a dry run on chicken breasts) and am going to give Huskee's rib rub (see other thread) on chicken.

          We love Tony Chachere's usually on all things poultry, but I don't want to get too burned out on it.

          Comment


          • _John_
            _John_ commented
            Editing a comment
            Don't worry about the hooking, you shouldn't have a problem at all as long as you put as much hook in the meat as you can, preferably under bone. I have only had a couple of things drop, and that was due to how tender they got. Pork shoulder is too heavy and gets too tender to hang under its own weight, so always take it off the hooks around 160 but everything else should be ok.

          #12
          Thanks for the info - with all the Murphy's Law that seems to exist in my life my worst fear would be to have meat drop in the fire.

          Kinda like the fat kid in Stand By Me when they are cooking their burgers on sticks over the campfire. D'OH!!

          Comment


          • Marauderer
            Marauderer commented
            Editing a comment
            Nah, you will do fine HC. If you can fit a safety rack under it it will give you a little piece of mind.

          #13
          How did your turkey cook go HC in SC ? I am planning on doing this tomorrow afternoon. I just started the dry brining with the PBC AP rub. Shooting for that crisp skin like _John_ was able to get.

          Comment


          • HC in SC
            HC in SC commented
            Editing a comment
            Mine went good, but I made a couple of (recoverable) mistakes.

            I used Memphis Dust (with salt) as a dry brine on the bird (12 pounder).

            Before putting on the PBC I covered the bird lightly with olive oil and put more Memphis Dust on it.

            I let the PBC do its thing and it jumped up to 290 right off the rip, but I left it alone and it settled down to 250 or so after 20-30 mins.

            NOTE: I cooked mine on the grate, I did not hang it. I just ordered the new turkey hanger and it should eliminate both of my issues below.

            Here's were my mistakes come in:

            1. I did not put enough lump coal in the firebasket. I know that a heaping mound full of coal will get me 10-12 hours on the PBC so I skimped and only put 1/4 of a basket full. My heat source went out after 3 hours and bird had to be wrapped and finished in the oven. Definitely use a 1/2 basket of lump / charcoal.

            2. I failed to cut the "pope's nose" off of the birds aft end. By doing that it allowed a ton of water and juices to build up in the cavity. Had I done this, issue #1 might not have been an issue as the water and juices would have slowly tricked out of the bird and evaporated.

            I had to finish the bird (covered) in a 250 degree oven for about 1 hour to get up to temp. All of the liquid accumulation in the cavity cooled it so much that even 3 hours at full temp only the turkey up to 150 or so. I (of course) drained all the liquid out before putting in a covered pan in the oven.

            Even with my issues everyone said the meat was moist and tasty - even the breast meat. The leftovers made great sammiches too.

            The only thing I might do different next time would be to butterball the turkey (inject melted butter in the bird).

            Good luck!
            Last edited by HC in SC; November 1, 2015, 09:24 AM.

          #14
          I'm curious if in the turkey cooks whether you placed any sort of pan to try and catch some "juice" for the gravy? It kind of seems like Meathead's gravy recipe may not work with the PBC (at least not without some creativity)?

          Comment


          • _John_
            _John_ commented
            Editing a comment
            Nope, but you can use the neck and maybe wings and stuff to get you some of that flavor. Better yet do a practice bird and make some stock from the carcass.

          • PappyBBQ
            PappyBBQ commented
            Editing a comment
            Yeah. Make the stock and reduce it. Then pour it into ice cube trays and freeze. Keeps for a nice long time and you can just pull out cubes as you need 'em. I do this for chicken, turkey, beef, pork and veggies. Much better than store bought and I get to leave out all of the preservatives, etc.

          • New2Cue
            New2Cue commented
            Editing a comment
            In the past, I've always made turkey stock in advance with turkey necks, legs, wings, etc. While the bird is resting, I start making the gravy and add some of the drippings from the turkey that were released from the bird while it is resting.

          #15
          has anyone tried hanging the turkey, with a tray full of veggies/trimmings/water on the grate to catch drippings? going to give that a shot this weekend with a chicken, if it works that'll probably be how I do my turkey this year.

          Comment


          • New2Cue
            New2Cue commented
            Editing a comment
            Will you have room between the bird and the grate? It seems like the space between the rebars and grate is too small, unless you added a lower rack to your PBC (which would be a good mod in my opinion).

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