Finally got the turkey hanger and im trying a whole fryer before thanksgiving as a test run on the PBC.So to keep it simple i have 2 questions-- (1)Knowing the breast has to be 165 IT Will the dark meat be done around the same time?---(2)Any tips/tricks of cooking a whole fryer on the PBC?Dry brine -Inject -ECT? Thanks up front.Im feeling okay but i would like to not screw this up.Thought about after injecting to leave it open air in the frig to dry the skin..Things like that.
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Yep watched Steven Raichlen Saturday and from my own experience cooking birds is one thing you have to turn around part way during the cook on a PBC, Start breast down and when it reaches 140 or so pull it and go butt down until it reaches 155-160. Pull and allow for carry over cooking to raise the temp to carry it up another 5-10 degrees. It has been a while since I have owned a PBC so I don't remember times. Just make sure you have good thermometers that you can monitor from outside the PBC. -
Can't wait to hear what you find out reddog. I'm doing the bird in the PBC this year too. It will be nice to get a little preview of what to expect.Comment
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Here's what's worked great for doing turkey on the PBC.
Dry brines work well and def. less fuss than wet brine. Throw a dry rub on the day of that doesn't have salt so you avoid doubling down on sodium.
Run the rebar diagonally, going through the top of the turkey hanger, and run until internal temp hits 150, then crack the lid until it hits 160 in the breast. The one bar will help keeps temps elevated which is great for breaking down fat. With this much meat and how long it rests for the 160 temp is allowing for some temp carryover.Comment
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I always spatchcock the bird before throwing it on the PBC. It comes out much better. There is much less fuss and it always comes out with some killer skin. I like to dry brine it, let it sit in the fridge, uncovered until it is time to cook.
Follow the steps in Meathead's recipe for turkey on a charcoal grill and let it rip! The PBC is a turkey cooking machine. All you need to know is in that recipe. Instead of putting it on a kettle, like the recipe says, just throw it in the PBC. I like to run hot, like 350 F-400 F. You don't need to flip it, or rehook or anything like that. Let it rip and you'll be good to go.Comment
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Only thing I’m concerned with is the temps everyone is shooting for.
I don’t own a PBC. But I would think the carry over would be more like 15-20*. Especially in a whole bird of that size. PBC’s seem to cook faster and at a higher temperature than most other cookers.
Hopefully an expert like fzxdoc will chime in and get you on the right path.
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I can not speak for a PBC but I cook a truckload (literally) of Bird. Here’s what I know.
Whole birds hold heat and rest up like a BEAST. I’m assuming by your post that this is a test run as you said. But is this chicken or turkey?
if you cook hot n fast as I’ve heard that PBC likes to do and you pull at 155° to 160° and let it rest you will likely be eating (way) overcooked bird.
It has been forever since I read MH recipe for the cut bird referenced above. Honestly I don’t remember what he said. I’m sure It was professional and true though.
also I would suggest deciding on what part (of the bird) you are cooking it for. The breast, the thighs or the skin etc.. that doesn’t mean it won’t cook evenly. It will cook just fine together when you get it down.
often you will sacrifice the skin during the rest for the meat. There is a sweet spot though and that will come with trial and error. Eat the practice..
all of it can be delicious so long as it’s not overcooked. Use a leave in probe.
i hope this helps.Last edited by HouseHomey; October 11, 2019, 06:56 PM.Comment
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I just hang em and go until the breast is 150F. Then I pull it. Carryover lasts more than 5 minutes and since 5 minutes above 150F makes it safe...
the legs/thighs usually are about 165 when the breast hits 150. They will carryover also. Though it kind of depends on how it hangs/leans.
if you’ve got room to fit it spatchcock is more reliable, and since it’s thinner you can run hotter to crisp the skin the same time the inside is done. but hanging is even less work.
Hanging I run 350 for chickens 325 for turkeys, for spatchcock you can run 400-450 and be fine. The key temp to run is that the skin is as brown and crisp as you want it the exact same time the inside finishes.Last edited by Polarbear777; October 11, 2019, 07:19 PM.Comment
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So just be to sure this works for whole fryers as well?Doing a turkey later - whole fryer as a test run saturday.And the rebar will fit in the turkey hanger?I havent checked that yet.ThanksOriginally posted by kill2grill View PostComment
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Edit, I forgot that the turkey hanger had a hole to thread the rebar. The single cross rebar mode should work to get you up to temp.
I’ve heard of folks getting 1/4†rebar at the hardware store and using that instead, to allow more exhaust space.Last edited by Polarbear777; October 12, 2019, 06:35 AM. -
Yes. It works for both. One rebar should keep your temps in the 330+ range which is ideal for crispy skin and rendering out fat.
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Does this mean with your method the turkey is placed on the grate?Originally posted by Spinaker View PostComment
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Here's a 2014 post that I wrote about smoking turkeys in the PBC, based on one of the many cooks I've done with turkeys. I edited it to update it to my current method.Originally posted by Steve B View Post
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Spatchcocked Heritage Turkey: 14 lbs
Cook Time: 1.5 hours
Ave PBC Temp: 331 degF
Ambient temp: 32 degF
Cooking method:- Fresh turkey. The night before I oiled and rubbed the meat (breast, thighs, legs) under the skin and the open back of the spatchcocked turkey with vegetable oil and PBC All Purpose rub. I used about 2 Tablespoons of AP Rub and just enough oil to make it work. I put the oil on first then sprinkle the rub on, then rub it all in. (edited to add: I no longer use oil except to oil the aluminum foil that I make the little turkey bootees with)
I lightly sprinkled the skin with the PBC AP rub mixed with (aluminum free) baking powder. PBC AP rub 1 Tablespoon: ½ Tablespoon Aluminum-free baking powder (edited to add: now I use 1 TBL PBC AP to 1 tsp aluminum-free baking powder) . I did not use oil on the skin at this time. I let the turkey sit, uncovered in the refrigerator for 24 hours to let the skin dry out. - I had taken the backbones, necks, hearts, gizzards, and pope's noses, tied them up in cheesecloth for easy removal and made a broth with them (and other poultry parts) using a modified version Chef Kenzo-Alt's recipe (Serious Eats). For umami, I used tomato paste instead.
I made 24 cups of broth, using 10 cups (2.5 quarts) in the gravy and 12 cups (3 quarts) in the two pans of stuffing. - Just before loading onto the PBC I injected the breasts, legs, and thighs with melted butter.
- Note: the bird is very cold and the butter gets hard and will not come out of the injector unless it is relatively warm going in. So the butter has to be warmer than room temp but not hot to the touch in order to keep the injector from clogging.
- I rubbed the skin with oil (edited to add: I no longer use oil here), sprinkled on a little more PBC AP rub, hooked under the armpits into the back, and hung the bird in the PBC.
Smoker method:- 40 coals in chimney 15 min, poured on unlit coals, distributed evenly with tip of rebar.
- Left lid off and rebars out for 10 minutes
- Put lid on and rebars out for 10 more minutes: 425 deg F smoker temp at this point
- Hung turkey from two hooks under armpits and through back. Feet were 4-5 inches from coals.
- I had previously covered the feet with oiled foil booties to prevent burning.
- Left 1 rebar out for the entire cook.
- Added 4 oz Applewood to the hot coals.
- Temp climbed to 300 and began to drop after 5 minutes, so I cracked the lid for 18 minutes until temp reached 397. Put lid back on. Temp gradually decreased over 1 hour to 303, when I cracked the lid again for 11 min. Twenty minutes later I cracked the lid again for 10 min. Temp would not rise over 328. Then I let the PBC do its thing because the meat was done in 1 hour 30 min.
I find the PBC runs so moist and the turkey kicks out a lot of moisture, adding to the moist environment that I have never had a problem with the turkey being dry when I take the breast to 160°. By that time the legs are in the 180° range, which is perfect. But pulling in the 150s as some experts here have suggested is probably not a bad idea. You be you with that.
Spatchcocking is, IMO, essential to getting a perfectly cooked bird. I use pruning shears from Lowe's (kept in the kitchen drawer; never used on bushes or plants) to snip out that turkey (chicken too) backbone. Works great.
If you'd like to try a frying chicken on the PBC as a test run here is a post describing my method, FWIW:
Split Chicken on the PBC
You may want to spatchcock the chicken instead of splitting it to get closer to a turkey cook.
When I first got my PBC I did a turkey test run in October with a Butterball 12 lb frozen turkey, thawed. I learned a lot from that cook. It was a good way to create some new turkey-smoking neural pathways so I wasn't as nervous with the Thanksgiving bird for family and company. Just a thought.
Have fun smoking that turkey, ReDDoG !
KathrynLast edited by fzxdoc; October 19, 2019, 03:06 PM.Comment
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Yes on the using hardware store tools for spatchcocking.
I hadn’t thought about spatchcocking and ALSO hanging. I must have missed that before. That’s a great idea and that picture says it all.Last edited by Polarbear777; October 12, 2019, 06:37 AM.
- Fresh turkey. The night before I oiled and rubbed the meat (breast, thighs, legs) under the skin and the open back of the spatchcocked turkey with vegetable oil and PBC All Purpose rub. I used about 2 Tablespoons of AP Rub and just enough oil to make it work. I put the oil on first then sprinkle the rub on, then rub it all in. (edited to add: I no longer use oil except to oil the aluminum foil that I make the little turkey bootees with)
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Thanks everyone for the help as usual.Sorry i didnt get any pics.But it was a 6lb whole fryer injected and dry brined overnite.Did the usual start up and hung her till 150 IT cracked the lid until 158 ish.Let her rest for 20 minutes.Im truly in love with how my first whole bird turned out on the PBC.Turkey is next.Love how alittle prep and love the day before goes along way.ThanksComment
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