Turkey and Cambro - does it work?

[Hugh]

I'm going to have to hold some turkey after cooking for an hour or two. I have a warming drawer that is 165 degrees or I can use my cooler and towels. What is folks experience with holding turkey over? I'm concerned with it getting dry.

[emil.glatz]

Stay above 130 to ward off the salmon-ella, and you're fine. It will eventually dry out, but I think the cooking will be more important than the holding... If it was me, I'd foil it so it marinates in the juices, probe it to make sure it's warm enough, and place it in the cooler. Maybe add a jug or two of hot water to stabilize temp. Maybe add hot butter to the foil.

Finally, if all else fails, gravy helps.

[PaulstheRibList]

For a two hour hold, you are well within the food-safe timeline. The bird will hold above 140 for most or all of that, and your 2 hour clock does not start until it dips below 140.

[PaulstheRibList]

I have not held turkey in either of those options. But if I had to choose, I would use the cooler system, rather than the oven. Oven will result in more loss of moisture. What you may plan on is moving from the cooler to the oven, if your bird has cooled off more than you desire as you are cutting to serve.

I would definitely pre-heat the cooler with hot water to keep your bird warmer, longer.

[Hugh]

Thanks guys, this is helpful. My instinct was the drawer but I like this solution better. Probing to keep an eye to ensure over 140 makes sense. With a starting temp of 165, if I wrap it, put in a hot water bottle and some towels, faux cambro will work perfectly.

[ecowper]

I hold turkeys in a cambro. What I do is foil wrap it with the big 24” wide Reynolds wrap. Then I wrap it in a towel, then into the ice chest it goes with towels packed around it. It holds well for up to two hours. I prefer to only hold for 1 hour. Seems like the sweet spot. In the 2 hour range, I find the turkey has dried out a bit, even wrapped in foil, and the skin loses some of its crunchiness.

I would also say that, while you can definitely hold a turkey in a cambro, it doesn't have the same impact as holding a brisket. That is, the turkey doesn't dramatically improve with that hold/rest.

[CandySueQ]

I've started leaving my ChefAlarm hooked up when I move meat to cambro. That way I can monitor the temps. What ecowper says about the skin is right on point. You can compensate dryness with butter under breast for added moisture or injecting flavorful liquid in the breast before cooking, but you can't hold and get crunchy skin (that I've been able to figure out).

[ecowper]

I hold turkey in a cambro because I have to, usually. Personal preference is to carve and serve within 20 minutes of coming off the grill. :-)

[Potkettleblack]

You could completely remove the skin and bake separately to a crisp (on parchment, between two cookie sheets), but it wouldn't protect on the grill/out of the oven.

[EdF]

I prefer to serve within 20 minutes too, but then I'm not doing the sides for these meals.