First Turkey help please.

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Diva Q

Executive Chef
Joined
Nov 10, 2006
Messages
3,379
Location
Barrie, Ontario
Ok after seeing so many amazing pictures on here of Turkeys I decided that this year I would smoke 1 turkey and bake the other.

This will be my first Turkey. So I am looking for any advice and tips you can share. A friend of mine sent me a good brine recipe to try. I had always brined my other turkey for the oven.

I have a WSM.
 
Don't forget to put the water pan in empty...I forgot and had a nice semi-burnt bottom. Nevah again! Turned out alright though.
 
This year was the first year I've done this, like you after reading of other people doing it successfully, I thought I would try it.

I've never been happy with the color of my turkeys when they finish in the WSM always too dark and not that golden brown look everybody chases. Well this year I bought some cheesecloth from the grocery store and cut it to size large enough to fit over the turkey and soaked it in vinegar and melted butter then placed it over the turkey before putting it on the cooker.

Then about every hour I would mop the cheesecloth with melted butter to baste the bird. I removed the cloth the last hour or so and the bird was a nice golden brown this year.

If you google turkey/cheesecloth you'll get all kind of info on the process.
 
Bruce B said:
This year was the first year I've done this, like you after reading of other people doing it successfully, I thought I would try it.

I've never been happy with the color of my turkeys when they finish in the WSM always too dark and not that golden brown look everybody chases. Well this year I bought some cheesecloth from the grocery store and cut it to size large enough to fit over the turkey and soaked it in vinegar and melted butter then placed it over the turkey before putting it on the cooker.

Then about every hour I would mop the cheesecloth with melted butter to baste the bird. I removed the cloth the last hour or so and the bird was a nice golden brown this year.

If you google turkey/cheesecloth you'll get all kind of info on the process.
Bruce did the vinegar help to make the cheese cloth not stick to the bird?
 
Dave; YES it did, as easily as it went on, it came off just as easy, no sticking at all.
 
Diva, here is the brine Brian mentioned. You may want to give it a try.
2 quarts apple juice
1 lb brown sugar
1 cup kosher salt
3 quarts water
3 oranges, quartered
4 ounces fresh ginger, sliced thin
15 whole cloves
6 bay leaves
6 large garlic cloves, crushed
vegetable oil or melted, unsalted butter


1.Combine apple juice, brown sugar, and salt in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring to dissolve. Boil for one minute, remove from heat, let mixture come to room temperature, then refrigerate to 40*F.

2.In a large non-reactive container, combine the apple juice mixture with the remaining ingredients and stir. Place rinsed, drained whole bird into the brine. Use a heavy weight to keep the bird submerged, if necessary.

3.Refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Remove bird from brine and pat dry inside and out. Fold wing tips under the bird. Brush outside surface with vegetable oil or melted butter.
 
img_75936_0_6029914edb8a620ec0efdba0e45c9fbd.gif


Appreciate your responses!
 
Nick Prochilo said:
Diva, here is the brine Brian mentioned. You may want to give it a try.
2 quarts apple juice
1 lb brown sugar
1 cup kosher salt
3 quarts water
3 oranges, quartered
4 ounces fresh ginger, sliced thin
15 whole cloves
6 bay leaves
6 large garlic cloves, crushed
vegetable oil or melted, unsalted butter


1.Combine apple juice, brown sugar, and salt in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring to dissolve. Boil for one minute, remove from heat, let mixture come to room temperature, then refrigerate to 40*F.

2.In a large non-reactive container, combine the apple juice mixture with the remaining ingredients and stir. Place rinsed, drained whole bird into the brine. Use a heavy weight to keep the bird submerged, if necessary.

3.Refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Remove bird from brine and pat dry inside and out. Fold wing tips under the bird. Brush outside surface with vegetable oil or melted butter.

Exact one I used. Pretty damn tasty!
http://img175.imageshack.us/img175/9008/turkeykn7.jpg
 
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