Smoking Christmas Turkeys

We are interested in smoking Christmas turkeys for Christmas dinner. Has anyone ever used or heard of the Big Green Egg smokers? I researched smokers online and found this web site--www.biggreenegg.com?

Any advice would be helpful and thanks for your assistance.

Also has any one deepfried a turkey before? Friends of ours in Georgia (last year when we visited at Thanksgiving) deepfried a turkey in peanut oil. Pretty tasty!! Any recommendations would be appreciated!

Foodie

 

Fried turkeys are popular also at Thanksgiving. You have to be VERY CAREFUL to read the instructions which carefully explain how to get the right amount of oil in the pot so it does not overflow.

Also eating the turkey as soon as it has been pulled out of the oil seems to taste best, at least to our family. There are many different types of injection fluid, which is done to make the turkey flavorful and skin crispy.

I read a story of a many who tried to fry a turkey in his garage for Thanksgiving. He did not read the directions, evidently, as he overflowed the hot oil and burned down much of his house, including his recently finished garage. Also like the guy who was BBQ'ing and had the grill too close to the house. Burned down his deck, which had just been finished.

 

jburrowshr--

Thanks for advice. We bought a turkey fryer today and are trying a deepfried turkey for dinner.

We also ordered the Big Green Egg Smoker and will also try it out for Christmas. Fried turkey is good as well as smoked turkey. Guess we will do both for Christmas.

Foodie

 

It's the 350deg oil that makes the skin crispy, not the injectable marinade.

 

I love AB, but I have to disagree with him here. It may reduce the chance of a volcano, but doesn't do much to sear the outside of the bird instantly locking in juices.

I do the opposite, I jack the temp to ~450-475 before I drop the bird in. This helps with the aforementioned searing, but when you're dropping in a ~40deg brid into hot oil, it's like a giant ice cube and takes the temp of the oil down fast. If you start high (safety be damned!) then the cold bird will cause the temp to settle at 350 in a minute or two and off you go.

It's gotta be noted that if you put the bird in the pot face down and aren't slow about it, the oil funnels up through it out it's arse and creates quite a dangerous flume of oil. Just lower it in slowly and it'll be fine.

(veteran turkey fryer, I've got about 30 under my belt )

 

brim,

I've been frying turkeys for about a year (it's the one big redneck tradition I adopted when I moved south). I've done about 5 of them, and learned by watching my brother-in-law (a true S.C. redneck) over the last several years.

Your technique is interesting, but I have been taught that when oil gets that hot it starts breaking down and can actually impart a "burned" flavor to the bird. Do you know anything about that?

Here are some of my turkey frying tips:
- Get as tall of a pot as possible
- Score the sides of the pot for oil levels for different weight birds so as not to over/under fill.
- Rinse and thoroughly dry the inside and outside of the THAWED bird in a large sink.
- Inject at least 1 ounce of marinade per pound of turkey. Minimize the injection points so as to minimize the avenues for juices to escape. I like milder injections like garlic butter. I've done teriyaki before, and I think the taste is way too strong.
- Rub the bird generously with a rub (I like the cajun shake)
- Let the injected/rubbed bird sit overnight in a plastic bag (I actually use two or three to make sure there are no leaks).
- Heat the oil to 350F, slowly lower the bird until submerged, then lift it out and lower it again another 2-3 times. This helps seal/sear the outside of the bird.
- The temperature will drop to about 300F, and will gradually creep back up as the bird cooks. By the time the cooking is about 2/3 to 3/4 done the oil should be back up to (and maintained at) 350F.
- Heat for about 3 1/4 minutes per pound. I've never had an under/overcooked bird using this timing, and I've done everything from 12 to 20 pound birds with this formula.
- You can re-use the oil once (or at most twice) as long as it won't be a long time between uses.

My last one (cooked on Thanksgiving day) was my best yet. I can't get enough of them!

Any thoughts or other tips?

 

Never heard that, but peanut oil has a high smoke point (450deg) as opposed to other oils so it shouldn't start breaking down until it reaches that point. I've never had a burnt tasting one come out of the pot, they've all been pretty good.

For marinade, I like Chef Williams' Creole Butter...not too strong and adds an excellent flavor.

The rest of your tips are good, also...just remember to put down a tarp or something and cook on a concrete slab if you can (no decks). But that's common sense.

 

I am getting hungry!

Gonna have to buy me one now

Pats - don't go too redneck on us!

 

Smoking Christmas Turkeys??????..........I guess they haven't read the Surgeon General's report....................................

 

The filtered ones are okay, but the unfiltered will put hair on your chest.

 

Personally, I prefer to freebase mine. If you're going to inject it, though, do it between your toes so the tracks won't show.

 

Thank you Brim!

 

You wouldn't recognzie me, T8er! I wear my coonskin cap while I'm fryin' my bird and pass the time by shootin' at squirrels on the front lawn. Loads o' fun!

 

Glad you are "blending" in. Wouldn't want them to categorize you as one of those "Northern Carpetbaggers"!

 

my father owned the "big green egg" back when it was caled a Hibachi- we got it in Taiwan in 1973 and still use it to THIS DAY. With mesquite or Jack Daniels soaked wood chips, the meat turns out AMAZING! We did break down and buy my dad the egg in 1999 since he Hibachi was showing its age. It does work well, but you can tell the craftsmanship/material is not even close to the original- they just made it LOOK the same as the original.

i digress- i vote YES on the egg if you can't get to Taiwan circa 1973!

 

Make sure y'all let us know when you start frying the turkey on your deck, in your garage, or next to your house so we can beat the fire trucks there...

 

Thanks "y'all" for info on deepfrying turkey. Hubby did great job and fried turkey--turned out delicious!

No fire trucks necessary (Just kidding!!)

Merry Christmas!!

Foodie

 

So...fire trucks were necessary then.

 

Smoked turkey? Use a charcoal grill (not a gas grill) or a charcoal smoker (not an electric smoker).

If using a charcoal grill, set up for indirect heat. Just set up in 'standard configuration' if you're using a charcoal smoker.

BBQ purists will suggest smoking at around 225° F.... but you will be smoking for 18-24 hours at that temperature. If you have a rig that will go that low -- and if you are patient enough to tend that bad boy for nearly a full day -- then go for it. But this is not for the faint of heart.

Most amateur BBQ nuts will be happy to smoke in the 300-350° F range, and at that temperature allow about 20-30 minutes per pound. The outside temperature, wind, and characteristics of your smoker are variables that will affect cooking time, so use an instant read meat thermometer to test for doneness. You should look for a reading of 180° F when you place it in the thigh (just behind the leg). (NOTE: If the air temp is below 40° F it's going to take a while. Don't attempt if the temp is below 25° F.)

Which woods to use? Hickory is a favorite, either on its own or in combination with a fruitwood like cherry or apple. Mesquite is great, but use it on its own. Oak is good, either by itself or with a fruitwood. Be sure that whatever wood you use is approved for BBQ use (e.g., some hickory woods are great for the fireplace but bad for BBQ because they are too resinous).

A final note.... the outside of the bird may look all burnt up and disastrous, but if prepared properly, what lies underneath will be moist and flavorful.