Smoking, Roasting, or Frying. How are you having your Turkey this Thanksgiving?

[ThunderDome]

I was asked to cook a turkey breast to contribute to our family pot luck.

In the past, I've smoked a few on the UDS. They were good...but I'm going for great.

I was thinking that I should go for the whole bird, spatchcock it and cook it indirect on the kettle. I figure if this is my fave way to cook whole chickens, than why not a turkey? Any opinions?

Found a couple links...but it's just like a chicken
http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2...ng-recipe.html

http://www.marthastewart.com/275445/...sgiving#190956

Going to brine it for sure. Got some creole butter for an injection. Any other tips or tricks out there?

What is your Turkey plan for the Holidays?

[chisoxjim]

Doing a whole stuffed bird in the oven traditional style - grabbing the bird this weekend @ the farm.

Also going to brine a fresh turkey breast for a quick turkey pastrami on the WSM.

[TasunkaWitko]

thunder - if you really want GREAT - try a turkey version of this, with stuffing etc. instead of eggs and meat:



easy instructions for boning here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kAekQ5fzfGM

the video is for a chicken, but the idea should still be the same.

as for us, we'll just be roasting a whole bird in the oven. we bought an 18-pound turkey from the local hutterite colony, and it will be nice and fresh!

[MichChef]

"I was thinking that I should go for the whole bird, spatchcock it and cook it indirect on the kettle. I figure if this is my fave way to cook whole chickens, than why not a turkey? Any opinions?"
I don't have a kettle grill, but I do cook spatchcocked turkeys over the campfire under a Weber lid a lot and they turn out great.

Our Thanksgiving Day bird will be cooked at my brother inlaws and most likely either in the oven or in an electric roaster, but my wife and I always cook ourselves a bird so we have meat for ourselves, usually in the oven, but this year I'm thinking about throwing it in the Showtime rotisserie.
I did just find a really good sounding recipe for spatchcocking one and roasting it in the oven though.

[SmokinOutBack]

Smoking a brined turkey breast on the kettle, this'll be the 4th consecutive year for that. Just 2 of us so not necessary to do a whole bird. I actually wanted to do a ham this year, but she wanted the traditional turkey with homemade stuffing, yams, etc. Probably do another pulled ham soon as I pick up a butt to cure.

[tenacious bee]

Smoking a small turkey for Xmas. Mrs. Bee looks forward to cooking the T'day meal so I am sitting that one out aside from a couple of pounds of chocolate covered bacon. My plan was to brine, cover in evoo and MH. Indirect for an hour at 300 to let the pecan wood do it's thing then a baste of evoo and melted butter . Taking the temp to 375 until the internal is where I want it. I will most likely turn it over halfway through the last stage. Hoping for a semi crisp skin all over. I have no clue what I am going to put it in for the brine stage.

[eDJ]

Re:

I'm getting the mods done on my ECB now and I'm hoping to smoke a Turkey Breast here at home just for me and that crazy ol'tom cat who
adopted me.

Figure I'll make that "Holiday Sausage Stuffing", some of Curious Aardvark's "Cumberland Sauce", I'll Dutch Oven some Horseradish Scalloped Potatoes, and fix up some Green Beans. No doubt I'll bake
some yams and marshmallows.....wouldn't be the same without those
little yams.

I figure I'll find a cardboard box the ECB will fit in and go on the road
with it and visit a few friends just before Turkey Day. That way we can
smoke the birds right before the day at a few of their places. (ten stow them in a warming oven till dinner) Maybe the ECB can handle a couple
10+ lb birds.

[rbranstner]

I'll be brining and smoking 4-6 birds this weekend for a few people at work and one for myself. This will be my 3rd year doing them this way and we just love them. They are fully cooked and they just need to be reheated on turkey day.

[someAZdude]

Nice! I'll be frying a couple injected with creole butter. Can't wait!

[MrZip66]

Going to MH Brine and smoke a beer can turkey on the WSM. Found me a local source for 10-12 pound birds. I can't wait.

[Richtee]

I have no clue what I am going to put it in for the brine stage.

If you like...I can take that out of the equation for you, Vern. I'll send along a half gallon of the poultry brine, gratis. Find some of the 2 gallon Zips.

[Otis857]

Why Smoked of course! Brined, Creole butter & chicken broth injected = yum. I started smokin em about 5 years back and haven't looked back.

[MrZip66]

I have no clue what I am going to put it in for the brine stage.

Sometimes I don't want to deal with the ziploc bags and have brined them in a plastic garbage bag. Burp the air, twist em up tight and they work fine...

[PreacherRodgers]

I will be frying. I love them that way. I've found that two small turkeys fry up better than one big one.

[Richtee]

Sometimes I don't want to deal with the ziploc bags and have brined them in a plastic garbage bag. Burp the air, twist em up tight and they work fine...

Problem is is there is no guarentee they are food safe. Some even have anti-bacterial things, or scents in/on them.