Thanksgiving Turkey Planning Questions

StellarEvo

Thanksgiving is rapidly approaching and I'm really excited as I (like many of you) think it is the BEST food day of the year.  I've wanted to do a Egged turkey for a couple of years and not had the chance.  I hoping this is the year for me.  On to the questions!

My biggest concern is coordination.  I am a big fan of cooking the food, letting it rest for the needed amount of time and serving it directly.  For other long cooks, I'll start cooking at random hours so it finishes and can rest in a cooler on the way to where we are going because I have it in my head that reheating food before it has been eaten the first time is wrong.

With that said, we do lunch with one side of the family and that's the target for the turkey.  My wife does a half-marathon in the morning which is 3/4 of the way to the side of the family we have for lunch so it doesn't make sense to go home after her race.  

Do you put a turkey in a cooler to transport?  

Does turkey even need to rest or does it go from the the Egg to the table?

Will the turkey need to be reheated if it takes 3 or 4 hours after I pull it?

I just doubt that I'll be able to make this work and have it be as delicious as my standards are for food off the Egg.  Maybe my concerns are silly but as somebody that has had zero part in ever preparing a turkey, I'd like to know how other people that Egg a turkey handle it before going to visit family.

fishlessman

the only problem i see with food to cooler for a turkey is carryover temps, you might need to get it out of the egg at a lower internal temp than your used to cooking it too. my turkeys usually sit out resting for maybe 45 minutes before carving, turkey doesnt need to be piping hot when serving

Griffin

You can definitely FTC a turkey. I've done it in the past while waiting on the side dishes to finish up.

stonedog03

I just did an 11# in my BGE.  Used a "turkey cannon".  Worked great!  I pulled it at 165 (breast), wrapped it and let it sit for about 45 minutes before carving.  Not dry at all.  Very juicy.  You shouldn't have any issue doing an FTC.

GATABITES

^^^^ - But he is talking about FTC for 3-4 hours. 45 mins and 3-4 hours is a huge difference. I would assume that the skin would get moist while foiled and become rubbery. 

just my .02 

StellarEvo

GATABITES said:

^^^^ - But he is talking about FTC for 3-4 hours. 45 mins and 3-4 hours is a huge difference. I would assume that the skin would get moist while foiled and become rubbery. 

just my .02 

This is a very big concern of mine too.  I suppose I could drop my wife off at her race and head down to my family's house and let the turkey sit out while I go back to the race and pick up my wife.  My family could then finish the gravy.  That'll mean probably only 60 - 70 minutes of "cooler" time.

It's an awful lot of work.  I don't want to ruin the Thanksgiving turkey.  I can also hear Cousin Eddie telling me to save the neck on dried out bird. 

Ragtop99

GATABITES said:

^^^^ - But he is talking about FTC for 3-4 hours. 45 mins and 3-4 hours is a huge difference. I would assume that the skin would get moist while foiled and become rubbery. 

That was my thought too.  

I deskin the breast and thigh before carving.  If the skin is put on a sheet of foil and broiled for a couple minutes in the toaster oven it will regain its crispness.  

Might need to do this to the wings too. I do this if we have a wing left over and a few minutes at 450* in the toaster oven makes for a great wing the next day.  The drumstick is a little more challenging to re-crisp without drying it out or burning it.

Little Steven

I had to transport one on our Thanksgiving a few weeks ago. It cooled a bit and the skin went soft. I put it in a gasser with the rotisserie burner on high for a few minutes and it came out great.

stonedog03

GATABITES said:

^^^^ - But he is talking about FTC for 3-4 hours. 45 mins and 3-4 hours is a huge difference. I would assume that the skin would get moist while foiled and become rubbery. 

just my .02 

That's a good point!  I hadn't thought about that and I agree that the skin will likely go soft again.

blind99

I think your only challenge is going to be crispy skin, if that matters to you.

I like a Butterball turkey, because all of them (last time I checked) are pre-brined.  Keep it simple - brush with olive oil, dust with kosher salt and fresh pepper, add some other dried herbs if you want.  They cook a lot faster than you might expect.

I like the rotisserie idea.  If none is available, would popping it in a 450 degree oven for 20-30 minutes crisp the skin back up?

Wylecyot

I recently FTC a turkey and added a couple of heated fire bricks (wrapped in foil) for good measure.  The bird sat for a good 4 hours before it was carved.  It was just as amazing as pulling an resting for an hour!  The skin was crisp and moist.  No rubbery taste here! 

Grillin_beers

Last thanksgiving my family decided to go to our beach house instead of staying in town. So I cooked the turkey on weds and we didn't eat it until Thursday. I went ahead and carved it weds night before I left and reheated in the oven at 250. It turned out great. IF you are worried just go ahead and pre slice it.

Also for what it's worth I like the naked whiz's turkey recipe. However I brine it for three days and inject as well.

CitizenNomad

stonedog03 said:

I just did an 11# in my BGE.  Used a "turkey cannon".  Worked great!  I pulled it at 165 (breast), wrapped it and let it sit for about 45 minutes before carving.  Not dry at all.  Very juicy.  You shouldn't have any issue doing an FTC.

How long and at what temp did you do the 11#?

SGH

@StellarEvo‌- It looks like others have answered most of your questions above my friend. The only one that I didn't see addressed was the question of resting. If it was addressed and I overlooked it, then please forgive me. When it comes to whole poultry, a long rest is not required. Why? Simple my friend. Poultry does not contain any where near as much adipose or connective tissue as a large primal or sub-primal. Poultry does not come off of the smoker "tight" like say a brisket or clod. On that note, resting will not hurt it either. I usually let mine sit a few minutes just to come down to serving temp, but they can be served within minutes of coming off the smoker if so desired with no ill affects. Good luck my friend.