Turkey and stuffing advice

GrateEggspectations · September 2016

So, I've been nominated to do our family turkey for Thanksgiving (Canadian, that is) in a few weeks. Obviously, I'd like to do it on the Egg.

I've done some searches and have seen the legendary Naked Whiz's Mad Max turkey recipe along with some other resources. I've also seen a few that say you can't (or perhaps shouldn't) cook a stuffed turkey on the Egg.

Can anyone point me to some good recipes for a great Thanksgiving turkey? If feasible, I'd love to do one that is lightly smoked (and that features stuffing inside, if not inherently problematic!).

Thanks in advance all!!

pflug · September 2016

I did a boneless turkey with stuffing..

http://eggheadforum.com/discussion/1189313/boneless-turkey-success#latest

A little extra prep, but pretty easy.

lousubcap · September 2016

Give spatch turkey a look (search function here has improved) for a different option. Don't know the size of your BGE or the planned size of the bird but in English units around 18-20 LBs is the most you can get spatched on a LBGE without getting creative.
I am in the camp of stuffing as a solo cook. If you go with a "normal" turkey cook, throw some aromatics in the cavity and enjoy the cook.
Wherever you land, have fun.

pflug · September 2016

I agree, spatchcock is fast and simple, but definitely no stuffing. I had trouble getting a 17 lb bird to fit on my LBGE, I ended up draping over my rib rack to get it to fit.

http://eggheadforum.com/discussion/1173831/any-suggestions-spatchcock-turkey-a-little-too-big#latest

SkySaw · September 2016

Have you tried the Naked Whiz' turkey? It was without a doubt the best turkey I ever ate, every time I cooked it. Partnered with the gravy, it is outstanding. Just make the stuffing on the side.

smbishop · September 2016

I have done Spatchcock the last three years with great success. Before that, I would follow Mad Max and my brother would bring a bird filled with stuffing and cook it in the oven. Everyone ate his stuffing, and my turkey.

StillH2OEgger · September 2016

I am also in the spatchcock camp, though the appearance might not make for the best presentation if you carve at the table. I am also a Mickey's coffee rub devotee. It's just so good for turkey.

DMW · September 2016

For presentation and gravy, Mad Max Turkey. For simplicity and great outcome, spatchcock.

GrateEggspectations · September 2016

Thanks for the suggestions all.

Am I right that stuffing a bird to the cooked (or perhaps smoked) on the Egg is not advised? Is this just because smoke flavour then permeates the stuffing?

Little Steven · September 2016

I've been doing this for years for Thanksgiving. Have done it on the egg and it's good too. Agree with others on Max's turkey. Where is that lousy Caps fan anyway? He didn't do stuffed birds on the egg cause he said the dressing got too smokey.

Little Steven Posts: 28,120

November 2014 edited November 2014 in Poultry

I've done this dressing/stuffing for many years now to go along with Max's turkey. Use your own mixture but the method is as good as it is cooked in the bird.

( (sted by: Little Steven on 2008/10/11 15:06:23

In Reply to: See post below NMSG posted by Little Steven on 2008/10/11 14:47:42

I think I messed up explaining this last year so I will try again with pics. Sorry it is so long
First make a dark turkey stock (roasted backs and necks, wings and mirepoix)

Then fry sausage onions, celery, garlic and peppers

Herbs, pick 'em. I use thyme, rosemary, sage and parsley (didn't want to sound like Art Garfunkle by saying it the other way)

Chop the herbs and more garlic

Punch holes in an aluminum pan

Make some foil balls and place in another pan

Put some stock in the pan with the foil balls

Mix sausage, dry bread, veg and herbs in, moisten with some stock and clarified butter

Place a couple of turkey wings and necks on top

Put the stuffing pan with the holes on the one with the stock and cover both pans with foil and bake for about three hours at 350*
Remove foil and cook till browned on top

Happy Thanksgiving

Steve

Caledon, ON )

BrueggeDad · September 2016

I'm old school, for some reason I can't bring myself to spatchcock a turkey. I will do it to a chicken all day long. I like the turkey whole and typically with stuffing. But on the egg I would separate the turkey and the stuffing and put herbs and/or apples in the cavity. But that's just me. Good luck.

smokeybreeze · September 2016

I've had turkey stuffed with sauerkraut on a weber grill that was one of the best turkeys I've eaten. Should be even better on a BGE. Google "grilled turkey stuffed with sauerkraut" and you'll find something tasty.

Skiddymarker · September 2016

I like MadMax - but rather than mess with icing the breasts, I just cook it upside down for the first one or two hours. Stuffing can be cooked outside the bird in a pan, covered/uncovered depending on how moist or how much smoke you want. Not sure if you have tried stuffing/dressing outside the bird, once you do it is hard to go back to it inside the bird.

BikerBob · September 2016

The problem is not smokey stuffing, it is getting sausage or other meat in the stuffing done before the turkey becomes dry. Just did a breast, which in this case is a turkey minus wings and legs. At 160 it was moist and tasty-only a little more and it would not have been.

fishlessman · September 2016

ive gone the two bird route, the egged bird i shoot for perfection with max's directions, the other goes in the oven with stuffing and that one gets overcooked a little shooting for safety. the juices from the turkey are supposed to get fully cooked to 160/165 but i shoot for maybe 145 to 150 in the stuffing were the meat is over cooked a little to 175. you cant make stuffing casserole taste like stuffing from inside the bird. instead of one big bird we go the 12 to 14 pound route and cook 2

fishlessman · September 2016

should also mention that the crust on stuffing taste bitter to me when smoked and thats the best part from the oven bird. have done it like this in the egg to avoid the bitter taste (some like the flavor)

frankenturkey

jtcBoynton · September 2016

GrateEggspectations said:

Thanks for the suggestions all.

Am I right that stuffing a bird to the cooked (or perhaps smoked) on the Egg is not advised? Is this just because smoke flavour then permeates the stuffing?

The recommendation is not based on smoke flavor. Food safety issues call for the stuffing to be cooked to 165ºF (74ºC). By the time this occurs, the meat will be overcooked. No way around this. This applies to egg cooking or in the kitchen oven.

Cook dressing separately. Add collected pan drippings at the end if desired. If you insist on the fancy table presentation, you can always stuff the turkey with dressing after they both are cooked.

fishlessman · September 2016

jtcBoynton said:

GrateEggspectations said:

Thanks for the suggestions all.

Am I right that stuffing a bird to the cooked (or perhaps smoked) on the Egg is not advised? Is this just because smoke flavour then permeates the stuffing?

The recommendation is not based on smoke flavor. Food safety issues call for the stuffing to be cooked to 165ºF (74ºC). By the time this occurs, the meat will be overcooked. No way around this. This applies to egg cooking or in the kitchen oven.

Cook dressing separately. Add collected pan drippings at the end if desired. If you insist on the fancy table presentation, you can always stuff the turkey with dressing after they both are cooked.

and dressing will never taste like stuffing, little stevens recipe is as close as i can get, but its still dressing, not stuffing. the safety food police ruin everything from burgers down to stuffing

Little Steven · September 2016

BikerBob said:

The problem is not smokey stuffing, it is getting sausage or other meat in the stuffing done before the turkey becomes dry. Just did a breast, which in this case is a turkey minus wings and legs. At 160 it was moist and tasty-only a little more and it would not have been.

I don't understand your comment. What would be the difference between cooking the bird in the oven or the egg? I didn't say that the stuffing got too smoky I said that's what Max said.

Turkey and stuffing advice

Comments

Categories