Turkey Results

Zilm-disabled · August 2003

Thanks, for all of you who posted hints and suggestions for the turkey that I cooked this past weekend. I was a little bit disappointed in how the turkey turned out.[p]I used the Hawaiian Luau Kalua styled Turkey Submitted by: Mike McQ that was listed on the archives. I cooked a 13lb 9 oz bird as suggested on the recipe 25 minutes per pound at 250 degrees. Six & 1/2 hours into the cook the tempature was only at 150 degrees on my poulder and the bird was no where near being done. Raised the temp to 350-400 degrees to finish the darn thing and brown the skin. Somewhere around the seven hour + mark the breast finally hit 162 so I yanked the darn thing. Turkey was dry and was not anywhere close to the juicy bird that I was expecting. [p]Am totally at a lost as to what happened. Use the brine recipe that the site listed and did everything to the letter. Does anyone have an idea as to what could have possibly happened?

The Naked Whiz · August 2003

Zilm,
I don't know what necessarily went wrong, but if I were doing a turkey, I'd cook it like I would in an oven, at 325 degrees. A 13 pounder should only take around 3-3.5 hours at that temperature, I should think. I've done a couple of whole turkeys and a lot of breasts in the egg at 325 and they have all turned out wonderfully.[p]TNW

Zip · August 2003

Zilm,[p]I cannot say that I have tried this recipe, but right off the temps and times are very welcoming to disaster. Slow smoking without a cure can lead to some serious food poisoning. The last thing you want to do is have a housefull of guests taking numbers for a trip to the head or worse a trip to the hospital. Now with that being said here we go.[p]The recipe calls for a brine, so adding a bit of Tender Quick in place of the salt should help concerning the bacteria concerns. I would say start with a half a cup. The ti leaves would be important in this recipe to help with the moisture in the end product, but with the temps and times called for I don't see them helping that much. I have cooked a few turkeys in my time, a few a low temps, but the recipe seems suspect to me if it only gets to 165º after cooking for 14 hours. Maybe you could send Mike a email for clarification. Let us know what you find out.[p]Ashley

Mike in MN · August 2003

The Naked Whiz,
I agree. I believe I had recommended starting the bird at a high temp (425 first 15-20 minutes) to get things going and to brown it up a bit. Then continually drop the temp as it cooks.[p]You cooked the thing way too long at too low a temp. Turkey dries out. There isn't enough fat to provide the moisture for a long cook (like pork)[p]If you wanted to smoke it, you should chop it up into manageable pieces, rather than leaving it whole. If it is a smokey taste you want, in the very beginning let it come up to it's cooking temp slower with lots of smoke. It will grab lots of smoke flavor when it starts slow.[p]Mike in MN

Gretl · August 2003

Zilm,
The best results I've had with turkey have been those I've butterflied (spatchcocked). I did a 13 pounder last Christmas that was (according to the relatives) the best they've ever tasted. I roasted a 12 pounder in the kitchen oven following the traditional roasting method, and although it was very good...the Egged bird won, wings-down, for juicy flavor. FWIW, I kept the Egg temp at about 325-350 and as I recall, the bird was well-done and very moist in about 3 or so hours. I applied seasoning and olive oil under the skin, I set it on a raised grid (no drip pan,) I didn't flip the bird, I didn't open the lid during the cook, and I used a remote sensor thermometer. Don't give up; try again. The results will be worth it. Good luck.
Cheers,
Gretl

Julie · August 2003

Zilm,
When doing a turkey, I use a VTR. I wash the bird, spray the it with Pam (or the like), put in my Poulder, and place it in a 350 degree BGE (I also placed a fist sized amount of wood chips on the charcoal). Never had a disappointment unless the bird was too big and plugging the top vent. Oh, by the way, make sure your dome thermometer isn't sticking in the bird.
Julie

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