Need weekend Advice - Turkey and Steak Questions

Unknown

We are planning to do Delmonicos and a 12 lb turkey this weekend and had the following questions for the experienced eggers:
1. How should steaks be preped (salt/pepper, marinade)? - we usually do them at 700 degrees 3/3/3.
2. In the egg, what is the best way to physically position the bird?
I have fire bricks, but was wondering about second grate versus a V-rack right on top of the bricks.
3. Stuffing suggestions would be appreciated.[p]Thanks in advance for your help.[p]Dave.

Nature Boy

Dave in Manheim, Lots of ways to prep steaks. Simple is best IMO. Some kosher salt, fresh cracked black pepper...maybe a sprinkling of garlic or onion powder, or Montreal steak seasoning. I also enjoy a thin coating of mustard and Hickory Molasses char crust form time to time. A good steak doen't really need a marinade, though a simple marinade can be very good. Also for another idea, see Spin and RhumAndJerks below threads about ghee coated steaks. Those sound yummy. Your cooking technique sounds perfect.[p]I'll let some of the more experienced answer your bird questions.[p]Have a great weekend, and enjoy your cooks.
NB

Tim M

<p />Dave in Manheim,[p]There are many ways to do turkey but I like the V rack over (in) a foil lined drip pan with all that sitting on 2 or 3 firebricks. The bricks help keep the drippings from burning. I also foil wrap my Polder cable where it's inside the Egg to protect it from the heat. [p]Tim

Car Wash Mike

Tim M, Have you ever tired a beer butt turkey breast? I've got one on right now. I placed a pan of beer on firebricks and then set the breast up with it setting on a can of beer? Cooking at 350 until done.[p]CWM

Tim M

Car Wash Mike,[p]Nope never did one. My wife brings home those ButterBall breasts and they have been injected with juices (so she says) and the need for anymore juices has just not come up so I never tried the beer can. Let us know how it works out though.[p]Tim

RevDoc

Tim M,
Those juices have alot of salt and junk. Better to inject or ues the beer can way, anyway works best for me. Dean

Huck

Dave in Manheim,
I use only natural birds. I brine it in 1 cup salt per gallon of apple cider. I chop up pears or apples, your choice, and pack the bird with them. I use pecan or hickory and intend on using grape and cherry at some time. I put it in breast side down at 250 for about six hours or until 165 breast, it gets dryer and dryer as you approach 185. 165 is fine because the whole bird gets to that temp due to it being cooked slower. I do it low temp, although some people do it at 350 for crispy skin, I don't care to eat the skin. I have olive oiled and peppered the skin before I put it in and finished it up at 350-400 degrees and this is pretty darned good. [p]Steaks, ahhh steaks. I've done lots and lots and lots of steaks goofing around with getting it right. My favorite so far. I start my chimney full of coals and go inside to dust the rib-eyes. I use a little unsalted meat tenderizer (I've heard all of the arguments, it's just a little enzymes and you can eat my steaks with a fork), a little onion and garlic powder, dry mustard, coarse ground pepper, and paprika. You'll notice I said NO SALT! My wife isn't supposed to eat salt but the steaks somehow come out very salty tasting if too much of this stuff is used. I fork all this in. It'll look like heck and like there's way too much stuff on it but in the fire, a great deal of it drops off with the grease and some goes to the grill. It's usually 30 or so minutes before I get the whole thing up to 650 dome temp. I've tried higher temps but I've actually over charred the outside and the inside been too rare! I do 3 minutes per side for the standard supermarket cut and for the Costco or meat cutter's 3/4" cut, I have to flip it one more side for 3 minutes with the vents shut. We like ours medium rare and I leave them in another 3 minutes for folks that don't like 'em on the hoof. I've never had better at a restaraunt. Let us know how it turns out!

Big Murth

Dave in Manheim,
Thank God you can finally find those syringes and/or the Cajun Injector combo, in most decent grocery stores. I don't think I've had better than a 12-24 hour injected bird on the Egg (Even my old Que machine came out decent w/injection on old Tom). Try that out in conjunction with your "rub of the day"....whatever kind of taste you like, inside the skin for sure, inside the cavity, and even on the outside of skin as well. Check the Recipes section and compare to your other contributing posts, re: times/temps.
A light wood like apple and/or maple-pecan would be perfect in the first throes of your cook process. What time's dinner?