Turkey

JimE

Do you cook a turkey direct or indirect? I am thinking about cooking a turkey for practice this weekend. I have read in the recipe section here about cooking at 250 degrees and it should take about 25 minutes per pound. Any input would be appreciated.

JSlot

I cook mine at 350° indirect, just like you would in the oven, Jim.[p]Frosty Ones,
Jim

Smokey

JSlot,[p]You seem to be the turkey aficionado. Any special recommendations for a boneless turkey breast? Brine or not(boneless chicken breast can be dryer than bone-in)? I saw it in the stor and thought I would try it![p]Smokey

Smokey

<p />jim,[p]I think JSlot is right on target. I do them (Turkey breasts) indirect at about 330-350 for 3-4.5 hours depending on size (cook to 165 meat temp). I kick up temp to almost 450 for the last 10 minutes to crisp up the skin! Have never done a whole bird (other than chicken). Have seen them cooked on a stand (upright) as well as butterflied.[p]This picture is a month or so old (sorry to recycle it, but it seemed appropriate for the topic).

JSlot

I don't know about being an afficianado, but I've done lots of whole birds. I've only done one breast and it was bone-in. I brined it overnight and that didn't seem to do much for it. It was still eggcellent cooked to 165° internal. I don't have any experience with boneless breasts.[p]Jim

Unknown

jim,
I already posted this 4 days ago but because I yelled (all caps) I was snubbed "nary a followup". Can't see how typing up or down can be called yellin , but I can follow suit though. Anyway , as I said then: I been cooking turkey for both sides of my family at Thanksgiving for about 8 or 9 years now and the last 4 in the Egg, and it wouldn't be an understatement to say it's kind of famous for how good it is and we can't hardly get some of em to eat the ham now. I use the recipe you can find on epicurius.com called "Anchiote butter basted turkey with chili ancho gravy". Cooked in the oven it is fantastic and you can imagine how good it is in the Egg. I always wind up getting a 20 lb bird and cook it over a pan with broth, cause that chili ancho gravy is so good I want to help those dripping all I can cause it goes so good with my Mom's dressing recipe (lots of black pepper and sage) cooked in pan where you can cut pieces out like bread ,but still very moist. Any way I saw your post and just wanted to say the big birds I do laying on a rack over da pan is easy as can be.

JSlot

Not everyone is familiar with internet/e-mail protocol, so sometimes people forget about the caps lock and hurt folks "ears", which may be too sensitive anyway. [p]That turkey recipe sounds outstanding, but I'd really be interested in your Mom's dressing recipe. I've been looking for something like you describe for awhile and just haven't quite found what I'm looking for. Please post it if she doesn't mind![p]Jim

Unknown

Sorry, Chet -[p]I should have informed you that ALL CAPS is usually associated with shouting on the 'net, rather than being so blunt... With most forums, there are online communication "guidelines" commonly known as Netiquette which help to make communication a more pleasant experience. I personally made an error in Netiquette by assuming that you were experienced in online communication protocols, and not a "newbie". Please accept my apology for being so offensive.[p]Regards,[p]MM[p]For more information on Netiquette, just do a search on that term. You'll come up with probably a half million search results.

Unknown

Chet,[p]Sorry, I couldn't find that recipe in Epicurius. Maybe some other magazine??[p]Pete

Unknown

Chet,[p]I did find that changing a little of the spelling around seems to work wonders.[p]It is "Epicurious" and "Achiote".[p]Works better, now.[p]Thanks for posting it![p]Pete

Unknown

MapMan,
that's not a problem man, I think I got it now. Anyway where that comes from is operating my agency customer data base day after day where it is easier to read all that info if the letters are bigger, cause some of the fields are so small. I do it so much I got tendinitus (watch my spellin) and switched arms and now I'm gettin it in the other arm.

QBabe

Chet,[p]Been there, done that to all points...I have a database and since it is case sensitive, it's easier to do all caps for entry, so you don't have to worry about the capitalization....[p]I also developed tendonitis as a result of all the keyboard entry. In a three-year span, wound up going through all the courses...anti-inflammatories, physical therapy, cortisone, surgery. It's DEFINATELY better, but not gone. Good luck with yours and keep cooking on your BGE![p]QBabe
:~)

Unknown

Chet,[p]I understand - I have Lateral Epicondylitis, otherwise known as "Tennis Elbow", though I haven't played that sport since high school, which was quite a few years back...[p]It has been going on for the last three months, and anti-inflammatory drugs lessen the symptoms, only temporarily. Next week I go in for a shot of steroids (not the banned type). So, I feel your pain... Take care-[p]MM

StumpBaby

MapMan,[p]I feel all your pain..but I must confess..it could be worse..one time..when cousin Billy was visitin, we was all out in the garden..smilin like you read about..watchin Beulah pickin pea pods (you ain't seen nothin till you seen Baulah pick pea pods...she can lean over to one row.and pick with her hands..while something else is stickin in the opposite row..pickin from there..Beulah sure gots some talents...poppa tried to do that once..but it didn't work out very well..he seemed to really like it..and he had a whole bunch of pods in both his pod pickers..but he reached over with his hands..to get one last pea pod..and as he did so..he fell face forward..and his other sorry end ..filled with them bright green pods..went straight up..showin us how much poppa really did like pickin pea pods..and causin momma to laugh like you read about and call us all over to see what she called poppas coconut tree..momma sure can laugh sometimes..but its when she laughs so hard like that..what gets poppa mad as all get out).when we heard this god awful screamin comin from the house..sounded like somebody was usin our house cat to beat a chicken..and out comes Billy..all naked as a jail bird..running all around the yard...and somethin on him was lookin like a water sprinkler..and finally as Billy..slowed down..and that sprinkler shut down..we all crept in...for a closer look..[p]Poor Billy..it took us a while to find out what had been goin on..and it wasn't till poppa lifted up a rather offending part of Billy...and peered under this now exposed area...and with his 2 fingers..grabbed a hold of something what looked like a jitterbug..and as he pulled...Billies eyes got wider than a stepped on peeptoad..and part of him started to stretch out towards poppa..and just as it looked like poppa was gonna temporarily have even more knuckle hair..or at least the appearance of more..a tiny sound not unlike peeling velcro was heard...followed by a giant slapping noise (truth be told..it wasn't really giant..but I promised Billy if'n I ever told this story..I'd make it better for him)..and poppa brought his hand up to his eyes..and peered closely..and as we all crept closer..we seen it pinched tween poppas fingers..a tiny cricket like bug..with giant long sharp teeth...and poppa tol us it was a saber tooth crotch cricket..tho truth be told I think maybe poppa didn't know what to call it..so made that up..but seein as how it had them big long sharp teeth..and seein as where Billy was storin it..it seemed to fit.[p]I tell you..you sit and stare at somethin like that..and you can feel it right down to the bellybutton. Poor Billy..was nuttin for him to do..but wait for his lawn sprinkler to heal..and seein as how well that sprinkler worked..it was gonna take a long time to fix the damage that little cricket inflicted. Poppa knew how to help somewhat though..he ran out to the barn..and fetched an ol oil funnel...and as we watched..he placed it over Billys sprinkler..pushin it on as far as it would go....and he tol Billy at least now..he wouldn't make such a mess in the outhouse...poppa sure is smart somtimes..but truth be told..I wish he tol Billy to take that thing off at night..or maybe more importantly in the early morning..cause when I looked over at Billy the next morning..it sure looked like the tin man was peekin over the side of the bed at me..and that gave me the hibbee jibbees in a big way..[p]Ahhh...the life of a Stump...[p]StumpBaby