Turkey Help

Eggstatic

I'm doing a bird this afternoon and I'm trying get the skin crispy. The ones I've done before have been indriect at 325. They come out great but the skin is rubbery. How do I crisp up the skin.[p]Also, some where on here someone posted something about a bag of ice being put on the breast prior to cooking. I can't seem to find that info.[p]Thanks

eggor

Eggstatic,[p]the ice is to chill the breast meat so that it will finish up at the same time as the dark meat. I've never tried it yet, but I think it depends on the orientation of the bird in the cooker as to when the dark finishes compared to the white meat. ie breast up - breast down - sitter. sorry not much help. I've also had the same rubbery skin but don't recall any fix.[p]Scott

Sundown

Eggstatic,[p]We've done several turkeys over the last few years and all but one were cooked on a vert roaster with a drip pan no additional mass. Every one of them has come out with crispy nicely browned skin. Cooking temp (dome) is 325º to 350º Cook time is about 15 minutes a pound with the dark meat cooking to 180º The one caution I offer is when you take the bird off the Egg place it in a deep dish or pan. After a short rest make a couple of slits near the leg joint and let the clear juice out save it for the gravy! There is usually a lot of it. The few times we've used smoke it was apple otherwise the little smoke I get from the lump is just enough for everyone. Good Luck.

Eggstatic

eggor, thanks for the reply. The ice deal I think was leave it on the breast for 20 min prior to the cook. I have brined the bird with J. Appledog's recipe and am going to try breast down indriect, I just wish I knew how to crispy up the skin.

eggor

Sundown,[p]been hearing a lot about hot spots on the egg, grid temp, dome temp breast meat getting done before the dark meat, icing down the breast and so on, any tips for the veritcal roaster? did the skin brown or blacken, Iam assumin since it wasn't rubbery you didn't have the pale skin i get on the turkey breasts[p]Scott

Marvin

Eggstatic,
Another trick is to put the turkey, uncovered, in the fridge for 24-48 hours before cooking to dry out the skin.

Sundown

eggor,[p]All we do is put butter and a little salt and pepper on the skin. I use one of the open wire roasters the biggest complaint I have is cleaning the darned thing when we're done. I don't like to nuke it in the Egg for some reason.

mad max beyond eggdome

Eggstatic,
the ice pack tip is mine. .. first, let me say that i always roast my turkey the traditional way, in a pan, breast up, at 325 degrees (whether in the oven or in the egg). .. now, that being said, once the bird is all prepped and ready (i.e., stuffed, buttered, oiled, whatever you choose), take a gallon zip lock bag, fill it full of ice cubes, and lay it over the breasts for 20 minutes. . .this lowers the breast temps compared to the thigh/leg temps sufficiently, so that over the time of the roasting, the breasts will catch up and be done at the same time as the legs, and when the legs are perfect, so will your breast meat. . .i've been doing it this way for about 10 years now (after years of trying other stuff), and it always turns out great. .[p]good luck[p]max