Turkey color

terrafirmay

Does your turkey have good color? I cooked two, small, "practice" turkeys this week. They had very little color and looked unappetizing. Do you use an inverted platesetter when you cook your turkey?[p]I brined each turkey and cooked it in my large BGE. My setup was: an inverted platesetter with the cooking grate on the arms, a horizontal meat rack in a roasting pan, a Guru, and fresh lump. I cooked a 10 pound turkey at 350 degrees for about two hours. The meat was done but the skin was pale, almost raw-looking. I cooked the second turkey (12 pounds) at 400 degrees for about two hours. The meat was cooked; the skin was very lightly colored. Cook's Illustrated magazine recommends cooking turkeys at 400 degrees. I rotated the turkey from breast down to breast up after 45 minutes. I oiled the skin but I did not baste.[p]I need your recommendations for darker colored skin before I cook our Thanksgiving turkey. I know that many of you cook larger birds at lower temperatures for longer periods of time. That's not the answer for me. Is indirect cooking the reason for my turkey's poor skin color? What are you doing that I'm not?[p]Thanks.[p]****[p]

tn slagamater

terrafirmay, Do you dry the skin surface after brining? It will help if you pat dry or, better yet, leave the bird exposed to the air in the refridge after brining for 8 to 12 hours to dry the skin. Once dry, I oil or butter the skin, add an onion/orange/apple etc to the cavity, hit the black pepper or a rub on the skin...then into the Egg. Oil and butter on the dry skin will help brown. You might try kicking up the temperature at the end a little....

yaB

terrafirmay,
Where are you measuring the temp? It could be that the folks doing the larger birds have the breast well up into the dome, where the temp is higher, yielding better browning than you got on your 10 lb. lil' feller. I've got a "12 to 14 lb." fresh turkey on order that I'll be picking up tomorrow, so I've got much the same concern.[p]Bob

Unknown

terrafirmay, I don't know why the poor color but I believe you could add some color by using some paprika or something. I don't think you could hurt anything with paprika. I use a handful of softened butter mixed with anchiote paste and put most of it under the skin of the breast and save some to press on the outside of the skin. It it a beautiful color.

Shelby

terrafirmay,
Rub the skin with oil and if you want, apply a rub to it.[p]I use the inverted plate setter/drip pan and then place the turkey directly on the grill.

QBabe

terrafirmay,[p]I believe that basting with the drippings periodically throughout the cook helps to color up the bird considerably. I put butter, water, chicken broth, onions, and spices in drip pan, and use that, combined with the turkey drippings that catch to baste with.[p]Have a great turkey day!
Tonia
:~)