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Tandoori Turkey - BGE modifications/improvements

20stone
20stone Posts: 1,961
in EggHead Forum
Howdy all -

For the last couple of years I have followed the method outlined on amazingribs (http://amazingribs.com/recipes/chicken_turkey_duck/ultimate_smoked_turkey.html) for our Thanksgiving bird, always with fantastic results.

This year, however, we have a pretty big crowd and are doing two, one in an oven and another on the BGE.  I came across this recipe for tandoori turkey in the local paper - http://www.houstonchronicle.com/life/food/article/Tandoori-Turkey-Thanksgiving-bird-takes-the-5901838.php?t=cb9b2a4eb0#/0.  I normally dismiss newspaper recipes, but the recipe was provided by Kiran Verma, owner/chef of Kiran's, a well regarded, posh Indian restaurant in town.

Based on my own BGE experience and the recent article on salting v. brining, I am tempted to salt/season instead of brine, and roast in the BGE instead of in a bag.

I know a few of you have done Indian food on the egg (*cough* @caliking *cough*), and would like any advice you might have on helping this turn out great.

I will follow up with pictures/results after the cook.

Thanks a ton,

John
(now only 16 stone)

Joule SV
GE induction stove
Gasser by the community pool (currently unavailable)
Scale (which one of my friends refuses to use)
Friends with BGEs and myriad other fired devices (currently unavail IRL)
Occasional access to a KBQ and Webber Kettle
Charcuterie and sourdough enthusiast
Prosciuttos in an undisclosed location

Austin, TX
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Comments

  • Little Steven
    Little Steven Posts: 28,817
    Cali must have missed this one. Canugghead does a great tandoori. I looked at the spices and they look OK. One thing to remember is that the chili powder is not your typical Club House or McCormick's. It's Indian red chili powder and it packs a punch. The original recipe for Tandoori chicken uses Kashmiri chili powder which is milder and, to me, has an aftertaste I'm not fond of. I usually mix Indian chili powder with hot Hungarian paprika for the tandoori rub.

    Steve 

    Caledon, ON

     

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  • 20stone
    20stone Posts: 1,961
    Thanks for the advice.  I have great access to the right spices (and have them in my pantry right now), so that should be okay.

    I am drooling just thinking about it.

    J
    (now only 16 stone)

    Joule SV
    GE induction stove
    Gasser by the community pool (currently unavailable)
    Scale (which one of my friends refuses to use)
    Friends with BGEs and myriad other fired devices (currently unavail IRL)
    Occasional access to a KBQ and Webber Kettle
    Charcuterie and sourdough enthusiast
    Prosciuttos in an undisclosed location

    Austin, TX
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  • Little Steven
    Little Steven Posts: 28,817
    There is a really good tandoori rub called Kissan if you have access to it.

    Steve 

    Caledon, ON

     

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  • caliking
    caliking Posts: 19,780
    Howdy!
    Sorry I didn't respond earlier - I was actually working for a change!

    I tried a tandoori turkey once in college, and it was a big hit. Or maybe we were drunk enough that it tasted great. Anyways, it just so happens that SWMBO requested Indian flavors for this Thanksgiving, so I was contemplating doing a tandoori turkey as well. 

    The easiest way to do it would be to use Shan masala (the tandoori chicken mix, or chicken tikka mix), with yogurt, mayo, ginger paste, and garlic paste. Use fresh ginger and fresh garlic. However, Shan masala can be somewhat salty, with a lot of cayenne. Or use the recipe you referenced, and consider adding some more cumin powder to the garam masala (personal preference since I love cumin). If you make your own garam masala, then consider googling Madhur Jaffrey's garam masala recipe. What LS said about the chili powder is spot on. Kissan tandoori rub is not available in the States (unless you have buddies in Canada :) ). I haven't quite decided what rub/masala i was going to use for mine, but I was thinking of something with carom seed in it.

    Feel free to hit me up if I can help with anything.

    (Hey - are you John, and did we meet in Salado this year?)

    #1 LBGE December 2012 • #2 SBGE February  2013 • #3 Mini May 2013
    A happy BGE family in Houston, TX.
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  • fljoemon
    fljoemon Posts: 757
    @20stone .. thanks for posting the link to the recipe. I fry 3 turkeys for Thanksgiving and it is Cajun spiced. This is definitely a must try .. hopefully I can convince SWMBO to do this on the BGE and fry the others.
    LBGE & Mini
    Orlando, FL
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  • caliking
    caliking Posts: 19,780


    @20stone - I dug around my files and found Madhur Jaffrey's garam masala recipe.

    1 cinnamon stick (about 2" long)

    1 TBSP cardamom seeds (available from Indian stores, easier than shelling a bunch of pods)

    1 tsp black cumin (darker and finer than regular cumin, darker than "shahi jeera")

    1 tsp black peppercorns

    1 tsp cloves

    1/4 of an average sized nutmeg

    Toast all of the above over medium heat until aromatic then let cool. Grind it all up and store in an airtight jar.


    For the rub I was planning this (the ajwain masala in the right column) :image

    I made a batch of this masala a month or so back and its pretty good. Rock salt is also called black salt or "kala namak". I omitted the vegetable charcoal and citric acid.

    Plan is to maybe make a compound butter using this masala and slather under and over the skin of the bird. I may add ginger paste, and garlic paste, but I don't think I'll marinate in yogurt, since I don't like the texture of poultry that has been marinated in yogurt for too long. I will likely brine the bird before seasoning.


    +1 for skipping the bag. Also, when roasting the bird in the egg, position the platesetter so that one leg is towards the handle - should look like a "Y" when you look down into the egg. Position the bird with the legs towards the hinge. My LBGE's hotspot is towards the hinge, that way the legs get more heat. My bird will be set in a pan of veggies (onions, carrots, celery, potatoes) with white wine or beer.

    Lastly, pics or it didn't happen! :)


    #1 LBGE December 2012 • #2 SBGE February  2013 • #3 Mini May 2013
    A happy BGE family in Houston, TX.
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  • Little Steven
    Little Steven Posts: 28,817
    I have that book. Can't post pics though
    :-??

    Steve 

    Caledon, ON

     

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  • 20stone
    20stone Posts: 1,961
    caliking said:
    (Hey - are you John, and did we meet in Salado this year?)
    Yes, this is John that you met in Salado.  We are already booked for this year as well and plan on cooking this time.

    Thanks for all the helpful tips on this.  The garam masala plus garlic and ginger sounds like a plan.  I will take pics, so you can see how badly I need your continued advice.

    J
    (now only 16 stone)

    Joule SV
    GE induction stove
    Gasser by the community pool (currently unavailable)
    Scale (which one of my friends refuses to use)
    Friends with BGEs and myriad other fired devices (currently unavail IRL)
    Occasional access to a KBQ and Webber Kettle
    Charcuterie and sourdough enthusiast
    Prosciuttos in an undisclosed location

    Austin, TX
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  • caliking
    caliking Posts: 19,780
    Little Steven said:
    I have that book. Can't post pics though
    :-??
    "Tandoor" by Ranjit Rai? Great book by a regular guy who just loved to cook. Out of print for some time now, but I managed to scrounge up a copy in mint condition in Kolkata several years ago. Its the only book I could find with detailed instructions on how to build a clay tandoor from scratch.

    @20stone - Glad to see you on here again. Your turkey is going to be great. We'll see you in Salado again, but I'm keeping Mrs. Stone - I wouldn't have been able to handle the hungry hordes last year without her help! :)

    #1 LBGE December 2012 • #2 SBGE February  2013 • #3 Mini May 2013
    A happy BGE family in Houston, TX.
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  • fljoemon
    fljoemon Posts: 757
    edited November 2014
    @caliking .. On my trip to Mumbai in May, I went to a bookstore in Fort and got the book too. The cost was approx. Rs. 1200 (approx US $20). This is the defacto Tandoori cook book .. kinda like what APL's Serious BBQ is to BBQ. I see that now many vendors on Amazon carry this book for approx $20 + shipping onwards (http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/0670868329). If you are into Tandoori cooking, I highly recommend this book!
    LBGE & Mini
    Orlando, FL
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  • 20stone
    20stone Posts: 1,961
    @caliking wrote:
    @20stone - Glad to see you on here again. Your turkey is going to be great. We'll see you in Salado again, but I'm keeping Mrs. Stone - I wouldn't have been able to handle the hungry hordes last year without her help! :)
    We may need to work something out, as I was going to give cooking a shot this year too.  Maybe we can neighbor up and work a zone defense.  Are you bringing the whole family again?

    J
    (now only 16 stone)

    Joule SV
    GE induction stove
    Gasser by the community pool (currently unavailable)
    Scale (which one of my friends refuses to use)
    Friends with BGEs and myriad other fired devices (currently unavail IRL)
    Occasional access to a KBQ and Webber Kettle
    Charcuterie and sourdough enthusiast
    Prosciuttos in an undisclosed location

    Austin, TX
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  • Canugghead
    Canugghead Posts: 13,701
    caliking said:
    Little Steven said:
    I have that book. Can't post pics though
    :-??
    "Tandoor" by Ranjit Rai? Great book by a regular guy who just loved to cook. Out of print for some time now, but I managed to scrounge up a copy in mint condition in Kolkata several years ago. Its the only book I could find with detailed instructions on how to build a clay tandoor from scratch.

    @20stone - Glad to see you on here again. Your turkey is going to be great. We'll see you in Salado again, but I'm keeping Mrs. Stone - I wouldn't have been able to handle the hungry hordes last year without her help! :)
    Looking forward to picking them up in the new year, my brother ordered for me from Amazon.in!

    image


    canuckland
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  • Canugghead
    Canugghead Posts: 13,701
    fljoemon said:
    @caliking .. On my trip to Mumbai in May, I went to a bookstore in Fort and got the book too. The cost was approx. Rs. 1200 (approx US $20). This is the defacto Tandoori cook book .. kinda like what APL's Serious BBQ is to BBQ. I see that now many vendors on Amazon carry this book for approx $20 + shipping onwards (http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/0670868329). If you are into Tandoori cooking, I highly recommend this book!
    too bad amazon dot com doesn't ship to GWN, the cheapest in amazon dot ca (seller shipping from new york) is $64 + shipping + ?courier fees if not by post office 
    canuckland
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  • caliking
    caliking Posts: 19,780
    @Canugghead‌ - lucky you! I would love to hear what the other book is like. You'll like the Tandoor book - sort of like the MCAH for tandoori cooking... Without the modernist part.

    #1 LBGE December 2012 • #2 SBGE February  2013 • #3 Mini May 2013
    A happy BGE family in Houston, TX.
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  • Canugghead
    Canugghead Posts: 13,701
    @caliking indeed! so did you get MCAH and how do you like it?
    canuckland
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