Skip to content
  • Register
    • Welcome to the EGGhead Forum - a great place to visit and packed with tips and EGGspert advice! You can also join the conversation and get more information and amazing kamado recipes by following Big Green Egg to Experience our World of Flavor™ at:
    Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram  |  Pinterest  |  Youtube  |  Vimeo
    Share your photos by tagging us and using the hashtag #BigGreenEgg.

    Want to see how the EGG is made? Click to Watch

    Smokin birds

    Posts: 1,412
    in EggHead Forum
    Getting near the holidays here and I've been thinking about smoking a turkey.
    I've felt around on here before about smoking birds and always turn up with the spatchcocked raised direct. Done that many times and that's cool and all, but I'd really like to smoke a bird And turn out good meat to be pulled for BBQ sandwiches. Any tips as far as positioning goes and finished temps? I was thinking 250 indirect until the bird reaches correct internals.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

    Welcome!

    It looks like you're new here. Sign in or register to get started.
    Sign In
    Register

    Comments

    • Posts: 15,667
      I'm considering doing this.  

      http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2015/11/spice-rubbed-butterflied-smoked-turkey-food-lab-recipe.html

      I tried once years ago with little guidance and it was far too smokey and gummy.
      · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
    • Posts: 6,051

      I am not really a fan of turkey to start with, but last night I did a whole turkey followed by a turkey breast.  Lots of people seem to like turkey and I enjoy cooking things people like.  I was pre-cooking for a church function last night.

      I did not take a pic of the whole turkey as I do them somewhat frequently and it is usually a ho-hum experience for me.  Lately what I have been doing is taking all the skin off the breast so as to have a "bark" when it is done.  Most don't eat the skin anyway (in my experience) and much of that flavor goes in the garbage.  

      I slather with mustard to bind the spices to the breast.  Last night's breast had a generous coating of course black pepper, some salt, paprika, and cayenne pepper.  I use the plate setter - legs up, drip pan, grid at gasket level, bird on grid.  Birds legs toward the back. I run at 350 degrees dome but don't stress if it fluctuates a bit.  About the last 30 minutes I baste with melted kerrygold irish butter and pure Michigan maple syrup.  I pull the meat off the egg when breast is at 155.  I slice to try to get some of that bark on every piece.  Its just about as good as turkey can get.

      pic from last night in next post 


      Large, Medium, MiniMax, 36" Blackstone
      Grand Rapids MI
      · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
    • Posts: 6,051
      Large, Medium, MiniMax, 36" Blackstone
      Grand Rapids MI
      · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
    • Posts: 15,667
      yeah, that looks really good @kl8ton
      · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
    • Posts: 6,051
      Thanks @Legume

      It feels slightly "nontraditional" ripping all the skin off the breast before putting it on the egg, but i want that flavor to stay with the meat!
      Large, Medium, MiniMax, 36" Blackstone
      Grand Rapids MI
      · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
    • Posts: 15,667
      bunch of skin-eaters in my family (wait, that sounds weird).  I usually push butter with a bunch of seasoning between skin and breast to try to do the same.  stopped injecting a couple of years ago, but considering doing that again with a lighter hand and broth/butter instead of one of the commercial injections that end up too greasy for my taste
      · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
    • Posts: 6,051
      @Legume
      It is funny you say skin eaters.  When I pulled off the whole turkey, my wife alerted her mom that a turkey just came off the egg.  I was in the process of carving when she pulled in the driveway.  I had a tray of dark meat, a tray of white meat slices, and I had the stockpot i was throwing the skin, bones, fat, tail,  etc into so we can make broth.  My MIL only sampled out of the stockpot!  

      To OP:  maybe someone else can weigh in on this but I don't feel there is that much of a benefit going down for low and slow on a turkey.  I leave it whole, and try for mid 300s dome.  There is no fat interwoven in the breast to render.  The smoke doesn't penetrate the dense breast that well.  
      Large, Medium, MiniMax, 36" Blackstone
      Grand Rapids MI
      · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
    • Posts: 640
      @Legume, I've been worried about the injection as well - going to try a mix of melted butter, a hint of garlic, and some rosemary and thyme diluted with a dry white wine.  I'm hoping the added wine will help cut down on the greasiness but even if it doesn't I'm ok with a bit of buttery grease. Also going to try the "pre-icing" of the breast to slow that down in pursuit of dark at 165 - 170 and white at 150 - 155...
      Doug
      Wayne, PA
      LBGE, Weber Kettle (gifted to my sister), Weber Gasser

      "Two things are infinite:  the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the universe"   Albert Einstein
      · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
    • Posts: 28
      I pull the skin up, mix spices in softened butter, put the mixture under the skin, then hold the skin in place with soaked tooth picks.  Then rub butter all over the skin. 
      I slice 2 apples into fourths, place them inside the bird then pour in most of a can of beer. 
      Cook it indirect heat at 325 until the popper on the bird pops. 22 pounds for me take about 4 1/2 to 5 hours.  Slice the breast and it oozes with juice.  
      · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

    Welcome!

    It looks like you're new here. Sign in or register to get started.
    Sign In
    Register

    Welcome!

    It looks like you're new here. Sign in or register to get started.
    Sign In
    Register

    Quick Links

    Categories