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This Thanksgiving turkey, fried or smoked

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johnvb
johnvb Posts: 46
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
So for probably the last decade or so, I've deep-fried turkeys in the driveway using an Eastman Outdoor fryer setup. Always followed "all the rules", and never had a problem.

This year will be my first with my (large) BGE, with the opportunity to smoke a turkey instead. Has anyone here done it both ways, and can give an unbiased opinion ;) which is best?

If I go the bbq route, what is the most popular recipe here?

BTW, IMHO, frying a turkey outside is a great quick way to prepare the bird, but the clean up afterwards is the real PITA.

And for those who don't "follow the rules"...

http://www.ul.com/turkeyfryers/fryer.mpg

Good video, but one issue Mr. Worrywart doesn't bring up is that hot oil and water do not mix. The turkey should be totally thawed out and dry. And the reaction between the two can be delayed, as in SURPISE!
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  • The Naked Whiz
    The Naked Whiz Posts: 7,777
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    I've never deep fried a turkey so I can't give you a comparison, although I'd love to try one at least once to see what they are like.

    That said, you can smoke a turkey or you can roast a turkey in your Egg with some smoke. I roast turkeys with smoke. Here is a link to Mad Max's recipe on my website. It is quite detailed and should give you a good start. Also, Max usually opens the Mad Max Turkey hotline on Thanksgiving eve and day to help folks who need assistance. Good luck:

    Mad Max Turkey and Gravy
    The Naked Whiz
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  • mad max beyond eggdome
    mad max beyond eggdome Posts: 8,134
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    thank you, wizzerooo!!!! :woohoo:
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  • The Naked Whiz
    The Naked Whiz Posts: 7,777
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    Dude!! i've been going through the Mad Max Central web page code, reminding myself of how it works, so we can be ready for November. Remember we had 7 top ten tips last year? I have the PDF files etc. so if you want to make any revisions, we should start thinking about it. Email me!
    The Naked Whiz
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  • SWOkla-Jerry
    SWOkla-Jerry Posts: 640
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    I will be doing my 1st whole bird on my XL this Thanksgiving, was thinking about spatchcocking the turkey. I saw this was posted earlier this year, is this doable? Or should I just do the bird whole.
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  • Rick's Tropical Delight
    Rick's Tropical Delight Posts: 1,564
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    the mad max turkey method is also known as "smoasting" around here... a cross between smoking and roasting :woohoo:

    this?

    mmturkey20072-009.jpg

    or this!

    madmaxturkeyandgravyrtd.jpg

    mmturkey20072-001.jpg

    you make the call
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  • johnvb
    johnvb Posts: 46
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    That picture with the turned over table looks familiar, seems like every other time I would want to fry a turkey, it would be windy, which will blow out the propane burner in a heartbeat. So I would "have to" build a plywood wind screen, with wifey lookin on, just shakin her head...
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  • Rick's Tropical Delight
    Rick's Tropical Delight Posts: 1,564
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    hahaha! that was my neighbors last year

    use your egg
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  • JalopyBob
    JalopyBob Posts: 175
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    There are some who smoke for part of the cook and then finish in the fryer. But I am not a fan of that method. Applewood smoked is very good and fried is very good as well, just not together. If you have never tried deep fried turkey, a good way to get experience is to deep fry a fresh drumstick and a wing.
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  • woodleboodle
    woodleboodle Posts: 5
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    All that you need to remember when cooking a turkey on BGE is Brine..............
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  • Celtic Wolf
    Celtic Wolf Posts: 9,773
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    I am going to answer this without reading the other responses. My die hard Father-in-law who likes his turkeys BOILED. Yes I said BOILED. The only other way he had eaten Turkey was Deep Fried until he tasted the bird off my egg said I should cook the Thanksgiving Bird.

    Nuff said'

    I am sure that link TNW posted was to Mad Max's Turkey so I won't post it again..
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  • Celtic Wolf
    Celtic Wolf Posts: 9,773
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    Are your neighbors borrowing one of your Eggs this year??
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  • Celtic Wolf
    Celtic Wolf Posts: 9,773
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    Bird WHOLE..
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  • Celtic Wolf
    Celtic Wolf Posts: 9,773
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    Never Brined a turkey in my life..

    I cooked a bone in Turkey Breast earlier this week and it's still moist.. Brine them if you want, but it's not necessary..
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  • Boss Hogg
    Boss Hogg Posts: 1,377
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    John,

    I deep fry a turkey every Thanksgiving and it's kind of a family event. We hang out in the garage while having a few beers & smoking cigars during the hour it takes to cook the turkey outside. Going to do a Mad Max turkey this year for the first time but I will have to adjust the beer intake on a much longer cook :whistle:.

    BTW, I fell for that "Virginia is for Lovers" campaign years ago and married a girl from Newport News. Army brat. :blink: Have some nephews teaching in the Chesapeak School System

    Try the Mad Max turkey. Good Luck.

    Brian in PA
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  • Rascal
    Rascal Posts: 3,923
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    A number of years ago I bought a deep-fryer kit (stand, regulator, pot, rack, etc.) Didn't know much about the hazards, and as it was raining, went about doing my first turkey in the garage (next to the open door). No emergency ensued and the turkey was just so-so. However, while reflecting back on the experience the next day, I started to think of the ramifications of combining gallons of super-hot oil, fire, and a chef who was mesmorized by the novelty and getting buzzed on cocktails while all this was going on! Needless to say, that was my first & last deep-fried turkey! Now-a-days I use the setup out on the lanai to steam shell fish (lobster & all) or cook some pasta when things are busy on the stovetop. It's also great for cooking large amounts of chili, soup, etc. You can't beat the price and it's like having a nuclear-powered burner on hand for whatever reason. Thank you for giving those 'thinking-about-deep-frying-a-turkey" peeps a "heads-up"!!
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  • johnvb
    johnvb Posts: 46
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    yep, I married my high school sweatheart, we both are from Norfolk, and "navy brats".

    Even if the smoked turkey version doesn't taste any better than fried, the former version's ease of prep, cleanup, safety, etc. has to outweigh frying.

    Plus I always end up tossing the used grease to the trash, before it's time, which can be $25-$30 a pop.
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  • mad max beyond eggdome
    mad max beyond eggdome Posts: 8,134
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    i've never brined a turkey in my life. ..if you do it right, it will be moist as can be, and i want my turkey to taste like turkey, not like brine. .. plus, i'm just too lazy to brine. ... so why bother?
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  • BENTE
    BENTE Posts: 8,337
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    i spatchcocked a turkey just to see if i could... it was good but nowhere near as nice looking on the plate... i think my grandmother would faint if i brought a spatchcocked one to the table..


    just thinking about the look on her face :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:


    thanks for the laugh swokla

    happy eggin

    TB

    Anderson S.C.

    "Life is too short to be diplomatic. A man's friends shouldn't mind what he does or says- and those who are not his friends, well, the hell with them. They don't count."

    Tyrus Raymond Cobb

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  • GreenEgger
    GreenEgger Posts: 38
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    I'm thinking about trying a turkey for the first time soon (test run for thanksgiving hopefully) and I was reading the excellent and detailed Mad Max instructions, but had a newbie turkey question about this part...
    First, remember when you cleaned out the turkey and took out the neck, heart, giblets, liver, heart, and that lump of fat? Put these into a large pot.

    Can someone help w/ some more details/instructions on the cleaning out of the parts? This part of the directions seem to reference an earlier instruction on cleaning, but I didn't find that.

    Thanks for the help!
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  • BENTE
    BENTE Posts: 8,337
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    usually when you open a turkey's package those things are sitting in the bird.. well all but the lump of fat. the lump of fat in my mind is at the bottom of the bird i always called it the turkey's spikter {sp}...

    then rinse the turkey and follow the rest of max's directions...


    max will have the hotline open thanksgiving eve if you have any other questions ;)

    happy eggin

    TB

    Anderson S.C.

    "Life is too short to be diplomatic. A man's friends shouldn't mind what he does or says- and those who are not his friends, well, the hell with them. They don't count."

    Tyrus Raymond Cobb

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  • TulsaMurph
    TulsaMurph Posts: 131
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    I have deep fried several turkeys and used Mad Max's method a couple of times and I like both methods a lot. I think the preparation and presentation (after it is finished) with the Mad Max method is part of the fun, not to mention the gravy! To me, Thanksgiving is about tradition, (and of course, giving thanks!) and I think I like the Mad Max method more because there is more preparation and less clean up. You can't go wrong either way, and in fact, we had both one year because we have a lot of people at our dinner. I agree that boiling oil and open flames are a potential for disaster, but so far, things have always gone well for us. Just pick a method, plan your fellowship around the event and enjoy the heck out of the day and the bird.
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  • GreenEgger
    GreenEgger Posts: 38
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    Thanks Bente...how about the basting? The bulb basting was mentioned, but any recommendations on what to use for the baste?
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