First kettle turkey

[Ethang]

So far I have done some ribs, still learning. Did a few steaks, turned out really good but still learning. I did some hotdogs, some corn and assorted other stuff, still learning...So this week I have a turkey almost thawed in the fridge. My vacation is winding down so Tuesday or Thursday will be my cook.

I am thinking a standard snake and apple smoke, not sure yet if I will brine it. I am concerned a bit keeping it cold in the summer heat while it brines. I looked and only found one turkey recipe on the site so far.

Suggestions tips and techniques would be greatly appreciated..

Ethan

[landgraftj]

Ethan make sure that turkey is natural and not packaged with a salt solution or enhanced already. If you try to brine it, it will turn out terrible. I made that mistake when first starting out and it was awful. Good luck and take some pics!

[One Touch Platinum]

I did a turkey breast last Thanksgiving on the grill and it was the best turkey I ever ate! You do not need to go low and slow when you cook it. If you want to smoke it a long time you need to watch the amount of wood/smoke or the skin will get black. Low and slow for turkey can make the skin a throw away item due to the texture and as I already stated it can get too dark/black. If you cook it at a higher temp, much like cooking a chicken indirect you will probably get the results you are looking for. The skin will be crisper and golden brown and you only need to cook it to temp and not have it sit on the grill for endless hours to be great. DO NOT overcook the turkey!! Use a thermometer and remember the target temp you want is 165 degrees internal. You can pull the bird off at 155 or 160 and let it rest so the temp will hit 165. If you let it rest the skin may not be too crunchy anymore and it will definitely get soft if you let it rest in foil. Two things about the turkey I cooked...1) It was the whole bone in breast, no dark meat .2) I pretty much discarded the skin since it sat under foil for a while until everything else was ready to eat and the skin was no longer crisp. I cooked the turkey with the grill at about 350 degrees and depending on how big it is it may only take a few hours......I miscalculated the time and had the turkey done too soon but it was the most juicy turkey I ever saw or ate! DO NOT USE THE POP UP THERMOMETER THAT COMES WITH THE TURKEY!!!! It will be over cooked if you do....use an instant read or chef's thermometer.

[Craig]

If you have a large cooler, just fill it with Ice and brine the turkey in a trash bag and set it inside the cooler for 24 hours. I did that with my first two birds I did last year. You'll love kettle turkey. I haven't done it with the snake method yet so ill defer to those that have. I have done the bird in a roasting pan inside the kettle to protect the breast for the first hour (cooked breast down). Then the last 3 hours breast up. I can't wait to see some photos of your cook and setup.

[Craig]

This year I'm thinking of doing one the old fashioned way on the kettle. Indirect and with butter, and seasoning. Not smoking.

[1buckie]

Pretty good ideas.....a few things to add....

IF you use a trash bag to brine, then set in ice in an ice chest, make SURE it's not a "scented" or disinfectant bag......a lot of them are impregnated with anti-stink chemicals nowdays & that WILL get into your food by way of the brine, which works by osmosis..........
better to find giant zip-locks 2 or 3 or 4 gallon size.....restaurant supply or large grocery should have them......

Whole turkey: 180f at fat part of the thigh, 155~160f at center of breast, avoid bouncing thermometer off bone, you'll get a weird reading.......

If you're getting heavy browning on the extremities (end of drums, tips of wings, top end of breast where neck would be ) then wrap some foil around those places for at least part of the time so they don't get burnt.......if the whole thing is getting dark brown & you still have aways to go, foil tent the whole thing so it stops browning the skin, leaving a few spots for the steam to escape......

Sorry, I have no pics, been sick as hell last two turkey days & the wife's family wanted oven the time before that.....
I do them in a pan, right down in on the charcoal grate, set on celery stalks short way across the pan under the turk, broth in the pan to keep moist, tuck a bit of foil around the parts that get close to the coals & the tips of things & charcoal all the way around..........
Higher heat 300~330f......a lot of times injected, not brined, but  brining is really better for these, I'm convinced.............. 

[Craig]

Yeah I forgot to mention unscented trash bags. But To Buckies point, use large clear bags.

[Thin Blue Smoke]

This is good info and timely as I was planning on doing a kettle turkey for thanksgiving this year. I would like to do a test run soon. Keep the tips comming. 

[Bbqmiller]

Several years ago, i bought 12 and 22 qt cambro. I can fit the 22 qt cambro in the bottom of the fridge for brining purposes. I use the smaller for say 2 chickens and the larger for brining turkey. They aren't too expensive, and I have used them often.


I have used this brine several times that is detailed over on the TVWBB site, and it is a really good one.

http://virtualweberbullet.com/turkey6.html

[MacEggs]

I have used the brine above that Bbqmiller used or uses. I agree, it's very good!
I believe I went with a 24 hour brine for a 13 lb turkey, and then air dried in the fridge for about 18 hours.

Low 'n' slow for turkey ... Not necessary. I cooked that 13 pounder on my ECB ... Total cook time: 2.5 hours on very high heat.
I ain't lying, either. Did not use water in the water pan, just lined it with foil. That bird turned out fantastic!

I would not recommend the snake method as is used for ribs or butts, etc. Not hot enough.
I have never done a whole turkey on the kettle, but, done some half birds to experiment with some different methods.

I want to try a whole turkey this year. Pics and method would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.


Here are some of my pics and set-up.












The 2nd half ... another day. No brine this time.

[Craig]

Those look awesome, MacEggs! BqMiller, where did you find the brining buckets? I like that!

[Ethang]

Thanks for the tips guys. I did two before in the oven using Alton Browns method and brine. They both turned out great.

Thursday will be my kettle cook. I will of course do my best to document it.

[MacEggs]

Those look awesome, MacEggs! BqMiller, where did you find the brining buckets? I like that!

Thanks, Craig! I use a 5 gallon pail that had grape juice in it for wine making. Got it for free.
Adjust a few shelves in the beer fridge, and you're good. 

[Craig]

My first kettle turkey. Practice bird, Election Day 2012...
Breast down......for first hour, just going on.

 
After flipping the bird..... yeah I forgot to twine the legs...

 

 
 
Christmas Turkey.. This one turned out better. But both birds were super moist!







 
 

[MacEggs]

Those look amazing, Craig!!

A few questions:
Did you cook the bird in the pan for the entire time? Stupid question, but, had to ask. 

Did you use 2 charcoal baskets opposite each other?

I am considering a setup like this with a drip pan. Maybe I could use the Minion method with each basket.
However, without it sitting in a pan, I would be concerned with some charring on the bird. Just a thought.