got a free 16lb FROZEN turkey from our grocerystore (for spending so much this week), so my wife said i can have it to smoke, cook on the bbq.

i realize FRESH would be better, but i got it for free, so i figure i might as well take a crack at it. if it's not going to turn out on the kettle via smoking or grilling it, i'll do it on my 3burner NG bbq.

i was looking at one of these methods:

http://www.bbqsource-forums.com/invboard/i...ost&p=54101

http://www.weberindia.com/WayToGrill/turke..._Turkey_ROW.pdf

if anyone has a surefire method to cooking/smoking this thing, please let me know. i'd like to smoke it if possible on my kettle. it's a 15.75lb frozen your turkey basted with real butter.

You can grill & smoke the turkey on your grill. I did it thanksgiving.

Put your favorite rub on the turkey.
Set your smoker tray up
Set the grill for indirect cooking at around 200 degrees C.
Place a drip pan under the grates unless you have a very very large grease tray.
Slow cook until you reach the desired internal temp.
16 lbs should take about 5 or 6 hours.
If you cook it a 350 it will cook faster

yeah, yours was the one i was looking at doing.

that would be great, if it was charcoal smoked/grilled for 5-6hrs. i'd start it around 10-11am and it'd be ready for supper at 5 or 6.

sounds like fun, hopefully it's not -40 when i do it

so did you brine it first or just a dry rub? i want a CRISPY skin

Bruce,

You could boil it.... or just pan fry it. It will suck but you could..

I think the best turkey is smoked. I am doing one tomorrow in my MES. It is also a cheap turkey from the store that is injected with a salt solution so I don't have much to start with but it will be the best it can be if I smoke it!

The biggest turkey ever,
Sink

Mmmmm, boiled turkey how about a 3lb turkey in a can. never seen one up here, but i see them when we drive south to go shopping etc.


i'm with you guys, i think i'll smoke it. never had a smoked turkey, but they sure look good. and pretty much everything that comes off the kettle tastes good, so i'm guessing turkey would be the same.

if your going to smoke it Bruce, brine it first it will be super moist and tasty

jim

The cheap turkeys are already injected with a salt solution so you don't have to brine them. Read the label and see. 8 to 9.5% salt solution. Not as good as my brine but it's done. They don't taste as good as a natural turkey that's been brined with a flavorful brine tough...

Almost pickled,
Sink

Actually, many are up to 13% enhanced solution these days. I've been pointing this out time and again around here. It is an unnatural taste not at all like injecting the turkey with your own brine.

Shelly

I just used a dry rub
btw
You can always put a piece or two of charcoal in your gas grill for flavor

i don't see any numbers as far as what's injected, just says "BASTED WITH REAL BUTTER" either way, i'll smoke it on the charcoal kettle and see what happens. like i said, it was a freebee, so i might as well take advantage of it.

I do turkeys all the time on a charcoal kettle, you wont be disappointed

I knew you'd pop in here once you heard about the injection! You've got me actually READING the labels on all my meat now..

Gotta love you for watching our backs!

mikey

Bruce if you read up on that it's basted? with real butter "Flavor" Basting is the technique of brushing, spooning or pouring liquids over food, so what they meant to say is it's injected with water, salt, butter flavor and most likely antibiotics and maybe even steroids. when turkeys are 79 cents a pound they are raised rapidly in a warehouse and plumped with solutions to add weight and flavor, if turkeys 4 bucks a pound its raised naturally(and takes two to three times longer to raise) with zero additives thats why you brine those birds otherwise they would be dry when cooked.

But I am with you it's free toss it on the smoker make some fix-in's with it and mow it down

But I also agree with Shelly the taste of untainted chicken or turkey is amazing and actually requires some culinary skills to prepare properly or can easily become shoe leather.

Heres something helpful I found:

Jimbo


When buying a turkey, it’s helpful to know what certain terms mean. Birds that contain extra water, broth, butter, or other additives must be labeled “basted” or “self-basting,” according to USDA regulations.

“Fresh” turkeys are birds that have never been cooled below 26 degrees Fahrenheit (that’s below the freezing temperature of water, but not cold enough to meet the USDA’s standard of frozen). “Frozen” turkeys must then be stored at or below zero degrees.

“Natural” means the product contains no artificial ingredients or added color and is minimally processed. “Minimally processed” means the raw product has not been fundamentally altered.

“Free-range” indicates that the animals have access to the outdoors (but doesn’t necessarily mean the product is organic).

“No antibiotics” means just that (but only that).


Butterball and other factory-farmed turkeys are available at local supermarkets. Heritage turkeys are sold at Fairway and Gourmet Garage stores (various locations; fifteen to eighteen pounds for about $130) or online at heritagefoodsusa.com (fifteen to eighteen pounds, $160). Dan Barber’s pastured turkeys can be purchased at stonebarnscenter.org or by calling 914-366-6200 ($3.50 per pound). Four Corners Farm turkeys can be ordered through Oppenheimer Meats ($4.59 per pound; 212-662-0246). USDA-certified organic broad-breasted white turkeys are available from D’Artagnan at Garden of Eden and Food Emporium or online at dartagnan.com (10 to 22 pounds, from $65.75 to $125). Wild turkeys are available from Quattro’s Game Farm in Union Square Greenmarket ($5.59 per pound) or from Ottomanelli & Sons (five to seven pounds, $42; 212-675-4217).



Read more: How to Buy a Turkey - Holiday Food Guide 2005 http://nymag.com/nymetro/food/homeent/1499...l#ixzz0ZgwhUsXd

Read more: How to Buy a Turkey - Holiday Food Guide 2005 http://nymag.com/nymetro/food/homeent/14995/#ixzz0Zgpkdmaq

turkey is now in the fridge thawing, probably not ready until the w/end or monday.

so, if i smoke this thing like i'm planning at 200deg for 5-6 hrs or until it's done, i'm guessing (by a quick google search) that i should NOT stuff it. but if i catch the dripping, can i make gravy with it, so should i just pull out some gravy starter from our freezer (we keep it on hand for times like this) and use that for the gravy?

There is usually a gravey packet inside of the turkey.
If you want stuffing in the turkey, then you add it during the last hour.
I felt that it was too much trouble so I made mine in a different dish

thanks. good tip about the stuffing, i'll try that.

Bruce I would not stuff it if your going to smoke it, the stuffing wont cook through and could be unfit to consume and will absorb allot of drippings and be mushy since it wont see any heat above 200 degrees
and you will have to bring the drippings to a rolling boil for gravy but I assume you will do that anyway when adding the four or starch.
when I smoke turkey or chicken at about 150-155 degrees (meat temp) I throw it in my closed grill at 400 degrees (indirect) for a half hour or so and the skin is golden brown and real crispy its about the same as putting it in a 400 degree oven. and the meat hits 170-175
I suppose you could stuff the bird if you like, but then would have to also bake the stuffing.200 is just not hot enough to cook stuffing even if you just put it into a 200 degree oven unless you like it mushy any vegis you have in it will still be crunchy and under cooked
I like stuffing the cavity with apples or a blend of onions and celery and carrots and fresh sage, those juices will appear in your drippings.

jimbee

DONE. thanks for the advise. wasn't sure the stuffing would get done, didn't look into it yet. i was also thinking of jacking up the heat for the 30-60min to crisp up the skin.

i'll just do some stove top and some mashed potatoes, good enough for me.

good deal bruce that stove top stuffing is money I love it.........
my kids suck it down.......

jimbo

so the turkey is planned for tomorrow as it is supposed to be nice out, only -9°C or 15°F., so a couple last minute questions.

i'll fill the cavity with some veggies and perhaps some apples cut up, and put the bird in a disposable tray (i'm assuming i use a tray an not directly on the grill), so i can get some gravy. i'll use HICKORY or MESQUITE wood chunks, that's all i got.

i'm not going to brine it, as it's one of those injected or basted frozen birds, not fresh, but should i oil the skin and/or put a rub on it first or will the wood and smoke be enough?

i'll have QUIZNO's on speed dial, just in case.

rub somthin under the skin cause if you brown it to crisp it up it will be money, butter or oil the outside with some season if anyone likes the skin otherwise dont bother, i like the skin so i doctor it up nicely

jimbob

that's kinda what i was thinking, same way as i did a chicken a while back.

just in time, i just put the bird on at 1030am

drip pan UNDER the food grate in the center of the charcoal grate and banked coals on each side (similar to this). put one piece of HICKORY on each bank, bird directly on the food grate, water pan beside bird and some water in drip pan as well. stuffed it with celery, apple and onion. put in the wired thermometer and set for 170°.

rubbed bird with:
1 tablespoon garlic powder
2 teaspoons seasoned salt
1 teaspoons poultry seasoning
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (left this out for the kids)
1/4 teaspoon basil

wish me luck...

update....1hr in, temp is still holding around 210°, so i'm off to a decent start

2-1/2hrs in, gonna add a bit more charcoal, temps were dropping under 200 and the charcoal on one side was pretty much ash.

turkey is looking good though.

3-1/2hrs now, with the new charcoal the temps are back up to a constant 220 and internal temp of the bird is around 135, bird is looking really really good now, nice dark brown.

5-1/2hrs, 150degrees, still looking good. wife forgot to get stove top, so she had to run out.

jacked up the heat with some new charcoal, to about 275-300 to crisp it up for the last hr or so, i'll pull it off at 170 and let it sit for 15-20 while we make the potatoes/chemical based stovetop.

drippings look good, hopefully it's nice flavorful gravy. turkey is nice and dark now.

still crossing my fingers....

6-1/2hrs and the turkey was done. turned out quite nice.

i put it on about 300 for the last hour and made sure it hit 170 in a few spots, it was possibly a little over done. my folks came over so we made SURE it was done. didn't want to make everyone sick a week before xmas.

had a very nice flavour and will make excellent leftovers for sandwiches.

i'll post pics this afternoon, it's too early right now.

overall, a successful turkey on the weber. the gravy was a little smokey, but not bad.

pics up in FOOD SHOTS