Time to thaw a Turkey

[Mr__Bill]

For those of you who have frozen turkeys and are not going to wait until Thursday morning to thaw it out, here is a calculator for a rough idea of when to start the thaw.

Turkey Calculator.


Bill, on the Sunny Oregon Coast

[dbhost]

Mine's thawing in the fridge now.... Should be ready Wednesday morning. I am planning on getting up early, and injecting the bird with a special Cajun injector recipe I picked up a few years ago.... Best to let it sort of marinade for at least 12 hours before cooking...

[leehljp]

I have two twelve pounders; will put them in the smoker grill for for 6 hours early Thursday morning. Not my choice but everyone else's that will be here!

That is the problem of doing something well; everyone expects more out of you from then on!

[Leatherneck]

Brine that bird

I've seen many [I]experts[I] advising folks to brine the turkey for 24 hours. I think I'll give it a try this year.

All you Fire Fighters out there, I feel your anxiety! The deep-fried turkey craze ensures a slew of burning garages and houses this Thursday. I've had it, I like it and it's tasty....I just don't think its worth the trouble and $$$.

Happy Thanksgiving to all @ BT3Central!

John

[atgcpaul]

I have two twelve pounders; will put them in the smoker grill for for 6 hours early Thursday morning. Not my choice but everyone else's that will be here!

That is the problem of doing something well; everyone expects more out of you from then on!

Hank, more info please on your smoked turkey recipe and technique. I'm a smoker newbie so maybe I'll stick with the oven instead of my bullet smoker.

Thanks,
Paul

[leehljp]

Hank, more info please on your smoked turkey recipe and technique. I'm a smoker newbie so maybe I'll stick with the oven instead of my bullet smoker.

Thanks,
Paul

I have a New Braunsfel smoker like the dual level ones seen here:
http://www.thefind.com/appliances/br...aunfels-smoker

Only I modified mine. I took them apart and use the small one for a grill. I made a stand and stood the longer one vertical. I moved the pipe to the top end. I did all of this because the dual levels are meant for the fire to be on the lower smaller end and the smoking to flow to the other end. The problem here in Japan is the high cost of charcoal and smoking wood. By making it vertical, the heat and smoke travels up, utilizing less charcoal and hickory for the same amount and effect of smoking.

I use an injector and put my own mixture of melted butter mixed with enough salt added in to make it lightly salty tasting. Then I coat the outside with butter/margarine and salt and pepper the outside kinda heavy.

Then I get the smoker going with charcoal and hickory I keep it around 250° - 300° range in the chamber (up close to the top) for about 4 to 5 hours. Real smoking would be at a lower temp but longer time.

[natausch]

Fresh Turkey + 24 hour brine + 1lb of salt pork = yum

[ironhat]

I have two twelve pounders; will put them in the smoker grill for for 6 hours early Thursday morning. Not my choice but everyone else's that will be here!

That is the problem of doing something well; everyone expects more out of you from then on!

As Maxine says, "Remember, all it takes is one undercooked turkey and you're the "dinner rolls" and "soda" person for life".

[leehljp]

As Maxine says, "Remember, all it takes is one undercooked turkey and you're the "dinner rolls" and "soda" person for life".

Agreed. I do look at those pop-up temp checkers that tell when it is done. But, those don't always work when smoking though. I can tell by moving a leg/thigh. "Well done" - the leg thigh will be loose in the socket in addition to the turkey being very dark from smoke - not from burning. I do keep a watch on the temp and times. I don't allow "raw" or "pink" in turkey, chicken or pork!

And I don't care for raw or simi-raw in the vast majority of seafood! I love smoked catfish and salmon. My smoked salmon is well done, but not dry.

[Mr__Bill]

As Maxine says, "Remember, all it takes is one undercooked turkey and you're the "dinner rolls" and "soda" person for life".

I agree, I also use the thermometer into the stuffing. I have found that the popup will indicate done but the stuffing is not yet up to temp. I figure that a lot of the turkey fat has soaked into that dressing so it needs to be as done as turkey should be.


Bill,
It's he whole berry cranberries for me, none of that gelled stuff.