What is the best way to cook a turkey and why is it smoking?

[Kevin B.]

I've done the deep fry thing a couple times, not bad but it hasn't ever seemed worth the hassle. I normally just roast the bird and have never been unhappy with that, but now I have a smoker (ho ho ho) and a new favorite turkey. No glamor shots, but I brined this for four days and then smoked it for three hours and I really think this was the best turkey I've ever had. I think next time I'll turn the heat down a little to start and see if I can get it a little smokier, but this was awesome.

 

[nnnnnate]

False, the best way to cook a turkey is to make a ham. Or brisket.

 

[anderson750]

False, the best way to cook a turkey is to make a ham. Or brisket.

I disagree……the best Thanksgiving meal is prime rib

 

[Stephen]

False, the best way to cook a turkey is to make a ham. Or brisket.

Here, here!

I'm not a huge turkey fan, but I'll eat it once a year. We spatchcock it, rub it with salts and spices, then let it sit overnight in the fridge. Then we roast it over vegetables for 90 minutes. As far as turkey goes, it's pretty good.

 

[Kevin B.]

False, the best way to cook a turkey is to make a ham. Or brisket.

I disagree……the best Thanksgiving meal is prime rib

Nerds. Ham is for easter, prime rib is for Christmas.

THERE ARE RULES, PEOPLE.

 

[DAA]

Ham is for the inlaws... My people pass it by for the better stuff.

- DAA

 

[mbryson]

I just got my turkey completely going. Cutting it close this year. We'll try out AC adapter in the Navigator for the trip to Smithfield. It hadn't defrosted after 10 days in the fridge (it's 37* but maybe not?). I had to precook it at 300* for about 1 hour so I could work with it. We'll see how it goes? I think it might be betterer than normal?

3 cubes of butter
1/2 cup of fresh sage, rosemary, thyme chopped like a horror movie
tablespoon(ish) of chopped garlic
1/2 cup of horror movie chopped onion
2 pkgs of onion soup
1 can of cream of mushroom soup

The boiling butter/seasoning mixture should defrost things pretty quickly (I hope?) and start the cooking going. Bag it and cook it until it hits 170* (per Butterball---seems like that'll be dry? I usually only go to 155*)

I feel like such the molly Mormon homemaker sometimes

 

[N-Smooth]

Not a huge fan of the dry bird but my BIL does his in the sous vide and it’s better than any turkey I’ve ever had.

This year I’m contributing the 2 B’s: Bread (made by me) and Baja. It’s an important role.

 

[Kevin B.]

I just got my turkey completely going. Cutting it close this year. We'll try out AC adapter in the Navigator for the trip to Smithfield. It hadn't defrosted after 10 days in the fridge (it's 37* but maybe not?). I had to precook it at 300* for about 1 hour so I could work with it. We'll see how it goes? I think it might be betterer than normal?

3 cubes of butter
1/2 cup of fresh sage, rosemary, thyme chopped like a horror movie
tablespoon(ish) of chopped garlic
1/2 cup of horror movie chopped onion
2 pkgs of onion soup
1 can of cream of mushroom soup

The boiling butter/seasoning mixture should defrost things pretty quickly (I hope?) and start the cooking going. Bag it and cook it until it hits 170* (per Butterball---seems like that'll be dry? I usually only go to 155*)

I feel like such the molly Mormon homemaker sometimes

Bag it? 170*? Cream of mushroom soup???

I'm telling Gordon Ramsey.

 

[Stephen]

 

[mbryson]

Bag it? 170*? Cream of mushroom soup???

I'm telling Gordon Ramsey.

It's quite delightful and dare I say moist. The cream of mushroom gives it some salt and very mild mushroom flavor ( I think I will add some fresh ones one of these times)

This should be a solid chicken?

 

[Kevin B.]

It's quite delightful and dare I say moist. The cream of mushroom gives it some salt and very mild mushroom flavor ( I think I will add some fresh ones one of these times)View attachment 166826

This should be a solid chicken?

You roasted it first and then bagged it?

 

[moab_cj5]

I got a recipe from Traeger and it's the best Turkey I've had. I can't do oven roasted turkey anymore. Smoked is the only way I'll cook them. Going on 5 Yeats now and it's one of my favorite foods!

 

[mbryson]

You roasted it first and then bagged it?

It did get a quick 45 min to defrost it in the oven (300*), I prepped it and cooked it in a roaster oven in the bag.

 

[UNSTUCK]

What ever is best, it wasn’t the way my BIL cooked it today. It was the least amount of food any of us have eaten for turkey day. We are now waiting at the dennys next to our hotel in Provo for food. I’m starving. 😡

 

[moab_cj5]

What ever is best, it wasn’t the way my BIL cooked it today. It was the least amount of food any of us have eaten for turkey day. We are now waiting at the dennys next to our hotel in Provo for food. I’m starving. 😡

I wish I would have seen this sooner. I have tons of Turkey left over and was in Provo. I would have glad given y'all some.

 

[UNSTUCK]

@moab_cj5 And that’s why you’re awesome. Thanks.