6 ms·

Some of my own personal observations: - a turkey is a HUGE bird - people only cook turkey once a year - most guidelines for cooking turkey overcook the turke

by yomly 5y ago

Some of my own personal observations: - a turkey is a HUGE bird - people only cook turkey once a year - most guidelines for cooking turkey overcook the turkey - most people are terrified of undercooking poultry Trying something once a year isn't usually great for learning. It's a long feedback cycle and cooking for a special occasion disincentivises risk taking/experimentation. Same goes for risk of inflicting food poisoning for a large group. Cooking something so large is sufficiently different from roasting a chicken (for example) that people lack confidence/get it wrong. This leads to the quaint cultural tradition of millions of people overcooking their turkey on thanksgiving in the US and on Christmas in the UK. That said I always thought the US generally ate turkey more so their turkey game was better. Fwiw my turkey has never been dry but I come from a family of cooks.

dekhn 5y ago
I think the US missed a huge opportunity to pick the turkey as the national bird (I'm not saying anything about Franklin) and to consume turkey more than chicken. Turkey is royalty among poultry.
- konfusinomicon 5y ago
  if turkey was the national bird, we'd all be overcooking our bald eagles instead
  - hvgk 5y ago
    They’d probably be more interesting to eat.
    - bryanrasmussen 5y ago
      or to pardon on the white house lawn.
snarf21 5y ago
The key is to do a dry brine with just salt at least over night. Rinse and dry afterwards. Keep foil over the breasts except for a short period of time to brown the skin. People also tend to cook it until it is dead. Use a thermometer but remember that the temperature will carry. Then let the turkey sit for at least an hour under foil and a towel. Perfect every time.
croutonwagon 5y ago
Would agree. I smoke about 5-6 turkeys a year. I’ve got it down pretty well. However I rarely do it for thanksgiving if extended family are coming (at least the wrong ones). I’ve had them freak out a out the juice, about the little “done timer” not going off, about internal color etc. In one case I had an aunt demand it go into an oven and sure enough overcooked it (which is why I now often don’t make one for extended family). People do similar with pork and ribs and such. I’ve never had an issue and still cook my meat to certain temps etc. but it’s one of those things everyone’s an expert on. I will say that those that have eaten my smoked turkey, ribs, Boston butt etc tend to like it, if not prefer it, but that’s never been enough to deter some naysayers. That said, it’s also why I like dark meat. Can’t stand dry meat that’s not jerky.
- zarq 5y ago
  The best thing I did for not having dry turkeys or other meat, is a meat thermometer. I, like your aunt, just didn't pay attention to anything before.
  - croutonwagon 5y ago
    Yeah I use a Weber iGrill to monitor. Though I have a spreadsheet going back to the 90s of things I’ve smoked. Size, temps, re-coals etc. I don’t really need a monitor for smoking but I still use it out of habit and allows me to check the temp without pull long the blanket or top off the cooker. But a thermometer has been great for steaks and others. But even they kinda lead you to overcook. Like the Weber iGrill will want you to run the temp up to 165 on poultry. But on a smoker it’s an extended period of time over heat, not a grill with a quick jump to a temp. The meat at 150 for 1-2 hours+ it’s fine. I usually do about 1 hr per pound on the smoker and the breast at/above 150 for an hour or more.
- MattGaiser 5y ago
  I have some relatives who will add an extra 10 degrees, "just to be safe."
  - 5y ago
doopy1 5y ago
Had a turkey at a friend's place the other day, it was moist and delicious. They did a 20 hour brine.
smegger001 5y ago
>That said I always thought the US generally ate turkey more so their turkey game was better. the turkey we eat a lot of generally isn't a whole bird, its mostly lunch meat that said my bird was moist.
OJFord 5y ago
> quaint cultural tradition of [turkey for] Christmas in the UK Imported from America in C19, for what it's worth. I realise that's arguably long enough ago to be both tradition and quaint, but my point really is it's not the only way/a must/centuries old (well ok, one or two). Poultry more so/further back, really it's just a feast day though, have whatever.
- yomly 5y ago
  Heh on the continent they eat goose sometimes so I guess that might be the longer standing tradition? With no actual knowledge of these matters, game feels in season for late autumn / early winter...?

by yomly 5y ago

dekhn 5y ago

I think the US missed a huge opportunity to pick the turkey as the national bird (I'm not saying anything about Franklin) and to consume turkey more than chicken. Turkey is royalty among poultry.

konfusinomicon 5y ago
if turkey was the national bird, we'd all be overcooking our bald eagles instead
- hvgk 5y ago
  They’d probably be more interesting to eat.
  - bryanrasmussen 5y ago
    or to pardon on the white house lawn.

snarf21 5y ago

The key is to do a dry brine with just salt at least over night. Rinse and dry afterwards. Keep foil over the breasts except for a short period of time to brown the skin. People also tend to cook it until it is dead. Use a thermometer but remember that the temperature will carry. Then let the turkey sit for at least an hour under foil and a towel. Perfect every time.

croutonwagon 5y ago

Would agree. I smoke about 5-6 turkeys a year. I’ve got it down pretty well. However I rarely do it for thanksgiving if extended family are coming (at least the wrong ones). I’ve had them freak out a out the juice, about the little “done timer” not going off, about internal color etc. In one case I had an aunt demand it go into an oven and sure enough overcooked it (which is why I now often don’t make one for extended family). People do similar with pork and ribs and such. I’ve never had an issue and still cook my meat to certain temps etc. but it’s one of those things everyone’s an expert on. I will say that those that have eaten my smoked turkey, ribs, Boston butt etc tend to like it, if not prefer it, but that’s never been enough to deter some naysayers. That said, it’s also why I like dark meat. Can’t stand dry meat that’s not jerky.

zarq 5y ago
The best thing I did for not having dry turkeys or other meat, is a meat thermometer. I, like your aunt, just didn't pay attention to anything before.
- croutonwagon 5y ago
  Yeah I use a Weber iGrill to monitor. Though I have a spreadsheet going back to the 90s of things I’ve smoked. Size, temps, re-coals etc. I don’t really need a monitor for smoking but I still use it out of habit and allows me to check the temp without pull long the blanket or top off the cooker. But a thermometer has been great for steaks and others. But even they kinda lead you to overcook. Like the Weber iGrill will want you to run the temp up to 165 on poultry. But on a smoker it’s an extended period of time over heat, not a grill with a quick jump to a temp. The meat at 150 for 1-2 hours+ it’s fine. I usually do about 1 hr per pound on the smoker and the breast at/above 150 for an hour or more.
MattGaiser 5y ago
I have some relatives who will add an extra 10 degrees, "just to be safe."
- 5y ago

doopy1 5y ago

Had a turkey at a friend's place the other day, it was moist and delicious. They did a 20 hour brine.

smegger001 5y ago

>That said I always thought the US generally ate turkey more so their turkey game was better. the turkey we eat a lot of generally isn't a whole bird, its mostly lunch meat that said my bird was moist.

OJFord 5y ago

> quaint cultural tradition of [turkey for] Christmas in the UK Imported from America in C19, for what it's worth. I realise that's arguably long enough ago to be both tradition and quaint, but my point really is it's not the only way/a must/centuries old (well ok, one or two). Poultry more so/further back, really it's just a feast day though, have whatever.

yomly 5y ago
Heh on the continent they eat goose sometimes so I guess that might be the longer standing tradition? With no actual knowledge of these matters, game feels in season for late autumn / early winter...?