Let's Talk BBQ
FORUM SPONSORS => Pit Barrel Cooker Co. => Topic started by: Hub on November 29, 2014, 11:31:10 AM
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For several weeks now I've been planning a post-Thanksgiving turkey in my PBC (did the Thursday bird in a bag in the oven and it was perfect but small and all the leftovers are gone already). However, at the last minute I'm changing my mind and going with the Traeger (where I've done successful turkeys before). Reason is I didn't see anybody really raving about their PBC turkeys and I didn't want to do a first time, experimental cook when I've got a house full of family waiting on the groceries.
My PBC does fantastic chicken and that should translate to turkey but I'm going to test that theory later, on myself, just in case ::)
If you got a screamin' good turkey out of your PBC please let me know how you did it.
Hub
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I did a turkey in my PBC for the family (our last full T-day together) back in 2012. I followed Noahs video and hung it. I remember complaints about the turkey tasting too smokey and I have not done a turkey in my PBC since. Chicken is always perfect though.
I have thought of using the cooking grate with the turkey on one of those V stands, leaving out the re-bar and doing the turkey. I figure the higher temps might get the skin to crisp up faster and help with the turkey taking on more smoke.
We all know how poultry is a smoke magnet..........well that is my 2 cents.......
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I did a test turkey and was very happy with the results. Did the real thing on Thursday. It was out of this world. No wood, just charcoal. I rubbed it first with a mixture of melted butter and olive oil. Cracked the lid at 155 for 20 minutes. It was 15lbs and cooked for 3.5 hours. I have no complaints. My son in law said until my turkey the best he ever ate was cooked on a green egg and this far surpassed it. That's my experience with the PBC.
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My PBC turkey turned out okay, nothing great, like the PBC does for chicken. I also did a turkey in the BEESR and it was way better than the one I did in the PBC.
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Did a ~12 pound turkey, first one, in the PBC for Thanksgiving and it turned out pretty darn good IMHO. Much better than the deep-fry I did last year. It was a cold day up here in the NE and it took about 3.5 hours. I think I could have shortened the time if I"d cracked the vent a bit more. Used Kingsford with a couple of chunks of seasoned oak. The family and inlaws gave it a thumbs up...especially over the oven roasted bird my DIL did.
Since I had a little spare time and still hot PBC...did a batch of wings with my own sweet-n-spicy glaze to finish.
[attachments deleted after 6 months]
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I chickened out as well. Did 2 test turkeys, both of which were failures. So, I wound up using a recipe from the NY Times that got rave reviews. Problem for me was that, after two experiments, I was so tired of turkey that I didn't really want any of the 3d bird when the T-Day finally arrived.
My problem was, I didn't pay attention to plain evidence. I used a ChefAlarm probe inserted into the turkey to let me know how the cooking was coming along. It wasn't until after the 2d failure that I realized those two turkeys were still partially frozen when I put the in the cooker. (The ChefAlarm records high and low temps). What I failed to pay attention to was the fact that the low temp was at 30 degrees or below for each of the turkeys. Lesson here? Even if you think your bird is fresh, it was probably frozen at some point. So, use a temperature probe to make sure it's fully thawed!
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I think the next time I try a turkey in the PBC, I will use the cooking grate with the turkey in a V stand and keep the rebar out to really crisp up the skin.........
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use a temperature probe to make sure it's fully thawed!
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Good point Don, both my 12 pound turkeys I did this year were allowed to thaw in the fridge for 1 week prior to Thanksgiving Day, when I prepped the birds there was still chunks of ice in the cavity of both birds.
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I agree with smoke
if I was doing a whole bird in the PBC I would use my "V" roasting rack and set it on the grill grate
sorta like I did it in the OldSmokey (2-sided indirect)
you could also hang the V rack with the bird from the rebar
(http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o283/CaptJack50/BBQ/OS_turkey_004_zps3a144571.jpg)
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use a temperature probe to make sure it's fully thawed!
Good point Don, both my 12 pound turkeys I did this year were allowed to thaw in the fridge for 1 week prior to Thanksgiving Day, when I prepped the birds there was still chunks of ice in the cavity of both birds.
there are a number of recipes for doing turkey when they are still frozen, and partially frozen
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use a temperature probe to make sure it's fully thawed!
Good point Don, both my 12 pound turkeys I did this year were allowed to thaw in the fridge for 1 week prior to Thanksgiving Day, when I prepped the birds there was still chunks of ice in the cavity of both birds.
there are a number of recipes for doing turkey when they are still frozen, and partially frozen
<a href="http://blog.williams-sonoma.com/yes-you-can-roast-a-frozen-turkey/">
Yes, You Can Roast a Frozen Turkey!</a>