Turkey Tips

National Lampoons Christmas Vacation is one of our all time favorite movies.  The last thing any of us wants to do is repeat the Turkey cutting scene.  Here are a few tips to help turn out a nice moist bird.

• First off you need an accurate instant read thermometer.  This is essential to make sure the bird has reached a safe temperature and that you then don't over cook it and dry it out.  Digitals are best.  If you have a dial type please put it in a glass full of crushed ice and water and make sure it reads 32ºF.  If it has lost calibration (which is very common) gently grasp the stem without bending it and you can usually turn the dial till it reads 32ºF when in the ice water.
   

• Time is not King!  The internal meat temperatures you are aiming for are 165ºF in the breast and 180ºF in the dark meat.  In our experience the last place to reach the proper temp is where the wing joint in the breast (165ºF).  Time is just a guide to get you in the ball park of temp.
   

• Keeping it moist.  There are two ways to do this.

The low salt method is to use foil, and keep the breast at the bottom or have several layers of foil over the breast.  A half hour before you finish have the breast up with the foil rolled back to crisp up the skin to a wonderful golden brown color. 

The easy high salt way is to buy a turkey that has "solution added" or to brine it yourself.  A simple and great brine is a cup of Diamond Kosher Salt, a gallon of apple juice and a 1/2 cup packed.   1/2 cup "non-iodized" table salt = 3/4 cup Morton's Kosher Salt = 1 cup Diamond Kosher salt (our favorite).  Mix over low heat and cool the brine to below 40ºF.  Submerge the bird overnight in the refrigerator.  For safety keep everything below 40ºF.  Butterball frozen turkeys work great for a store bought solution added bird.  Defrost and use the times that came with your bird.  Kosher birds have already been soaked in salt water.
 

• Flavor.  Before cooking coat the bird with a thin coat of oil and apply your favorite spices inside and our.  Salt and Pepper works great, of course we would recommend our Montana's Best Barbeque™ Rubs . 
   
• Smoke.  We find that the best results are smoking hot at around 325ºF to 350ºF with Apple or Cherry wood.  You can do this on a kettle

• While we love traditional stuffing one of our favorite no traditional stuffing's is Cajun rice stuffing.  If you are up for experimentation there are lots of great recipes on the web.  While stuffing is great, one word of caution.  If you plan on smoking keep your smoker at a minimum temp of 325ºF.  If you cook low and slow, stuffing keeps the center meat in the danger zone (40ºF-140ºF) for longer than it is safe.