Turkey and the Big Green Egg
By this time tomorrow I will be sitting in the backyard, drinking wine, watching giant plumes of gray smoke fill the noontime air. Thanksgiving - that distinctly American celebration of turkey, stuffing, and the pursuit of getting plump and loaded - will bring yet another family get together, and a bit of anxiety, to my house. Unlike previous years, this year I have a new responsibility - the turkey.
I've cooked just about every type of meat product you can think of, but never a whole turkey. Nineteen pounds of fresh, bulbous, non-injected love, our humble turkey is about to meet its final destination in the hands of a complete novice.
This day has been coming for almost a year, for it was not too long ago that I received one of these as a present, and was thereafter introduced to one of the most rabid subcultures (right up there with Apple freaks) I've ever seen.
For the past couple of days I've been digging in the Green Egg forums, talking to complete strangers about barbecuing - not hard drives, CSS classes or ActionScript - but down home, sizzle on the grizzle cookin'. First rule - toss the manual. It was written by complete amateurs. These people are serious about their eggs (one guy has his own web site of recipes and photos). They'll swear up and down that ceramic cookers bring a flavor, taste, and a level of temperature control you can't find in other backyard barbecues.
When I first received the egg as a present, I was a little terrified of it. I have a "thing" about large, heavy personal possessions - ball and chains if you will - that prevent you from living anywhere but a house that supports them. Some dream of suburbia, but I don't. And big, heavy objects like these (and cats) are what keep you from having options.
But that's another story.
So far I have acquired tons of turkey tips and directions from the green egg people, and tomorrow will be the ultimate test of my backyard acumen. Today the turkey will be brined using this Alton Brown recipe. By tomorrow I'll stoke the charcoal and apple chips, bring it to steady 350 degrees, and drop that big buttered-up bird inside. If the equation of 15 minutes per pound holds true, our beloved beast should be golden brown, 160 degrees inside the thickest breast, and ready to carve in about five hours.
Wish me luck.
Comments
I love Alton Brown! I've been dying to put his brine recipe to the test, but as this is only the third month of my marriage, the parents will be doing the cooking this year.
Good luck with the whole sha-bang Todd!
Posted by: Bobby at November 27, 2002 11:16 AM
I envy you your egg. So much so I'm thinking of converting our old garden pump shack into a smokehouse and dazzling the Frenchies with some real barbecue.
If I may be so bold: a bit of grated orange rind and some lightly toasted walnuts in the cranberry sauce. Honest.
Posted by: Dean Allen at November 27, 2002 1:07 PM
We're using the Alton Brown brining method as well - in fact, we're following his recipie in every detail.
Alton Brown is my hero.
Posted by: Dan at November 27, 2002 2:22 PM
"test?"...a good suggestion. Have you done a trial run? We all know what the turkey looked like in the movie "Christmas Vacation" ...don't let this happen to you. My experiences with various sauces and liquids combined with an open flame, much less adding a pressurized space to the equation have been anything but uneventful. Be sure to have a direct number to the local fire station handy and keep a medium sized extinguisher within arms reach. But most of all, be alert to the family dog who tends to run off with food scraps...you'd be surprised at how little the weight of a large turkey matters to a hungry dog. enjoy.
Posted by: Nick Finck at November 27, 2002 3:38 PM
we did a variation on the brown brine last year. i believe you've chosen wisely -- the brine'll give you a bigger margin of cooking error. even if you go over on cooking time, your bird will still be golden.
Posted by: dave at November 27, 2002 6:29 PM
damn, never heard of such a thing.
It is amazing what you miss out if you do not watch televsion.
Posted by: peter at November 27, 2002 8:21 PM
My only regret about leaving Louisiana and going back north is that I never tasted the deep fried turkey all the natives talked about. I'll bet that skin tastes soooooooooo gooooood! Someday I'm gonna get me one of those and a fireproof jumpsuit.
Posted by: Lauri at November 27, 2002 10:08 PM
Dude! Sir!
Thanksgiving is distinctly North American. Ya know... the New World and all that.
Just piping in for a Canuck point of view. We turkeyed some time back, as is the tradition, before snow hits the driveway. The harvest hits a bit earlier in the northern climes... you have to pick the frozen turkeys and bags of niblets off the tree before they become windfall.
But a happy one to all who take their bird in November!
Posted by: Kris Hooper at November 28, 2002 2:27 PM
I am so dying to know how it turned out.
Posted by: Boz at November 28, 2002 11:20 PM
Alton Brown r0xx0rs. Bummed that I missed his book signing in the Bay Area not too long ago :(
My mum tried deep frying a turkey today... it was gooooood. I had had one a few years back, and was drooling just thinking about it.
This year I tried something different as well... I contributed a Tofurkey to the Family table. It went over well, too!
Posted by: courtney at November 29, 2002 4:30 AM
After a momentary panic early in the morning when the charcoal wouldn't light in sub-freezing temperatures, that big ol' bird cooked just fine. The thickest part crept just over 160 degrees as the first bunch of family members arrived. The timing couldn't have been better. The meat was very soft and flavorful, and packed a unique taste unlike any turkey I (or anyone else) had tasted before. Now comes the hangover.
Posted by: Todd Dominey at November 29, 2002 9:29 AM
lol. sounds like fun. that's good to hear. i went to my uncle's house. he bought a turkey deep fryer, and it was soooooooo good. the white meat was sooooo juicy and tendor. it was the best turkey i ever had.
i hope everyone else had a great thanksgiving.
cheers
Posted by: scott at November 29, 2002 10:23 PM
Glad to hear it turned out well, Todd. I cooked my first Thanksgiving dinner this year...and I think it turned out alright. ;-)
Cheers,
Posted by: Ryan at November 30, 2002 8:21 PM
