Perfect Christmas Turkey

[wlively]

Thanks and much appreciation to all who posted their experience, giving me a clue on how to do it.

Cooked a 20 lb turkey for my wife's family Christmas and it was awesome. Started the fire for pizza at 930. Had pizza at 1130, then let it coast down. Made a butter rub out of butter, bacon grease, fresh thyme, sage, and garlic. Generously rubbed under the skin and then out. Stuffed the cavity with left over herbs, 2 lemons, and a quartered onion and let sit for 2 hours. Put it in the oven at 500 degrees for 30 minutes, covered the breasts with foil and then 3.5 hours later the thermometer said 165. It was huge hit.

God I love my oven! And this website that allowed me to build it.

[RTflorida]

Re: Perfect Christmas Turkey

Wow, nice looking bird. I've done 2 (Thanksgiving last year and this year) and both were cooked perfectly.....but yours actually LOOKS perfect. A WFO definitely does a better job of browning more evenly than an electric, as your photo proves. How did you get such a perfect "tan" in all areas? Mine looked good, but both times I had a little char in a couple of places as well as a couple of small patches that didn't brown much at all.
I'm guessing the secret is your, butter and bacon fat rub........gotta love animal fat, it is a wonderful thing. Thanks for sharing.

RT

[nissanneill]

Re: Perfect Christmas Turkey

Looks great Wade,
I have one to do next Christmas and a whole year to experiment with the odd chicken and smaller turkey.
I am yet to convince my wife to have faith in the WFO (also my ability to control it) and with a year to prove their worth, I expect it will be very busy year for the oven.
Neill

[wlively]

Re: Perfect Christmas Turkey

I'm guessing the secret is your, butter and bacon fat rub........gotta love animal fat, it is a wonderful thing. Thanks for sharing.

RT

That's it, you are correct. I gotta say I wouldn't change a thing, as the smell alone was unbelievable. My wife kept wanting me to open the door and let the rest of the family take a whiff. And the lower parts of the turkey were very similar to Confit having been basted in all that dripping fat.