Cooking a turkey may require a few test runs before reaching perfection.
When preparing to host a party, everyone wants to make sure that their food is perfect. However, judging the quality of foods isn't easily done without a direct comparisons. If you cannot decide whether to serve smoked turkey or turkey cooked using infrared frying technology, compare the two cooking methods before the day of the event. Smoking the turkey provides the meat with a rich, heady taste and makes the outside crispy, without drying out the inside. Using an infrared cooker, however, allows you to use an injectable marinade to give the bird extra juice and flavor, even before cooking. Add this to my Recipe Box.
Instructions
Smoking
1. Remove the turkey's giblets and pop-out timer, if necessary. Brush olive oil over the surface of the turkey before adding any dry rub. This keeps the meat from losing too much moisture while giving the rub something to adhere to. It also helps to lock the juices inside the turkey, giving the dish a rich texture.
2. Fill the smoker's water pan with water or apple juice. Water fulfils the requirement of keeping the smoker moist, but apple juice will add a sweet applewood flavor when combined with the rising smoke. Keep additional liquid on hand to replenish the water pan when it runs dry. Unlike cooking with the infrared cooker, this technique helps infuse the turkey with the smoky taste of barbecued turkey.
3. Load the charcoal into the charcoal pan and light it. When the pieces have caught fire, add the hardwood chips on top. Measure the temperature inside the smoker and, when it reaches 250 degrees Fahrenheit, place the turkey inside. Though it is best to close the smoker and not open the lid more often than needed, you will need to replenish the charcoal and liquid as necessary.
4. Calculate the time needed to cook the bird. Smoking a turkey takes 25 to 30 minutes per lb., so set your timer accordingly.
5. Poke your thermometer into the turkey when the turkey is browned on the outside. Note that the turkey will not be properly cooked until the inside temperature reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit, regardless of outside appearance. After removing the turkey from the smoker, allow the meat to cool for 15 minutes before cutting into it.
Infrared
6. Season the turkey with your favorite dry-rub seasoning and any injectable marinade of your choice. More flavor can be added to the turkey at the precooking stage than with the smoking technique, though no additional seasoning can be added after the cooking process begins. Remove the pop-out timer and giblets, if necessary.
7. Lower the raw turkey into the infrared cooker and make sure that it is securely lodged within the cooking basket. Place the lid on top. The lid reflects the cooker's heat back onto the turkey, which is designed to sear the outside of the turkey. This feature, when used appropriately, is designed to make the turkey taste like a fried turkey: crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside.
8. Turn on the cooker to start the flow of propane. The propane tank is attached to the cooker and should not be removed at any stage.
9. Calculate the necessary time to cook your turkey. Infrared cookers require between eight and 10 minutes for each 1 lb. of meat cooked, which is slightly less than the time it takes to smoke a turkey. The infrared heat penetrates the meat quickly, making it cook simultaneously on the outside and on the inside.
10. Observe the turkey and take off the lid when the bird is browned to your liking to keep it from getting any darker. However, just because the outside is browned does not mean that the inside is done. To check to see if the meat is cooked completely, poke the meat thermometer into the middle of the turkey and make sure that the temperature reads at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit. When it does, you may remove the turkey from the cooker.
Tags: degrees Fahrenheit, infrared cooker, make sure, make sure that, sure that, apple juice