America’s favorite feast is fast approaching, so here are some tips on how to make your Thanksgiving Turkey extra succulent and spectacular with the Big Green Egg grill.
What Came First? The Turkey or the Egg
First thing’s first. Make sure your bird and your grill are appropriately sized. A good rule of thumb for buying your turkey is to plan on one pound per person. For most families, a smaller Egg offers plenty of grill real estate for your meal. But if you are planning on hosting family, friends, neighbors and need leftovers to spare, consider firing up your large or extra large Egg.
- a Small EGG will hold a 10 lb turkey or a turkey breast
- a Medium EGG will hold an 18 lb turkey
- a Large EGG will hold a 20 lb turkey
- an XLarge EGG will hold two 20 lb turkeys
Why You Should Brine
Whole turkeys are large and lean, so it’s easy to end up with an overcooked, dry bird. Using a brine can add moisture to your turkey, so that the entire turkey ends up sweet and succulent.
Luckily, brining your turkey isn’t difficult at all, and there are a couple of ways to do it. The more traditional wet brine combines sugar, salt, spice and water for a flavor-infusing soak.
Wet Brining
Chef and grill expert Adam Perry Lang recommends a light salt brine for your bird:
- 1 tbsp crushed hot red pepper flakes
- 2 tbsp boiling water
- 18 cups water
- ½ cup kosher salt
- 1 tbsp granulated sugar
- 4 thyme sprigs, bruised with the broad side of a knife
- 2 tbsp black peppercorns, crushed with a dowel or bottom of a heavy pot
- Three .18 ounce packets Goya Sazón Azafran (see note)
- About ½ cup canola or vegetable oil
Place the pepper flakes in a small bowl and pour the boiling water over them; let sit for 1 to 2 minutes to rehydrate the flakes. Combine all the brine ingredients, including the pepper flakes and the soaking water in a large bowl and stir to dissolve the salt and sugar. Let sit at room temperature for 24 hours to allow the flavors to develop. Strain the brine and discard the solids.
Place the turkey in a jumbo-sized resealable bag (some manufacturers make storage bags that are up to 2 feet square), a brining bag or an unscented garbage bag that can be sealed with a plastic tie. Pour over the brine, squeeze out any excess air from the bag, and close. Place into another bag, for insurance against leaking, and seal again. Refrigerate for at least 12 hours, or up to 24. (If you don’t have room in your refrigerator the turkey can be stored in a small cooler with ice or frozen ice packs.)
Note: Goya Sazón Azafran contains MSG. If you want to avoid it, substitute a combination of 1 teaspoon chili powder, 1 teaspoon cumin, 1 teaspoon garlic salt, and 1 teaspoon turmeric. The turkey will not have quite the punch or color as it would with the Sazón.
Dry Brining
A dry brine seasons the turkey by applying a rub directly to the meat and skin. Without the sloppy mess of a wet brine, a dry brine relies on salt and time to do the work. As the meat rests in your refrigerator for a few days, the salt in the rub draws out the juices of the turkey, creating a natural brine even though there isn’t any added liquid. The moisture is reabsorbed into the meat along with tenderizing elements that breakdown the proteins for a delicious combination of juicy meat and crispy skin.
Time is essential to the success of a dry brine. The larger your turkey, the more time it will need to dry brine. And it is best to begin with a thawed bird, so you can place seasonings both on and underneath the skin.
Fire It Up
Set your Big Green Egg up for indirect cooking at 350°F (177°C). Use a handful of pecan chips for a light, smoky flavor and to provide a deep brown color to the turkey.
Load your seasoned turkey onto a Vertical Poultry Roaster or V-Rack then place into a drip pan. Add onion and celery to the drip pan, and fill the pan with chicken broth, wine or water.
Cook for 12 to 15 minutes per pound until the temperature in the breast meat is 160°F/71°C and the temperature in the thighs is above 170°F/77°C. Reserve the drippings from the drip pan to make gravy.
