best rub for Christmas turkey

**AZ_IPA** · 12-19-2009, 06:34 PM

Looking for a good rub for a Christmas turkey -- it'll be cooked on a BBQ grill over indirect coals...

my dad ALWAYS over cooks it; my brother and I are trying for a revolution this year.....maybe brined and rubbed??

chefmike · 12-19-2009, 06:38 PM

I brined and rubbed my thanksgiving bird... basic rub: paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, white pepper, ground red pepper (ancho is really good).

I think the key regardless of what flavor you add is a probe thermometer. pull that bird when the temp in the breast hits 160 max. . Rest it and carve it.

**AZ_IPA** · 12-19-2009, 06:56 PM

Thanks Mike,

sounds great! Two years ago I convinced my dad to brine, but he still cooked it till ~185 (

) even though I got him a probe thermo the year before....

I'm thinking turkey mutiny this year!

flyweed · 12-19-2009, 07:02 PM

definitely do a brine first..get a FRESH, not frozen bird...frozen birds are already injected with salt solution and you don't want that. SO get fresh if you can. Make a brine and soak your bird for 24 hours..make sure the solution doesnt go below 35F or above 40F..between these two are optimal temps for absorption of the salt solution into the bird. After that..take it out, wash the bird inside and out very well with freshwater to remove brine. now put your rub of choice on..be sure and left the skin on the entire breast to get it underneath..otherwise it's useless. Let the bird sit and rest for 30 minutes..then you can either grill, deep fry, or smoke...I smoke it, this tastes best. a good baste of melted butter during the cooking process will keep your turkey moist, and skin crisp.
Dan

**AZ_IPA** · 12-19-2009, 07:19 PM

Thanks Dan,

let's say I'm stuck with a frozen bird with an 8% solution of salt, turkey broth and all sorts of nasty crap.

Is there still value in a brine, just with a reduced amount of salt?

For years and years, I've been trying to convince my dad to change his ways (cooking the turkey until the leg nearly falls off the hip....). I might give up after this year....

Matt Up North · 12-19-2009, 07:34 PM

Look on your wrapper on the bird and see if it says that it has been brined or if it is Kosher. If so the you would just do well to cook the bird. Here is the thing about a brine though, it is osmotic. So the inside of the bird and the outside will equalize with salt over the period of X hours.

I like to do on the stovetop, 3 gallons of water. 2 cups Kosher Salt. 3 Frozen Applejuice concentrates and a 1/2 cup sugar. Heat this and any other seasonings (like garlic, black peppercorns, chilis) until boiling and then put into a cooler or bucket or other brineing vessle along with a bag of ice. Then submerge your turkey overnight and keep in the fridge (if in a cooler, disregard this. If in a bucket then put in fridge or cooler with ice).

Then take the bird out the morning of the BBQ and place into a pan. With 3 x gallon ziplocs of ice, place one inside the cavity and one on each breast, leaving the legs open to the air. This chills the breast to about 35*f and lets the legs get to 65*f while the BBQ is heating up. Then breast side up into the center of the BBQ, pan underneath with two light homebrews (or light lager, nothing hoppy) and 4 cups of water and an onion and garlic head halved, indirect heat for about 4-5 hours at 300-325. Breasts at 165 and legs at 175 are a perfect bird in the end. Rest for 30 minutes and enjoy!

Good luck, this turned out a great turkey on T-Day this year.

EDIT: If you want a good rub:

1/4 cup Black Pepper
1/4 cup Granulated Garlic
1/4 cup Onion Powder
1 tblsp Smoked Paprika
1tblsp Mustard Powder
1 tblsp Cayenne (more if you like)
1 tblsp Kosher Salt (optional here with the brine)

Rub this all over the bird after you pat it dry from the brineing. It makes the skin super delicious. Rub under the skin if you want a nice crust on the breasts.

Rushis · 12-19-2009, 07:35 PM

I used a dilute brine on a frozen bird this year and it came out great. You just don't have as much control over the salt concentration.
Here is roughly what I used for the brine:
1 cup salt
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
2 bay leaves
1 onion, quartered
1 gallon chicken stock
3 gallon heavily iced water

steep the dry ingredients in 2 cups water and then add to the rest.

flyweed · 12-20-2009, 12:38 AM

AZ IPA...look on the package of the turkey, if it says "processed" or "self basting" or "in brine" or anything like that you will NOT want to brine it more. What you'll want to do is try and water that brine down...what you'll do is still soak the turkey overnight in a mix ratio of 1:1 water/pineapple juice. This will suck that salt out of the turkey and the acidity of the pineapple juice will help tenderize the meat. Then rinse it really good, and then brush the entire turkey, including under the skin with melted butter. This is about all you can do for those big ole frozen birds to make them taste better.

Let me know if I can help you out anymore. I consider myself to be more than a hobbyist when it comes to cooking/bbq'ing and smoking. It's my passion.

OH also..you'll get lots of reccomendations as well on what temp the thighs and breast should be as to when to remove the bird, as it's done. TAKE THE BIRD OUT when the temp on the breast is 160F...NO MORE..then wrap in aluminum foil for 30 minutes. The turkey will continue to cook another 8-9 degrees, will put it at the perfect temp. do not cook on the grill until the temp reads 175...as it will climb on up to just under 185 and start getting dry. Again, wrap in foil and let set 30 minutes..this will allow the juices to redistribute in the bird and keep it juicy.

Dan

**Austinhomebrew** · 12-20-2009, 12:53 AM

I cook mine in the oven and I use locally made Garlic Pesto. Under the skin and all over. Baste frequently. Comes out extremely moist and delicious.

Forrest

SOB · 12-20-2009, 03:28 AM

Just a question...if a bird is bought and packaged with a salt\broth solution wouldn't that be nearly the same as doing a brine? Isn't that what we are talking about...soaking the bird in a saline solution?

Never brined anything but always been looking into it...just raising the question...