You just can’t beat a perfectly prepared turkey for holiday meals. The Wild Game Crew are backyard champions and recommend either air frying or smoking a turkey.
Tom Pirtle prepares two turkeys. He smokes one and air fries the other. He uses a CharBroil Big Easy Propane Air Frier for a turkey that is just as good as deep frying with much less clean up. Tom starts with a Tony Chachere’s rub on the outside then injects it just like a fried turkey. He lays it breast side down and cooks it for ten minutes per pound.
“It will turn out just like a fried turkey,” Tom advised on the Backyard Bay radio show. “Only it’s healthier, so easy to fry with much less clean up.”
Doug Scheiding likes to smoke his turkeys. He recommends the Spatchcock method of removing the backbone of the whole bird and laying it flat to cook. Doug injects the bird with a combination of Tony Chachere’s Creole and Jalapeno Butter. He uses a red spice rub on the outside of the bird. A 16 pound turkey will be fully cooked in 3.5 to 4 hours at 325 degrees.
“The temperature is the key,” said Scheiding. “Use your thermopen and watch the temperature go up to 160 degrees. Hold it for at least 14.7 seconds.”
Click the audio player below and listen to the entire interview for more tips on slow smoking, basting and applying rubs. Hats off to Tom Pirtle and Doug Scheiding from the Wild Game Crew. Happy Thanksgiving from all of us at Backyard Bay.