Kids Are Coming - Rocket Stove or What?
- Thread starter Mackay
- Start date
Oops! Sorry, I wasn't clear. I cover the grill, but the chicken is in an open roasting pan inside. Don't need to cover it twice! (Although, now that I think of it, I do use a covered roaster, in the oven, for the turkey when I roast one). I do use a gas grill; I think a charcoal grill might be kind of fiddly keeping the right temperature for the length of time needed for a turkey, or even a chicken 
Icu4dzs
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The BBQ idea is quite nice. You can cook a rather large turkey in that. I found a recipe for "Pandora's Turkey" in a newspaper once. The process it described was very simple, very efficient and the results were stupendous.
The basic process includes "Do NOT stuff the turkey."
You put the coals around the inside of the BBQ bowl in a circle. Takes about 10 pounds of them. You need to light them and then put the turkey (wrapped in either a roasting pan, like the enamel coated type, or aluminum foil). Be certain you have seasoned it the way you want, ahead of time of course. (I like "Joe's Stuff" from the Louisiana Cooking School which you put all over the inside and outside on a defrosted turkey and let it sit for 2 days in the fridge).
Put the turkey on the rack of the grill (a big Weber pot grill was what the article called for but any grill will do if the turkey fits inside).
The trick here is to put the turkey in the grill and GO AWAY for 3 hours. Do NOT open it or LOOK at it or BASTE it or do anything for 3 hours. AFter the 3 hours you can open the grill and take the turkey out of it. It will be done to perfection...at least mine was when I tried it.
The subject of deep frying a turkey is a different "kettle of fish".
First, it is very dangerous if not handled properly. To be honest, someone who has done it should mentor you while learning the first time and teach you all the "safety" tips. *(remember Archimedes Principle when you do this)
You prepare the turkey the same as above, but can only use a 10-12 pound turkey in it. The diameter of the pot is the limiting step here. The best news is that you only have to cook it for 3-3 1/2 minutes per pound, making it very fast to do.
The set up and clean up is the most time consuming. If you filter the peanut oil properly and store it in an air tight container it can be used many times in the future. Peanut oil appears to be about the best for this.
As I said earlier, "Archimedes Principle" is a must. Before you put any oil in the pot, fill the pot with water and test the turkey in the pot to see how much oil to put in before using any heat. This way the turkey will not overflow the hot oil as you let it down into the boiling oil...This is the most "scary part" of the entire process. Minimum temperature is 350 F.
Be certain that the turkey is ABSOLUTELY DRY when lowering it into the oil, use the proper rack and wear protective clothing (long leather gloves, and old heavy things...NO unexposed skin...anywhere, especially the face and hands. Addtionally, be absolutely certain that NO WATER gets into the pot of boiling oil at ANY TIME. This can cause a violent reaction that will undoubtedly result in serious injury and possibly death and fire. PLEASE HEED THIS WARNING!!!
Be certain to do this outside where (in the event of any fire danger) your house will not be the "cooked item of the day".
Once you have become "experienced" in the "deep fry method, I have a feeling you will never "go back" to any other method. Your guests will rave about how good it is and the results will not cause you to have coronary artery disease and die from a heart attack unless you do it every day for years...which I doubt.
Enjoy your family at Thanksgiving and be Safe!
Trim sends.
The basic process includes "Do NOT stuff the turkey."
You put the coals around the inside of the BBQ bowl in a circle. Takes about 10 pounds of them. You need to light them and then put the turkey (wrapped in either a roasting pan, like the enamel coated type, or aluminum foil). Be certain you have seasoned it the way you want, ahead of time of course. (I like "Joe's Stuff" from the Louisiana Cooking School which you put all over the inside and outside on a defrosted turkey and let it sit for 2 days in the fridge).
Put the turkey on the rack of the grill (a big Weber pot grill was what the article called for but any grill will do if the turkey fits inside).
The trick here is to put the turkey in the grill and GO AWAY for 3 hours. Do NOT open it or LOOK at it or BASTE it or do anything for 3 hours. AFter the 3 hours you can open the grill and take the turkey out of it. It will be done to perfection...at least mine was when I tried it.
The subject of deep frying a turkey is a different "kettle of fish".
First, it is very dangerous if not handled properly. To be honest, someone who has done it should mentor you while learning the first time and teach you all the "safety" tips. *(remember Archimedes Principle when you do this)
You prepare the turkey the same as above, but can only use a 10-12 pound turkey in it. The diameter of the pot is the limiting step here. The best news is that you only have to cook it for 3-3 1/2 minutes per pound, making it very fast to do.
The set up and clean up is the most time consuming. If you filter the peanut oil properly and store it in an air tight container it can be used many times in the future. Peanut oil appears to be about the best for this.
As I said earlier, "Archimedes Principle" is a must. Before you put any oil in the pot, fill the pot with water and test the turkey in the pot to see how much oil to put in before using any heat. This way the turkey will not overflow the hot oil as you let it down into the boiling oil...This is the most "scary part" of the entire process. Minimum temperature is 350 F.
Be certain that the turkey is ABSOLUTELY DRY when lowering it into the oil, use the proper rack and wear protective clothing (long leather gloves, and old heavy things...NO unexposed skin...anywhere, especially the face and hands. Addtionally, be absolutely certain that NO WATER gets into the pot of boiling oil at ANY TIME. This can cause a violent reaction that will undoubtedly result in serious injury and possibly death and fire. PLEASE HEED THIS WARNING!!!
Be certain to do this outside where (in the event of any fire danger) your house will not be the "cooked item of the day".
Once you have become "experienced" in the "deep fry method, I have a feeling you will never "go back" to any other method. Your guests will rave about how good it is and the results will not cause you to have coronary artery disease and die from a heart attack unless you do it every day for years...which I doubt.
Enjoy your family at Thanksgiving and be Safe!
Trim sends.
