First KK Turkey - DAMN!

[LarryR]

By now everyone is probably getting tired of my "First" cook posts and my saying, "best I've done" but when you're having as much fun as I am with this KK and the product is turning out so good I've got to post.

Local supermarket had what I would term "Utility" turkeys on sale this week, $7.99 for up to a 16 lb bird. I picked-up a 13.8 lb bird. It had been enhanced with up to 8% solution so I did a 1/2 strength simple salt water brine. Brined her for 24 hours and air dried for 12 hours.

Decided to go with a small chunk of cherry using Rancher Natural Hardwood Charcoal (love the stuff btw). I let Hestia heat soak for about an hour then threw the wood on, head deflector main grate and bird. I stuffed the cavity with carrots, celery, apple, onion, lemon and salt and pepper.

I was surprised to find my ET-73 meat probe would not thread through the probe port on the KK so I had to place her under the lid for this cook, I wonder if I can bend the probe without ruining it . . .

Overall the actual cook was uneventful with one exception. My KK therm and my ET-73 temps were off between 100 and 50 degrees the entire cook, with the KK temp probe reading higher. I've played the temp chasing game before and ruined a cook so I stuck with the KK probe and chalked it up to the KK probe getting the hotter air up in the dome. My ET-73 was placed on the main grate.

Based on weight I figured at 325 the cook would go 3 hours with a brined bird, well cook ended-up going 4 hours, I chalked it up to the grate temp being so low. I think on my next cook I'll pay more attention to the grate temp vs. dome.

I pulled her when the breast hit 165, let her rest about 20 min. then carved (sorry, no carved pictures, since it was just us for dinner I didn't plate for display and pictures would have been sloppy). Bird was perfect, so moist, I couldn't have had better timing on dark and white meat being done at the same time. I've been brining birds for years so I'm used to moist birds but adding the KK to the mix made for an insanely moist bird.

Whipped-up some Mad Max Gravy that was superb. Not overly smokey, great flavor, I could eat that stuff straight.

Another great first and this with a previously frozen Utility bird, can't wait to see how a fresh natural free-range bird will taste.

[mguerra]

probes

Gently straighten your Maverick probe til it will slide thru the port, no problem, won't ruin it. The Tel-Tru dome temp and Maverick pit probe will rarely be the same for several reasons. First, the dome temp is usually higher than at the grate in the early part of the cook, by as much as 100 degrees. The longer the cook goes, the closer they get to each other. Second, the two probes probably are not exactly equally calibrated. Get a pot of water at a rolling boil, insert the stem of your Tel-Tru in the water by holding it, don't just set it in the pot. Note the temp reading. Do the same with your Maverick. Neither will probably be exactly 212 and they probably won't be the same as each other either. Just take note of the difference between them for future reference.

[mguerra]

kudos

Oh yeah, great looking bird too!!!

[T Rex]

Outstanding!

Hey Larr, a picture perfect bird, I would dedicate 4 hours of my time any day for an end result like that........ and gravy to boot! Mrs. T Rex and I found the gravy had a light smokey flavor and we quite enjoyed it that way as something different. With our next bird I plan on a Kahlua/Apricot glaze towards the end of the cook period which will make the gravy interesting as well.

Great job!

T Rex

[LarryR]

re: Probes

Thanks for the tip on bending my ET-73 probe, I'll do that prior to my next cook. Yes, I've tested all my probes using boiling water adjusting for my altitude and take that into consideration when temping.

I thought I'd warmed her up enough that the two would be closer. No biggie though, next time I'll take this into consideration and probably run with the grate temp.

Hey Larr' date=' a picture perfect bird, I would dedicate 4 hours of my time any day for an end result like that........ [/quote']

Trust me, I wouldn't have minded the cook going 5 hours, more time to drink wine and admire Hestia, it was the SO who around 7:30 p.m. started bitching regarding not wanting to eat too late

[T Rex]

Re: re: Probes

Thanks for the tip on bending my ET-73 probe, I'll do that prior to my next cook. Yes, I've tested all my probes using boiling water adjusting for my altitude and take that into consideration when temping.

I thought I'd warmed her up enough that the two would be closer. No biggie though, next time I'll take this into consideration and probably run with the grate temp.

Hey Larr' date=' a picture perfect bird, I would dedicate 4 hours of my time any day for an end result like that........ [/quote']

Trust me, I wouldn't have minded the cook going 5 hours, more time to drink wine and admire Hestia, it was the SO who around 7:30 p.m. started bitching regarding not wanting to eat too late

Hey Larr, take it from an old guy....... less attention to the KK, (which doesn't need it) and more attention to the SO........ well, more wine usually works well for me with Mrs. T Rex........

T Rex

[Conodo12]

Keep posting these "first xxxx" stories of success Larry! The pics are always very good and your write-ups match as well! One can never get enough food porn!

Also, kudos for not paying attention to the "pop-up" indicator. I can just about guarantee this, if it does pop-up, your dinner is dry!

Keep 'em coming! Great job!

[Firemonkey]

I thought I'd warmed her up enough that the two would be closer. No biggie though, next time I'll take this into consideration and probably run with the grate temp.

I used t use a maverick probe on the grate, and FWIR it was usually only 20-25 degree difference between the dome and grate. Unless you had the probe outside of the deflector, then you would see big swings.

Anymore, When i just want to monitor the grill temp from inside, I just remove the Tel-Tru and put the probe in right in the dome.

Nice looking turkey!

[myself888]

Re: First KK Turkey - DAMN!

...Whipped-up some Mad Max Gravy that was superb. Not overly smokey' date=' great flavor, I could eat that stuff straight...[/quote']

Mmm, gravy... [Homer drooling]

I've been known to order eggs, bacon, and a bowl of biscuit gravy at the local diner (no biscuit thanks) and eat it like a nice sausage chowder.

Hmm, just figured out what I'm going to do with that package of frozen sausage in my deep freeze!

[JeffB]

Agree with Doc on bending the probe. I did that and have had no problems. I could probably stand to bend mine a little more since it still takes a little work to get it in but it hasn't bothered me enough to care.

The dome temp versus grill temp difference usually ends up being 25 degrees or so for me. You have to be careful where you put the grill probe. Too close to the edge and it will be reading the hot air coming around the deflector. Too close to the meat and you will be reading too low due to the meat being cold. Since you had the bird in a pan I can't imagine that latter was a problem for you though unless the pot itself was cold.

Great looking bird.