CeramicChef Posted November 26, 2015 Report Posted November 26, 2015 @LarryR - I cooked everything indirect, i.e. with the heat deflectors in and on top of the fire basket. Then came my drip pan resting on 5 wadded up balls of aluminum foil ... 1 at each corner and 1 in the middle of the drip pan. That creates enough air space to preserve the drippings. I did these birds at 350°, indirect, no smoke, nestled on the main grate, and over FOGO lump. I'll post pictures later. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving with family and friends! You've been missed. Stop by more often!
LarryR Posted November 26, 2015 Author Report Posted November 26, 2015 Thanks. Decided to go with a disposable foil pan, with turkey on roasting rack with wine and water in the pan. Will be using a deflector as well on fire box. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
mguerra Posted November 27, 2015 Report Posted November 27, 2015 Our turkey was moist and tasty but I'm not sure I detected any flavor from the maple syrup/ Woodford Reserve brine.
CeramicChef Posted November 27, 2015 Report Posted November 27, 2015 What a terrible waste of Woodford! You could have used Maker's in the brine and the Woorford in you! 1
tony b Posted November 28, 2015 Report Posted November 28, 2015 Beat me to the punch, Ken. Only Doc would use top shelf bourbon in his brine. But to someone who drinks Middleton, Woodford is "cheap" bourbon!
MacKenzie Posted November 29, 2015 Report Posted November 29, 2015 GoFrogs, that is an absolutely beautiful turkey. 1
mguerra Posted November 29, 2015 Report Posted November 29, 2015 The Woodford was a gift. I drank a fair bit of it (not all at once!) and put the last 100 ml or so in the brine.
CeramicChef Posted November 30, 2015 Report Posted November 30, 2015 So Doc, talk to me about the virtues of Middleton and why you like it better than Woodford. I always like to try a nice new bourbon.
mguerra Posted November 30, 2015 Report Posted November 30, 2015 Midleton (yes that's the spelling) Irish whisky is likely my favorite spirit. I tried it once in Ireland and was smitten. It's a little pricey but I don't drink like a fish so I don't care. Tony was remarking on the price, it's not bourbon. It has an ethereal peachy note on the palate, it's just beyond description. If you can try it somewhere, do so. Or, just take a chance, open up your wallet, buy a bottle, and you will see!
CeramicChef Posted December 1, 2015 Report Posted December 1, 2015 I jumped on the Internet, ain't it grand, and found the distillery. Made by the same folks who produce Jameson. Good stuff. I just tried a shot at my local favorite bar. Smitten is a good word for the experience. I'll be hitting my liquor store tomorrow afternoon with the AmEx as I understand Midleton costs a bit more than I normally carry in my pocket … $0.15! Does anyone carry cash anymore? Thanks, Doc!
mguerra Posted December 1, 2015 Report Posted December 1, 2015 I'll have a wee dram tomorrow night in solidarity with you!
tony b Posted December 1, 2015 Report Posted December 1, 2015 Yeah, Ken, you'd better take the Am Ex card, as Midleton (Thanks for the correction, Doc. I should have ignored the "auto correct.") is a bit out of my range - says the guy who bought over $500 worth of bourbon on the last trip!
CeramicChef Posted December 1, 2015 Report Posted December 1, 2015 Just got home from my liquor store. Midleton bottle is awaiting the opening this evening before dinner. AmEx should be very happy! And I should be quite happy as well according to Doc and the owner of the liquor store! I'll let you guys know. CHEERS!
mguerra Posted December 2, 2015 Report Posted December 2, 2015 Tony. One bottle of Midleton is less expensive than $500. of bourbon, but worth more! You might drop dead tomorrow. Buy a bottle and savor it little at a time. You won't regret it. You paid out the ass for a KK, right?
CeramicChef Posted December 2, 2015 Report Posted December 2, 2015 +1^ Tony, you're NOT gonna take it with you, right? Midleton is for sitting back, savoring life with a good whiskey, remembering how much fun you had, and how much more fun you'll have! Midleton is really, really nice. Thanks Doc!
wilburpan Posted December 2, 2015 Report Posted December 2, 2015 FWIW, I’ve never roasted a whole bird of any sort directly in a pan, even in a conventional oven. I’ve always found some way to raise the bird off the bottom of the pan, whether it was with a roasting rack, on a bed of vegetables, or some improvised method (you can build some impressive structures with aluminum foil and chopsticks ). Likewise, the times I’ve cooked whole birds on Smaug, I’ve placed them on the main grate, with a drip pan underneath to catch drippings if needed. Either way, I think getting the bottom of the bird exposed to the heated air gives you a better result, especially with how the skin on that part of the bird turns out. That’s one reason why rotisserie cooks with whole birds are so good. Okay, back to the whisky talk.
tony b Posted December 3, 2015 Report Posted December 3, 2015 Thanks for the interlude, Wilbur. We kinda hijacked this thread talking about whiskey. I've had a wee dram of Midleton at a whiskey tasting (I got to bring the wooden box home as a "trophy.") It was very good. Probably a better buy than the occasional splurge for a bottle of Dom. Just picked up my reserved bottle of Cedar Ridge Single Malt, finished in a Sauterne barrel. Will sample it tomorrow with my best friend who introduced me to single malt Scotch many years ago. It's their Batch #28. I collect them and have all 28 releases. So what's tossing some coin at a bottle of Midleton at this stage, right?? I've run out of room on my brewing table. That's just the first 25!
