What the heck do I do with this?

[SirPorkaLot]

A lady in our community that is friends with my wife raises heritage turkeys.

She asked a few weeks back if we wanted one and my wife said sure! Put us down for a 20lb’er.

Today I went and picked up this behemoth.

A 42lb turkey!

I mean… 42lbs!!!
That is the whole top shelf of my 2 door beer fridge in the garage.

Needless to say; it won’t fit in my 14” WSM. So i guess the Shirley patio smoker will get the call.

Any bets on how long this is gonna take?

 

[rwalters]

A 42lb turkey? Didn’t even know that was possible… lol. Even if you cook it hot @ 15 mins/lb… you’re looking at 10.5 hours.

 

[lunchman]

I would split it in half, cook half, freeze the other half. As a whole turkey, it'll take way too many hours for it to cook evenly.

That's a lot of turkey meat to eat, but there is a leftover throwdown in the works.

 

[Al Czervik]

:shock:

Not sure on the time but do you have a 55 gallon drum of butter?

 

[sudsandswine]

I would split it in half, cook half, freeze the other half. As a whole turkey, it'll take way too many hours for it to cook evenly.

That's a lot of turkey meat to eat, but there is a leftover throwdown in the works.

This, or spatchcock it at least if you're going to cook it all at once.

 

[Inthewoods]

I would give it back.

-D

 

[4ever3]

Wait…

WHAT???

 

[snadamo]

You sure that’s not an ostrich?

 

[SirPorkaLot]

You sure that’s not an ostrich?

 

[Crakaveli]

Cut in half. Now you have 2 turkeys.

 

[bschoen]

:shock:

Not sure on the time but do you have a 55 gallon drum of butter?

And foil, a whole lot of foil. Maybe about an acre.

Good thing you get Harvest Brine wholesale. :grin:

 

[Curt.P]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q5YnfWUjkCk

 

[Mike Twangzer]

Did you dump the rocks out ?

 

[Big George's BBQ]

One of 3 ways john- Spatchcock, cut in 1/2, or deconstruct- cook legs and breast separately

 

[Moose]

 

[SirPorkaLot]

Rethinking this, I may cook it whole in the Humphreys Pint.

Less fidgeting with the fire and I can dial down the smoke a bit.

 

[smokeisgood]

That old bird is going to be tough as heck. Brine, brine, brine... then I'd just smoke it whole at 325, in an aluminum pan. Cover towards the end, if needed. It will be beautiful on the serving platter. If it's frozen, I'd keep it for Christmas.

 

[SirPorkaLot]

That old bird is going to be tough as heck.

Yea I imagine so.
I plan to lightly smoke it whole.
Thin slice the breasts for lunch meat, use the neck and giblets for turkey stock and then grind the rest.
Lunch meat and ground Turkey will be vacuumed sucked and frozen.

 

[cdhbrad]

I would break it down completely: Breasts, Wings, Drums, and Thighs. You could bone out one of the breasts and just have boneless roasts or cutlets. Make Stock or Soup with the backbone and all the trimmings.

Cook what you think you can reasonably eat and vacuum freeze the rest.

Looking forward to seeing what you do with this one.

 

[Itsdone]

:shock:

Not sure on the time but do you have a 55 gallon drum of butter?

He will probably need that much butter if he cooks it with Franklins method.