Baked vs Smoked vs Fried Turkey

Why not smoked then fried?

Smoked here. Pick up a smoked turkey @ Sam’s, then put it on my offset smoker for 4-6hrs before serving…

I think the best whole turkey I've ever had was brined then cooked in the oilless fryer

My biggest hits have been smoking skinless, boneless breasts and resting in butter. I do inject with butter mixture, dry brine, and heavy black pepper rub. Juiciest turkey's I've ever made. Always comes out consistent.

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Why not smoked then fried?

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Can you explain this process? Thinking of trying it in a regular turkey fryer or my Big Easy Oiless Fryer.

My questions are mainly what temp on smoker and how long? And what temperature for the bird do you pull it off the smoker? I know pork stops taking smoke at 140 degrees.

Do you brine or inject? I bought 3 frozen turkeys for $.57/ lb and want to try something new. Have a lot of experience frying, not a whole lot smoking. And I eat the skin, so would like it crispy. Thanks

And a follow up. Has anyone ever cooked a turkey on a Weber kettle using a Vortex set up for what they call an “infrared” method?

So you have the Vortex accessory small end of cone is on the charcoal grate and large end is pointing towards lid. Turkey is set on stand, vertical, on top of charcoal grate inside the vortex. Coals go around the Vortex.

Looking to get smoke with crispy skin. Have a Big Easy Oilless turkey “fryer” and a normal turkey fryer/ shrimp boil setup.

Vortex claims the method mentioned above uses “Infrared heat”, which is the same method as The Big Easy cooker. Have tried multiple times to use some type method to get smoke in the Big Easy, with no avail. Big Easy is just a vertical roaster / air fryer, it makes great poultry. Just want smoke on the turkey.

So maybe a “smoke roasted” method versus “smoked and fried”

Fried, strictly because I think the fried turkey carcass makes the best stock for gumbo

Smoked. But has to be prepped with a lotta mayo spread on all skin then a pound of bacon strips laid across the breast. White meat is juicy with crispy skin going this route.

I prefer fried with smoked a close second. Baked is OK, but not my favorite way to cook one.

In the recent past I would have a pretty big T-Day party and have as many as 20-25 people over and I'd fry 3 for us to eat and at least 2 more for others who like the way they come out to stop by and pick them up when done.

For the past couple years, it's only been 4 of us, so I don't go through the expense of frying one turkey. The past few years I've smoked them after brining them a couple days.

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I'd fry 3 for us to eat and at least 2 more for others who like the way they come out to stop by and pick them up when done.

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same, as it has been for 25 years.....should never have introduced these yanks to cajun fried turkey