Vertical/beer can roasters and turkeys.

[Shark Bait]

What do you folks put in your vertical/beer can roasters when smoking a turkey?

Last weekend I smoked a 13 1/2# Diestel turkey in my modified Bradley using my vertical/beer can roaster which I have never used with a turkey. Since Diestel turkeys are not brined I put a salt and light sugar mix under the skin about 24 hours before starting the smoking process, no rub was used.  Since I have never used a vertical/beer can roaster with a turkey I decided to put apple juice in the roaster instead of beer.

I smoked the turkey at 250 Degrees - 3 hours of apple wood smoke, 2 1/2 hours more without smoke in the Bradley and then into the over in the house to crispen the skin.

Results: The best turkey I have ever smoked, some of the folks said it was the best turkey they have ever tasted. I attribute this to the Diestel turkey and the vertical/beer can roaster.

Changes for next time: Smoke at 225 degrees, do the entire process in the Bradley - no need to go to the oven to crispen the skin.

So the question is - What do you folks put in your vertical/beer can roaster when doing a turkey? If you say beer, specifically what kind of beer do you use? I ALWAYS have LOTS of various types of beer on hand. What else have you tried?

Any other ideas?

[Habanero Smoker]

I have a vertical roaster for turkeys that doesn't  hold a can or any other container for liquids, and they always come out great. They cook more evenly and it allows smoke to get into the cavity. Occassionally I will use a tall beer can like Foster for verticle beer can turkey. I rarely use beer, but wiil use some type of juice or/soda, and add some herbs. I also have vetical roasters for chickens, that are capable of holding a can. More often than not I will not insert the can, and just allow smoke to enter the cavity.

[Salmonsmoker]

Your post about beer can roasting reminded me of an article that I'd read some time ago. https://amazingribs.com/tested-recipes/chicken-recipes/debunking-beer-can-chicken-waste-good-beer-inferior-cooking-technique

[Gafala]

I use a Chicken Rack Roaster for my chicken and turkeys and inject them with beer, apple juice, with spices in them.

[TMB]

I use butter and spices then use a little butter/spice mix on the skin when close to being done PLUS I turn the heat up to crisp the skin

[Habanero Smoker]

Your post about beer can roasting reminded me of an article that I'd read some time ago. https://amazingribs.com/tested-recipes/chicken-recipes/debunking-beer-can-chicken-waste-good-beer-inferior-cooking-technique

That's a pretty good site, but at times I feel they get it wrong. Their article on Plank Smoking is wrong, and the article on Beer Can Chicken is not accurate. I always gets good results, and improved flavor with Beer Can Chicken when I insert a can with fluids, but if you go over to the Amazing Rib site, they have supposedly debunked that. It's a good site but their main goal seems to be to debunk, and it sometimes shades their view of the outcome. He claims that water has to reach the boiling point to begin evaporating, and to impart flavorable vapors - which is not true. When water reaches the boiling point evaporation occurs at a faster rate, but water will evaporate at almost any temperature. Depending of the ambient conditions, water will evaporate at room temperature, just lay a pan of water out and observe what happens over time. If I don't use my ice cubes for awhile, they will evaporate while in my freezer. From my experience, I can taste and tell the difference between a Beer Can Chicken, or a Butterflied Chicken.