Thanksgiving Style Fatty Gone Wrong

[shannont]

I plan to WOW my family with a Thanksgiving Fatty - ground turkey, stuffing and cranberry sauce all wrapped up in delicious bacon for sandwiches the day after thanksgiving. Just trying to get away from the usual turkey day left overs and make a ridiculous fatty.

 It was a challenge to get the turkey to hold together while layering and rolling the fatty.  Then when I cooked it - I sliced into a dried out hot mess!  I thought the bacon would keep it moist but that was not the case. It was like eating saw dust or how I would think saw dust would taste.

The second Fatty was ground turkey, mashed potatoes and cranberry sauce wrapped with bacon - same horrible dried out problem as the first.

I slow smoked at 250 for 2 hours 40min - I usually smoke my beef and pork for 3 hours so I thought the turkey would be about the same. It had an internal temp of 160 so I just dont get it.

This was my first try with turkey and I'm asking for some pointers/help with some ideas on what I did wrong.  I still love the idea of a thanksgiving fatty and will try this again but I'm not as use to turkey as I am with other meats. Did I just cook it too long?

I did not take photo's of the finish as I was too sad about the outcome. Help...

Thanks,

Shannon

 

[dirtsailor2003]

You might try grinding your own and use more of the dark meat. Or mix ground chicken with the ground turkey. Possibly mixing an egg in like meatloaf might help to bind it better. The store bought ground turkey is pretty lean. I would also suggest a higher cooking temp, and less time. That will help keep the moisture in and still get the bacon to crisp. When I do turkey burgers it's always super high heat.

 

[JckDanls 07]

If you do happen to grind your own turkey... brine it first.. that will help with it retaining moisture....

 

[daveomak]

Shannon, morning.....  Try grinding the skin and turkey fat with the meat..... Freeze it first so it will go through the grinder.....  grind through the small holed plate so it can be distributed through the meat.....  Grind the meat through larger holed plates so the meat has some "tooth texture"...   You can also grind some bacon (small holes) and add to the meat for additional flavor...   Like a Turkey & Bacon Club House sammie....   You remember how sticky your fingers are after grabbing the turkey...  napkins stick to your fingers etc....  well, that should help holding the meat together and the fat and skin have a lot of flavor....   Were not talking food your doctor would recommend you eat but.....  were talking flavorful food...   I cook for flavor..... I hate eating sawdust...  

Dave

 

[humdinger4u]

I hope I can post something that I did in another forum with ground turkey breast and chorizo:

I did two of them this way.

This might help you out.

Michael

 

[shannont]

Thank you all I'm going to try it again this weekend and I'm going to use your suggestions.