Ultimate Poultry Tip

Char-Griller Ambassador, Steve Dotson of @cookoutcoach, shares his Ultimate Poultry Tip.

Hey everyone, being in the thick of the holidays, today I want to share my number one ultimate turkey tip! This works for any poultry but given the time of the year today we’re talking about smoking and cooking turkeys.

When we think back on Thanksgiving, perhaps an image as iconic as the bird itself is the little red instant read thermometer that pops when the turkey is done to let you know it's time to eat.

I’m sure in a time where not everyone had access to accurate thermometers this was a game changer. Today, however, both leave in and instant read thermometers are widely available at affordable prices for all of us.

If you’ve ever left one of the little red thermometers in while cooking a turkey or chicken when using a modern thermometer, you’ve probably realized that they don't pop at the USDA recommended 165 degree internal temperature. I’m not sure when they actually pop, but I do know it is well after the bird is done. This means that if you rely on that popping thermometer you are unnecessarily drying your bird out.

Our number one ultimate poultry tip is a simple one. Ditch the mechanical thermometer that came with your bird. Get a leave in digital thermometer, or an instant read thermometer, or even better, both!

Pull your turkey or chicken when you hit 165 degrees in the breast meat, and I promise you will have the best poultry experience you have ever had!