Turkey and camping!

[genre]

Hey folks.
We are about to set off on a 2 week camping trip and for the first 6 days we will be 16 people.
One of our group has had the bright idea of making a turkey supper. Either on the campfire or using a turkey fryer.
There will be 6 kids amonst us and I have put my foot down about the turkey fryer. Far too dangerous.  I am only looking forward to happy camping trip memories.
Now my question. Has any one personaly tried to cook a turkey over a fire pit. If so how and how long. The invited bird is a 22 pounder.
Hoping to hear from you.

Thanksgiving in August!

[pershingd]

Wow - 22 pounds.... :eyecrazy:

I've never heard of anyone making a turkey over a firepit while camping - so someone else will have to help you there.

Since you're worried about safety with the turkey fryer (I'm with you on that), I'd make sure the bird is kept very cold to prevent food poisoning.

Here's some ideas I thought about while typing...

If you can dig a fire pit, roast it in the pit in the coals. I've never done a fire pit before but I'm sure someone here has.

You might have the bird split lengthwise from head to tail, wrap it in heavy foil, and place it on/in the coals. I've seen chickens done this way before, so it might work with a turkey as well.

Just some ideas.

David

[nascrfn]

Yup, we've done it. First load up the fire ring with charcoal and light it up, then place a stove grate right on the charcoal. Put the Turkey in one of those disposable aluminium pans and cover with foil. Place the pan on the grate and cover the fire ring ( clean steel trash lid works well).  Let cook most of the day.

Pictures can be seen here

[ForestCreature]

We (PopupSgt did the frying) deepfried a turkey with a group a couple years ago, it worked out well.  We were sure not to leave the fryer un attended. Smelling that bird cooking made us all hungry.

If you don't want the fryer,  take a Weber grill. Make a ring of the coals around the perimter of the grill  or 2 mounds across from each other for indirect heating. Rotate and baste  the bird occasionaly. I use a throw away tin to cook the bird in, the advantage to grilling over frying is you can stuff it and also get some gravy

[beacher]

I have used a Camp Chef Keg Roaster to cook a turkey or three chickens at a time while camping.  

Excellent results, although the method makes an incredibly good smelling column of smoke.  Every single skooter, golf cart, person with a dog, bicycle, and pedestrian downwind will come by the site to check out what is cooking!

[Calstate361]

We have fried a turkey several times while camping;AND we kept the kids away.  It only takes about 1 hour for a larger bird (3 minutes per pound).  I gave 6Quigs our brine recipe that we use all the time.  He used it and, as usual, everyone loved it.  I'll post it again in the recipe forum.

Joan

[howlinowl]

22 lbs.?  Will that even fit into the turkey fryer?  I've fried a couple at home, but never camping, think the biggest I've done was only 12 lbs.  Ya gotta drop the bird in and fill the fryer with water till it just covers the bird.  Remove the bird and that is the level of oil you need to start with.  I think most problems people have is they overfill the fryer with oil.  Get it hot, drop the bird in and it overflows and catches fire.  But I think the roasting in a fire pit with the foil would be good, especially for camping.  Something about having a open fire to cook over.

Allan

[genre]

Wow
Thanks for all the info.
The Keg Roaster looks like it will be the choice way of cooking in the future. I will have to do without on this trip. I leave tomorrow.
In summary of all this info, I will make a fire pit with a ring of heat around for the turkey. Cover the old bird and wait!!!!
Thanks again.

[Campaholics]

And yet another way to cook a turkey.

We did this at a Boy Scout camp several years ago:
 
Four lengths of 1/2" electrical conduit about 3-4 feet long
A length of chicken wire (wire in hexagon pattern with holes about 3/4-1" or wire mesh) about three feet wide to make four cylinders about five inches in diameter 6-7 feet.
A box of wide heavy duty aluminum foil.
Charcoal.
 
Pound the conduits in the ground to make a 30" square.
Make four cylinders of chicken wire, slip one over each conduit.
Make a foil pan to catch the drippings about the size of the square.
Suspend the turkey in the square.
Wrap the square with aluminum foil.
Fill the cylinders with lit charcoal.  Add more charcoal as required.
 
We did about six turkeys at the same time.  They evaporated when placed on the table.
 
Pros for deep frying:
Tastes great
Cooks quickly
Three or more guys have a gadget to fuss with (the gas regulator to keep the temperature correct) while consuming cool beverages.
 
Cons for deep frying:
The oil cost more than the turkey
Getting rid of the oil is a royal pain
The temperature regulators had to maintain constant vigilance of all kids within five yards, threatning them with dish washing for the rest of their lives.
Bob