Getting A Golden Color On Your Turkey

Follow these tips if you are halfway to three quarters of the way through your cook. Once your turkey reaches 165 degrees it is done cooking and it is too late at that point to adjust the color of the turkey.

If the turkey has too much color:

• Keep the cheesecloth on the full time
• Protect the parts of the turkey that are getting to dark by wrapping aluminum foil around them
• Darkness will occur if you use woods, which is why we recommend using a cheesecloth
• If you cooked your turkey too quickly it will also become darker so always pay attention to time and temp
• A darker turkey does not mean that it is dry or burnt especially if you are using woods for flavor and aroma

If the turkey is too light…

• Add another coating of olive oil to the turkey, this should help caramelize the skin
• Turn the heat up by opening the top vent up an additional quarter of the way or if you are using gas, adjust your knobs to help the grill climb to 375-400 degrees. The higher temps will help speed up the caramelization process.