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OT: smoking a turkey

R

ronpolk

All-American
May 6, 2009
9,452
5,479
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With thanksgiving coming up I figured it would be ok to breach this topic. Anyone ever smoked a turkey? If so, what type of wood did you use?

Typically, I just fry one but wanna try something new.
 
F

Felonious Junk

All-Conference
Oct 23, 2008
1,905
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Amazingribs.com is the only source for smoking meat info you’ll ever need. Dude is a wizard and has done all the research into the science of it all.
 
PBRME

PBRME

All-American
Feb 12, 2004
11,612
5,798
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Was just about to link that exact recipe.

I’ve never smoked a turkey but do whole chickens quite often. Apple and cherry woods are my favorite. Sure it will translate well to Turkey.
 
F

Fritz!

All-Conference
Oct 16, 2014
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Or just go to Country Meat Packers in Florence, they have plenty. ** I love that place, they have great stuff. (No**)
 
G

Go Budaw

Redshirt
Aug 22, 2012
7,321
0
36
RingN2012 said:
Don’t forget the brine. Key component
Click to expand...

Something to note on the brining, I did one that way last year for the first time. It came out great, however, the expected cooking time was drastically less than what I was expecting based on reading recipes, instructions, and knowing the weight of the bird. Internal temp was reached probably 3 or 4 whole hours sooner than expected, and the smoker never got above 250. I read some comments later that as the brine heats up it can cook the bird faster from the inside. I also injected mine with one of the store bought Tony’s butter / spice mixture, so all that liquid soaked in might have sped it up.

Anyway, just always watch your temps (both grill and turkey), and don’t attach yourself to cooking it for any particular amount of time (but give yourself plenty). The problem I had was of course much more preferable to not having enough time to finish the smoke before eating time. Just make sure you have a way to keep it warm without drying out if it has to come off early. I wrapped mine in foil and put it in a cooler with some towels around it.
 
C

Crazy Cotton

All-Conference
Aug 26, 2012
4,027
1,933
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Do you want to smoke, or BBQ the turkey? I've done both, and I much prefer a bbq bird. I do indirect heat, a temperature around 400 to start, and then a reduction to 300 when I start getting a nice mahogany skin to finish off the dark meat. Get some smoke on it early with a few chunks of apple, then I'm charcoal. Have the bird on a rack in a shallow pan to catch juices, somewhere around 13 pounds and I'm done in about 3 hours if I did a wet brine. If you have a big weber, or one of those damn eggs, it's easy as hell. If you have a smoker, recognize there will be more of a learning curve, and people tend to 17 them up the first few times - dry them out, come out tasting like a cigarette butt, etc.

Not hard. Second the amazing ribs site, nice basic brine recipe that you can play around with (I like some honey, fresh sage, few other secret herbs and spices). You must have at least an accurate meat thermometer or you are cooking blink

Here's my cooking machine - I'll be doing 3 birds Thanksgiving morning on white oak and apple pellets running at a steady 400 and they will be perfect.

View attachment 8601
 
BulldogBlitz

BulldogBlitz

Heisman
Dec 11, 2008
18,531
27,010
113
Where are you getting papers big enough to roll a turkey? Or is this a job for a bong?
 
D

DreadNought.sixpack

Redshirt
Feb 15, 2013
507
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Fruitwoods are best. Apple, cherry and pecan work well. Hickory and mesquite are best for beef but will over power turkey or chicken.
 
R

ronpolk

All-American
May 6, 2009
9,452
5,479
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Crazy Cotton said:
Do you want to smoke, or BBQ the turkey? I've done both, and I much prefer a bbq bird. I do indirect heat, a temperature around 400 to start, and then a reduction to 300 when I start getting a nice mahogany skin to finish off the dark meat. Get some smoke on it early with a few chunks of apple, then I'm charcoal. Have the bird on a rack in a shallow pan to catch juices, somewhere around 13 pounds and I'm done in about 3 hours if I did a wet brine. If you have a big weber, or one of those damn eggs, it's easy as hell. If you have a smoker, recognize there will be more of a learning curve, and people tend to 17 them up the first few times - dry them out, come out tasting like a cigarette butt, etc.

Not hard. Second the amazing ribs site, nice basic brine recipe that you can play around with (I like some honey, fresh sage, few other secret herbs and spices). You must have at least an accurate meat thermometer or you are cooking blink

Here's my cooking machine - I'll be doing 3 birds Thanksgiving morning on white oak and apple pellets running at a steady 400 and they will be perfect.

View attachment 8601
Click to expand...

That cooker looks awesome.
 
J

Jwsjr

Redshirt
Oct 8, 2013
147
7
18
Been looking at that exact smoker or maybe the competition model. Did you find anyone who would give a discount ?
 
R

RivaDawg

Senior
Feb 26, 2008
890
441
63
Crazy Cotton said:
Do you want to smoke, or BBQ the turkey? I've done both, and I much prefer a bbq bird. I do indirect heat, a temperature around 400 to start, and then a reduction to 300 when I start getting a nice mahogany skin to finish off the dark meat. Get some smoke on it early with a few chunks of apple, then I'm charcoal. Have the bird on a rack in a shallow pan to catch juices, somewhere around 13 pounds and I'm done in about 3 hours if I did a wet brine. If you have a big weber, or one of those damn eggs, it's easy as hell. If you have a smoker, recognize there will be more of a learning curve, and people tend to 17 them up the first few times - dry them out, come out tasting like a cigarette butt, etc.

Not hard. Second the amazing ribs site, nice basic brine recipe that you can play around with (I like some honey, fresh sage, few other secret herbs and spices). You must have at least an accurate meat thermometer or you are cooking blink

Here's my cooking machine - I'll be doing 3 birds Thanksgiving morning on white oak and apple pellets running at a steady 400 and they will be perfect.

View attachment 8601
Click to expand...

I need some details on that one! Looks great. Smoker and grill, or just smoker?
 
Digging dog

Digging dog

Sophomore
Aug 22, 2012
3,503
134
63
Threw one in the BGE last yr. bring it overnight. And use very little to no smoke chips. Bird will absorbe it way more than you think and it will end up tasting like a camp fire. Btw it was very good.
 
HotMop

HotMop

All-American
May 8, 2006
8,743
7,527
113
Can't go wrong with this tried and true method. Boil in Dales for expert level results.
 
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