Smoking a turkey. Need some help

There are some good articles on the virtual weber site:

http://virtualweberbullet.com/cook.html

I also like to ice down the breast from both outside and inside the cavity. I do this for an hour, it helps the white meat finish the same time as the dark meat.

Choose your rub and use it generously, making sure to get the cavity well rubbed as well as under the skin. Some folks will also inject the bird just like when you are gonna fry it.

The way I do it is, using a full or half size pan I will place the bird in breast side down, this will ensure that the breast stays moist. Then I will smoke the turkey for about 8 hours low and slow at 225 degrees. About half way through, you might want to pour some of the juice/grease out of the pan or it might overflow. (Turkeys are very moist and not my favorite seasoning for the inside of my smoker)

Anyway, after 8 hours the bird will be ready for pulling, just like pulled pork. If you like a firmer bird, raise the temp and cook it for less time.

Remember the size of the bird will impact cooking time just like with any type of meat.

I have already cooked ten turkeys like this so far this year.

I use a mix of apple and hickory for poultry. More apple if I have it. I have never done a full smoke on a turkey. I would smoke for a couple hours then smoke roast the rest of the way at 12 min a pound. Good luck.
Steve

I brined a bird at Thanksgiving using Alton Brown's recipe from foodnetwork.

After brining, I let the bird sit in the garage overnight.

As my ECB was coming up to temp - I put an icepack on the breast, then smoked until the breast was about 160-165*. It took about 2 bloody mary's and 3 beers to reach that temp.

During the last 2 beers, I basted the bird with butter, worcestshire sauce, soy sauce, garlic, etc. a few times to help make it look nice and brown.

What are you cooking it on? I've smoked turkeys for probably the last 15 years on all different types of smokers with varying results, and this year I did it on my UDS. The UDS is a great turkey smoker. I ramped the heat up to about 300* and smoked with apple wood. I rubbed with butter and Tony Chachere's creole seasoning. The 14# bird was ready in about 4 hours with a nice crispy dark skin.

Using a WSM, running at about 325, I did the Alton Brown brine technique for thanksgiving. Couple a chunks of apple and red oak did the trick.

we cooked 6 20#-#24 birds in the lang in 6 1/2hrs to 7 1/2 hrs from fisrt bird to last on pulled off. Brined them overnight in coolers then seasoned , & stuffed with lemons and apples in them & cooked em with oak and maple, spraying with apple juice every peek-a-boo inside.Had temps running @ 350 with a couple of spikes here and there. Everyone loved them and were juicy in side, oh yeah there was bacon under da skin too!!

Good Luck!

Brine-Brine-Brine

This is about the only smoking method I am semi familiar with as I have smoked a turkey every Thanksgiving for the past 8 yrs.

This year was my first time brining a bird (apple juice, garlic, brown sugar, misc. spices and salt) and it turned out the best buy FAR!

Also apple-wood is really great for turkey - did 3/4 apple-wood and 1/4 hickory&mesquite along with the brine and butter infused rub under the skin & in cavity and it was absolutely outstanding.

Also best part is pretending to have to "watch" over the whole smoking process - gets you out of other "duties" and allows maximum brew intake opportunities.

Enjoy!!

Brine it for around 10 hr use 1/2 the salt if bird is self basting or less. take the backbone out cooks lot faster personally i think it make a lot better tasting bird

I'd send BBQ BUBBA a PM and ask him. He knows everything.

Did a little web surfiing before I did my 1st bird a few weeks ago. My suggestions based on what I read & did is smoking low & slow approximately 225 for 20-25 minutes per pound. My 18# bird cooked almost 7 hours. next time I do one , I will take Tony's suggestion to pour out some of the drippings half way through or raise the bird on a rack. I was not happy with the lower portion that was soaking in the drippings. I also will also do all my seasoning under the skin.

I spatchcocked a 14 lb bird for Thanksgiving. Cooked on top rack of UDS at 325 for 3.5 - 4 hours. Used pecan and oak for smoke. Salt and pepper plus a bit of butter on the breast for seasoning. Pulled it off at 175 and let it rest for a few minutes before cutting.

Wife and inlaws declared it the "best turkey ever" I'm glad I enjoyed doing it, cause now I will have to every year.

Here's how I did it this year. It came out awesome.

I started off with a 17 pound frozen regular grocery store turkey.

1. I brined it overnight with a version of Alton Brown's brine with a few of my own ingredients, mostly herbs.

2. I then injected the breasts with a mixture of butter, onions and herbs that I simmered together for a while, strained and then cooled.

3. Next I mixed more butter, herbs and garlic together and rubbed all over the outside and under the skin.

4. Inside the cavity I added a few rough chopped onion pieces and some whole garlic cloves.

5. Over most the bird I placed a herb infused, butter drenched (getting the theme here?) piece of cheesecloth.


6. 30 minutes prior to going onto the Egg I iced down the breasts with a ice filled one gallon ziploc bag placed on top.


7. I put the turkey in the Egg at 325* with Royal Oak lump and a little hickory and apricot for smoke.

8. After 45 minutes I basted the cheesecloth with more herb butter.


9. After another 45 minutes it got another basting.

10. Once the thigh hit around 145* I pulled the cheesecloth off to get a nice color.



11. I pulled the turkey off the Egg when the thigh hit 162* or so and the breast was slighty higher, maybe 168*.


12. After resting for 30 minutes or so I carved it up. Wow, it was juicy and delicious!



This technique is a keeper. I think next time I'll go with a spicy, buttery turkey by adding some chile peppers to the brine and some hot sauce in the injection.

spatchcock aint a bad way to go!!:wink:

I like to inject a turkey with a slury of 1 cup Tony Chachere's, 2 cups water and 1/2 cup evoo. Liberally rub with Tony C's. Smoke with just a couple chunks of cherry for about 4 hours at 225.16-17 pound bird.Then raise the temp to 350 to finish. Breast to 165.
I get lots of compliments and rarely is there any leftovers.

jestridge said:

Brine it for around 10 hr use 1/2 the salt if bird is self basting or less. take the backbone out cooks lot faster personally i think it make a lot better tasting bird

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Yeah, I'm on the spatchcock bandwagon too. I really do think it makes a better bird. I guess it's the high heat, grilling that really adds flavor. Something about those bones and all that inner-cavity stuff rendering out it's glorious flavor. Yum!

I brine overnight
Rub it down (sometimes I rub herb butter under the skin)
Air it out (helps the skin stay crispy)
Grill over high heat (350*) for about 2 hours.

luvweber said:

thanks for the help guys. I will be doing the bird on a CG.

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Here is one I did on my Chargriller this Thanksgiving. I went indirect because I can't seem to keep the heat up in my sfb.