TURKEY on WSM ADVICE

smokehunter · 11-21-2012, 04:13 PM

So I'm planning to do two turkey breast on the top rack with no pan and a pretty hot cook. 350-400... anybody see a problem with not using the pan. Just trying to get a crispy skin... thinking it'll take about an hour and a half... anybody else going this route.... main concern is burnt drippings putting off bad taste. THX GUYS!

HickoryJ · 11-21-2012, 04:28 PM

im doing a whole turkey on my 18.5 for the first time. gonna use the water pan, but no water. lined with foil. i have an iq110 and will be setting the temp at 300. i wouldnt think the drippings would leave a bad taste...but i would be concerned about flare-ups. im using olive oil and some herbs on the outside. im hoping that will help with the crispy skin.

Jason TQ · 11-21-2012, 04:33 PM

Ok so while not exactly the same thing, but I do wings in the bottom grate with no pan and get the right amount of crispy I'm looking for. I don't think the wings would get crispy on the top grate.

Texas Turtle · 11-21-2012, 04:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HickoryJ

im doing a whole turkey on my 18.5 for the first time. gonna use the water pan, but no water. lined with foil. i have an iq110 and will be setting the temp at 300. i wouldnt think the drippings would leave a bad taste...but i would be concerned about flare-ups. im using olive oil and some herbs on the outside. im hoping that will help with the crispy skin.

Exactly what I am doing, except I am injecting the bird with some Cajun Injector creole butter. I am looking for smoked turkey, not just roast turkey done outside (I have a bigger one for the oven). Considering starting out at 325 for 30 minutes or so to help crisp the skin, then turning the IQue down to either 275 or 300 and watching the IT on the remote thermo stuck in the breast. I'm trying to avoid brining. I never brine the ones in the oven and they turn out great. Plus I am basically too lazy and don't have the fridge space with everything else in the way.

smokehunter · 11-21-2012, 05:24 PM

This is my first time brining but i did 1/2 cup salt to gallon water b/c the birds i have are 6% solution.. only going to do a 6hr brine and air dry overnight..rub one w o oil, kosher, pepper and herbs.... other one cajun....reaaly looking to do kind of a hot smoke gonna have peach wood in fire... smoke/roast mix...... my wings typically get real crispy on top rack with all vents 100% open no pan.. thx for the responses

WineMaster · 11-21-2012, 05:33 PM

It is E-Z to have too much smoke using a WSM Go E-Z on the wood chunks. Happy T-Day

superlazy · 11-21-2012, 07:21 PM

foil the pan. temp 350-400
winemaster is spot on!! go easy with the smoke.
1 maybe 2 fist size chunks of apple in a full ring

smokehunter · 11-21-2012, 07:34 PM

Out of curiosity are you foiling the pan for heat diffusion or to prevent flare up or what?

superlazy · 11-21-2012, 07:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by smokehunter

Out of curiosity are you foiling the pan for heat diffusion or to prevent flare up or what?

diffusion and clean up

smokehunter · 11-21-2012, 08:26 PM

You think the drippings will be toast or suitable for gravy makings?

Baboontyme · 11-21-2012, 08:56 PM

Your burnt drippings won't put off a bad taste. The pan is only there for diffusion. If you run that thing wide open, no pan, you're going to get temps a lot hotter than 400. I've gotten mine up high enough that the ET-732 wouldn't read temps anymore. Leave the pan in, foil it and adjust your vents from there. I'm all for hot and fast but not sure I would want to roast a bird >> 500 and you will surely get there with no pan and vents wide open. Who knows, but seems scary.

Texas Turtle · 11-23-2012, 09:02 PM

Beginner's luck, I guess. Injected with creole butter and put the 12+ pound bird on the WSM at 8:00 expecting about 4 hours cook time based on projected 275 average temp (my 18.5 likes to run at that). Set the IQUE 110 at 300 and checked the IT at 2 hours - 149 in the breast. Flipped it over (breast down) and gave it another hour. Breast read 170, thigh 165 to 155 in varying locations. Removed from smoker at 11:00. Lunch scheduled for 1:00 PM. Tented with foil and rested for 30 minutes, then foiled and coolered. When I started carving it at 12:45, the white meat oozed a little creole-colored juice. Dark meat could have been a bit more done for my taste, but the family raved.

NYCQ · 11-24-2012, 07:27 AM

I got crispy skin and I use water in the pan but I just use a little. Seems people are all or nothing with the water but I've found an in between and my poultry comes out great with crispy skin. Here is my bird from thanksgiving:

Freddy j · 11-24-2012, 08:37 AM

Looks beauty, how'd she taste?

NYCQ · 11-24-2012, 09:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Freddy j

Looks beauty, how'd she taste?

Real good, used 3 chunks of apple wood, came out moist and flavorful

11-21-2012, 04:13 PM	#1
smokehunter On the road to being a farker Join Date: 11-28-08 Location: AL	TURKEY on WSM ADVICE So I'm planning to do two turkey breast on the top rack with no pan and a pretty hot cook. 350-400... anybody see a problem with not using the pan. Just trying to get a crispy skin... thinking it'll take about an hour and a half... anybody else going this route.... main concern is burnt drippings putting off bad taste. THX GUYS! __________________ 18.5 WSM/22.5 OTG/Modified New B. Offset/Brinkman Gasser

11-21-2012, 04:28 PM	#2
HickoryJ Knows what a fatty is. Join Date: 09-19-12 Location: Dunkirk, Ohio	im doing a whole turkey on my 18.5 for the first time. gonna use the water pan, but no water. lined with foil. i have an iq110 and will be setting the temp at 300. i wouldnt think the drippings would leave a bad taste...but i would be concerned about flare-ups. im using olive oil and some herbs on the outside. im hoping that will help with the crispy skin. __________________ WSM 18.5, Pitmaster IQ 110, Brinkmann Smoke'N Pit Pro, CG Charcoal Grill

11-21-2012, 04:33 PM	#3
Jason TQ somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 01-10-11 Location: Lawrenceville, GA	Ok so while not exactly the same thing, but I do wings in the bottom grate with no pan and get the right amount of crispy I'm looking for. I don't think the wings would get crispy on the top grate. __________________ -Jason I didn't choose D-Canoe life..........

11-21-2012, 05:24 PM	#5
smokehunter On the road to being a farker Join Date: 11-28-08 Location: AL	This is my first time brining but i did 1/2 cup salt to gallon water b/c the birds i have are 6% solution.. only going to do a 6hr brine and air dry overnight..rub one w o oil, kosher, pepper and herbs.... other one cajun....reaaly looking to do kind of a hot smoke gonna have peach wood in fire... smoke/roast mix...... my wings typically get real crispy on top rack with all vents 100% open no pan.. thx for the responses __________________ 18.5 WSM/22.5 OTG/Modified New B. Offset/Brinkman Gasser

11-21-2012, 05:33 PM	#6
WineMaster Babbling Farker Join Date: 01-16-07 Location: Southern MN	It is E-Z to have too much smoke using a WSM Go E-Z on the wood chunks. Happy T-Day __________________ Dan MJH From Backyard Bomber BBQ -- Junior YS 640 Comp 22.5 Weber Kettle Blue Thermopen Comp Team Wine & Swine

11-21-2012, 07:21 PM	#7
superlazy is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 04-16-12 Location: Trevor,wi	foil the pan. temp 350-400 winemaster is spot on!! go easy with the smoke. 1 maybe 2 fist size chunks of apple in a full ring

11-21-2012, 07:34 PM	#8
smokehunter On the road to being a farker Join Date: 11-28-08 Location: AL	Out of curiosity are you foiling the pan for heat diffusion or to prevent flare up or what? __________________ 18.5 WSM/22.5 OTG/Modified New B. Offset/Brinkman Gasser

11-21-2012, 08:26 PM	#10
smokehunter On the road to being a farker Join Date: 11-28-08 Location: AL	You think the drippings will be toast or suitable for gravy makings? __________________ 18.5 WSM/22.5 OTG/Modified New B. Offset/Brinkman Gasser

11-21-2012, 08:56 PM	#11
Baboontyme Is lookin for wood to cook with. Join Date: 07-15-10 Location: Troy, MI	Your burnt drippings won't put off a bad taste. The pan is only there for diffusion. If you run that thing wide open, no pan, you're going to get temps a lot hotter than 400. I've gotten mine up high enough that the ET-732 wouldn't read temps anymore. Leave the pan in, foil it and adjust your vents from there. I'm all for hot and fast but not sure I would want to roast a bird >> 500 and you will surely get there with no pan and vents wide open. Who knows, but seems scary.

11-23-2012, 09:02 PM	#12
Texas Turtle Take a breath! Join Date: 05-26-09 Location: Fulshear, Texas	Beginner's luck, I guess. Injected with creole butter and put the 12+ pound bird on the WSM at 8:00 expecting about 4 hours cook time based on projected 275 average temp (my 18.5 likes to run at that). Set the IQUE 110 at 300 and checked the IT at 2 hours - 149 in the breast. Flipped it over (breast down) and gave it another hour. Breast read 170, thigh 165 to 155 in varying locations. Removed from smoker at 11:00. Lunch scheduled for 1:00 PM. Tented with foil and rested for 30 minutes, then foiled and coolered. When I started carving it at 12:45, the white meat oozed a little creole-colored juice. Dark meat could have been a bit more done for my taste, but the family raved. __________________ BBQ Apprentice - Old Country Brazos offset, 22.5 WSM, Various gassers, portable grills, etc.

11-24-2012, 07:27 AM	#13
NYCQ Got Wood. Join Date: 06-13-12 Location: STATEN ISLAND	I got crispy skin and I use water in the pan but I just use a little. Seems people are all or nothing with the water but I've found an in between and my poultry comes out great with crispy skin. Here is my bird from thanksgiving:

11-24-2012, 08:37 AM	#14
Freddy j is one Smokin' Farker Join Date: 11-22-12 Location: Boston	Looks beauty, how'd she taste?