Using one cooker or two?

[70monte]

For Thanksgiving I'm cooking an 8 lb bone in turkey breast and two racks of St. Louis style ribs.

I'm not sure if the ribs will take longer to cook than the turkey and I want to cook the turkey at a higher temp than the ribs.

I'm not sure if it would be better to use two different cookers to cook these different meats or try to make it work on one.

What do you guys do in this situation?

[Mikhail]

How much higher a temp for the turkey? I think that is what would make the decision for me. If it's only 50 degrees or so, I'd go same. If it's 100 or more two.

[70monte]

Originally Posted by Mikhail

How much higher a temp for the turkey? I think that is what would make the decision for me. If it's only 50 degrees or so, I'd go same. If it's 100 or more two.

I was thinking 325 on Turkey and 275 on ribs.

[drunkenmeatfist]

I think its just more fun to use multiple cookers

[Mikhail]

I think I'd just cook them both at 300. Twenty five degrees one way or the other should not make any significant difference in the end.

[70monte]

Originally Posted by Mikhail

I think I'd just cook them both at 300. Twenty five degrees one way or the other should not make any significant difference in the end.

You are right. Do you think there will be a big time difference in finish time cooking at 300? I believe dinner is at 5pm so I want to make sure everything is finished before then so the meat can rest at least 15 minutes.

That is the only thing bad about trying to hit a certain meal time as sometimes things don't work out like you plan.

[Nuco59]

I'd debone the breast- and cook at 275-280 on one cooker. "But the skin will be rubbery"... nope- it's in the trash can. "But the breast will be dry without the skin"- 2 BIG pats of butter and wrapping in foil at 140 says "Nah- it'll be fine"

2 cookers ? Sure, I guess you could do that too.

[Garyclaw]

I like Mik's idea. One cooker. That will work fine.

[cdhbrad]

Originally Posted by Nuco59

I'd debone the breast- and cook at 275-280 on one cooker. "But the skin will be rubbery"... nope- it's in the trash can. "But the breast will be dry without the skin"- 2 BIG pats of butter and wrapping in foil at 140 says "Nah- it'll be fine"

2 cookers ? Sure, I guess you could do that too.

I’m cooking Turkey Breast just that way on Sunday along with two racks of full Spares all seasoned Texas Style with SP and a little G.

[Mikhail]

That's how I smoke turkey too. Pieced out, skinned, dry brined and wrapped after it gets the smoke. If you want presentation I'd go for the oven.

But Monte? It will affect the time a little, but I'd just start a couple hours before you think you need to. It's no fun to be worried about whether the dinner will be done. Easier to hold it.

[mph33]

Originally Posted by Mikhail

That's how I smoke turkey too. Pieced out, skinned, dry brined and wrapped after it gets the smoke. If you want presentation I'd go for the oven.

But Monte? It will affect the time a little, but I'd just start a couple hours before you think you need to. It's no fun to be worried about whether the dinner will be done. Easier to hold it.

you completely remove the skin, brine and smoke? no skin on the bird at all? ive been dry brining my spatchcock turkey since monday. i plan on air drying tonight till time to smoke.

[Mikhail]

Yep. If I want crispy skin I roast conventionally. If I want smoked turkey I ditch the skin.

[food4thot]

Hot and fast for the turkey. Lower and slower for the ribs. At least a 100° temp difference. Definitely a two cooker job IMO. Start the turkey about 3 hours after starting the ribs.

[70monte]

Originally Posted by Mikhail

That's how I smoke turkey too. Pieced out, skinned, dry brined and wrapped after it gets the smoke. If you want presentation I'd go for the oven.

But Monte? It will affect the time a little, but I'd just start a couple hours before you think you need to. It's no fun to be worried about whether the dinner will be done. Easier to hold it.

Thanks. What is your go to way to hold Turkey if it's done before dinner time? I will probably use the Good One Marshall to do this cook since it has four racks and there is about a 50 degree difference between the bottom rack and the top rack.

[70monte]

I ended up cooking everything on the GO Marshall and it turned out great. I cut the backbone out of the turkey and put it on the top shelf and the ribs on the middle shelf initially. I later moved the ribs down to the bottom shelf when it looked like they were cooking faster than I wanted. They were done at about 5:00pm.

The smoker ran between 275-285 for most of the cook. I upped the temp to about 325 once the ribs came off and the turkey finished right at 5:30 which was when dinner was supposed to start. It didn't have time to rest but still came out very juicy with great flavor.