Smoked Turkey

AlbuQue · 07-03-2009, 04:57 PM

I'm going to brine a whole turkey tomorrow and smoke it on sunday. I'm curious. I know I want the breast to be about 160 and the thigh to be about 180. Does this usually happen naturally. Or does the breast sometimes get to temp before the thigh? And how do you handle it?

NCGuy68 · 07-03-2009, 05:23 PM

I like to cook birds to 165 in the thigh and yes, the breast will come to temp before the thigh. I foil the the breast to hold in moisture so it doesn't dry out. Works for me every time.

mbshop · 07-03-2009, 05:25 PM

i found that the thigh cooks better if i don't truss the legs. to me 180 on the thigh is to much. i cook my breasts til 165 and most times thats it. if you got to much salt in yer brine the turkey will taste like ham. for me thats not what i want so watch the salt.

thillin · 07-03-2009, 06:25 PM

Fill a ziploc bag full of ice. Put it on the breast for an hour or so in the fridge. It'll help slow the cooking while the thighs catch up.

Saiko · 07-03-2009, 08:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thillin

Fill a ziploc bag full of ice. Put it on the breast for an hour or so in the fridge. It'll help slow the cooking while the thighs catch up.

What he said. Breasts will pretty much always be done before thighs. That's the beauty of brining though, even without icing the breasts (which is still a good idea), it will keep the breasts from drying out even when you have to push the temps high while waiting for the thighs to catch up.

AlbuQue · 07-04-2009, 08:53 AM

Thanks for the information.

txschutte · 07-04-2009, 09:17 AM

I've never tried the ice pack, Ty. Next time.

CB · 07-06-2009, 05:25 PM

y'know - except for the presentation purpose of a beautiful big ol'bird - I don't see the purpose of smoking poultry whole. I have found by cutting the birds in half (see photo) so the dark meat is in one section and the white meat in another, I get a better product result. But that's just me. Don't have a pix of a turkey, but here's one of a chicken I did this to.

igolf2 · 07-06-2009, 07:05 PM

I soak some cheesecloth soaked in olive oil / butter and put over the breast toward the end of the cook - works perfect.

07-03-2009, 04:57 PM	#1
AlbuQue Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 03-23-08 Location: Albuquerque, NM Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Smoked Turkey I'm going to brine a whole turkey tomorrow and smoke it on sunday. I'm curious. I know I want the breast to be about 160 and the thigh to be about 180. Does this usually happen naturally. Or does the breast sometimes get to temp before the thigh? And how do you handle it? __________________ [FONT=Comic Sans MS][B][I]Mick Schmidty[/I][/B][/FONT] They call me "Smiley" :-P UDS 1 Super-Fast [COLOR=blue][B][U]Blue[/U][/B][/COLOR] Thermopen on order

07-03-2009, 05:23 PM	#2
NCGuy68 Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 05-29-09 Location: In the stix, NC Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	I like to cook birds to 165 in the thigh and yes, the breast will come to temp before the thigh. I foil the the breast to hold in moisture so it doesn't dry out. Works for me every time. __________________ Smoke 'em if ya got 'em

07-03-2009, 05:25 PM	#3
mbshop Babbling Farker Join Date: 06-24-07 Location: visalia, ca Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	i found that the thigh cooks better if i don't truss the legs. to me 180 on the thigh is to much. i cook my breasts til 165 and most times thats it. if you got to much salt in yer brine the turkey will taste like ham. for me thats not what i want so watch the salt. __________________ george spam, can't live without it

07-03-2009, 06:25 PM	#4
thillin somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 07-21-04 Location: Keller, Texas Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Fill a ziploc bag full of ice. Put it on the breast for an hour or so in the fridge. It'll help slow the cooking while the thighs catch up. __________________ Med Spicewine-adopted 3/13/10 *CL Score* 2 Large BGEs(pimped out w/Thirdeye Eggcessories)-hatched 6/4/07 & 4/20/11 Med BGE-adopted 2/2/08 *CL Score* -SOLD Mini BGE-adopted 1/31/08 *CL Score* Traeger 075-adopted 12/3/11 CL Score Weber 1 touch *CL Score* Weber Spirit 500 *CL Score* Weber Smokey Joe Silver *CL Score* BLUE & RED Thermapens Klose 20x42-SOLD Paddlin Pigs BBQ Ty

07-04-2009, 08:53 AM	#6
AlbuQue Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 03-23-08 Location: Albuquerque, NM Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Thanks for the information. __________________ [FONT=Comic Sans MS][B][I]Mick Schmidty[/I][/B][/FONT] They call me "Smiley" :-P UDS 1 Super-Fast [COLOR=blue][B][U]Blue[/U][/B][/COLOR] Thermopen on order

07-04-2009, 09:17 AM	#7
txschutte Quintessential Chatty Farker Join Date: 08-02-07 Location: Cozad, NE USA Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	I've never tried the ice pack, Ty. Next time. __________________ "Bring it on, you bananna thong wearing killer of brisket!"-Chambers If you really care about this place, you'll show some respect for it. I'm such a ZERO. Team Whosoever Q If a man looks lustfully at eggs and bacon, he has already committed breakfast in his heart.

07-06-2009, 05:25 PM	#8
CB On the road to being a farker Join Date: 09-11-07 Location: Seattle Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	y'know - except for the presentation purpose of a beautiful big ol'bird - I don't see the purpose of smoking poultry whole. I have found by cutting the birds in half (see photo) so the dark meat is in one section and the white meat in another, I get a better product result. But that's just me. Don't have a pix of a turkey, but here's one of a chicken I did this to. __________________ [SIZE=2][B] [SIZE=3][COLOR=Navy][FONT=Comic Sans MS][I][SIZE=3][U]CB[/U]_____________ [/SIZE][/I][/FONT][/COLOR][/SIZE][/B][/SIZE]RED 3-Burner & Urban Grill Quantum 3-Burner & Urban Grill Silver & H2O Smokers Double Chef Smoker CB940X Charcoal Grill The Big Easy Oil-less Turkey Fryer Big Easy Smoker-Roaster-Grill Outdoor Stove-Top & Smoker Rambler on-the-go! grill

07-06-2009, 07:05 PM	#9
igolf2 is one Smokin' Farker Join Date: 12-14-08 Location: Huntsburg, Ohio Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	I soak some cheesecloth soaked in olive oil / butter and put over the breast toward the end of the cook - works perfect. __________________ Big Block Propane Stok Quattro Grill Homemade piggy roaster / spit Turkey Fryer / Clam Steamer UDS Moink Certified!

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