Trial Turkey - Confused-Pic

[h2o]

just did a 12.75 lb turkey. cut drumsticks from breast and cooked separate. smoker temp at cooking grate 315-330. wired temp probe in breast and took off at 161. i thought drumsticks would take longer. temp read 190 + in drumsticks.this was after only a little over 2 hours. i then took separate temps in breast and measured anywhere from 180 to down to 153
* where do you measure breast at and how far down to you put probe?
*where do you measure drumstick at?


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[Plowboy]

Measure in the thickest part of the breast. The closer you get to the ribs, the hotter it could be. You want to cook it through. So it makes sense that the middle of the breast will take the longest to cook.

 

[thirdeye]

I cook most birds like that, from game hens up to turkeys. For a turkey, I plan on 2 hours for the breast and sometimes it takes longer for the quarters. However I do mine at lower pit temps than you were using. I shoot for 160° in the breast and 175° in the dark meat and rely on the thermometer more than the clock.

Here is an observation, based mainly on the pull back of the drumsticks. Did you get an accurate temp reading at the grate? I think you might have cooking hotter than you think. What kind of cooker are you using?