Is it dangerous to try to smoke a 26lb. turkey??

[ronp]

Not to the extent of spatchcoking. Compare apples with apples, not appels and oranges.

 

[raceyb]

It doesn't matter. Spatchcocking doesn't cause poultry to dry out. Over cooking does. I'm not sure where you are getting your apples and oranges, but this is the thrird thread that you have come behind me and and attempted to detract from my opinion or advice. What's up?

 

[meateater]

? what is the math on safe temp on poultry from the fridge? I have a 20 # bird and dont want any problems.

 

[raceyb]

I'm sure someone that advocates smoking a bird that big will be happy to give you advice.

 

[alx]

WTF.....Open forum...

 

[pignit]

Salmonella is the name of a group of bacteria. Salmonella occurs in raw poultry, eggs, beef, and sometimes on unwashed fruit and vegetables. Salmonella comes from feces. It isn't in the whole muscle of any animal unless introduced. Salmonella on the surface of a pig that has been injected and the internal muscle meat is compromised... will make you just as sick as salmonella that comes from the intestinal track of a turkey. There is a more likely chance that a turkey may be harboring the salmonella bacteria, but if handled properly.... would be no more of a cause of salmonella than a properly handled piece of pork.


I understand, but what does this have to do with smoking a large turkey?

I still don't see where the threat of Salmonella is an answer to why you can't smoke a large turkey safely.

 

[meateater]

Thanks Ron! Thats what I was looking for. :) I want to keep big bird whole!

 

[raceyb]

You can if you can keep the temperature up and get the bird out of the zone fast enough. It's simple really, the forum rules advise against giving advice that could get newbies into trouble.

Advocating that smoking a 26 lb bird OK is going to get newbies into trouble. If not, why would Jeff recommend a Turkey up to 12 lbs and that's it? Because he doesn't want to be liable for anyone getting sick.

We had this discussion with cooked bird and everyone was all onboard with safety and handling. It seems in this thread, caution is being tossed into the wind.

 

[pignit]

Ok.... you just went full circle on me. That's my question and if you don't have an answer that's cool. Maybe someone else that reads the thread will be able to answer it for me. Your statement works for any piece of meat your gonna smoke. I'm asking...... is there some difference in the density... etc.... that makes getting turkey meat into the safety zone harder or longer than getting beef or pork to the safety zone?

 

[raceyb]

Oh wow, I'm sorry, I thought I understood your question earlier, but now I do perfectly well. I don't have an answer for that. I looked and did some Googling and don't see anything indicating cell structure or density of the meat having anything to do with it.

Maybe someone else can come up with the science behind it?

 

[alx]

Yep............What science are you takling about!!!...Experience counts.

What science backs up your original posts....

 

[meateater]

I'm going to bed, reminds me of going hogging! ;) Night yall !

 

[pineywoods]

http://origin-www.fsis.usda.gov/PDF/...nd_Poultry.pdf

 

[meateater]

Thank you!

 

[raceyb]

I'm not using any science to back up a post. Now that I understand his original question asking about cell structure or meat density, I stated I don't know and maybe someone can come up with the science behind it.

What original post needs backing up?

 

[pignit]

Thanks Jerry.... I've seen that read. The thread started with the question of smoking a 26 pound bird and there seems to be a general concensus that you should avoid the larger bird and stay with the smaller bird for safety reasons. I've researched and researched and I'm not finding anything to actually substantiate that opinion and was hoping someone could enlighten me with an answer. I've not seen anything giving a size limit on safely smokin a bird. I would like to understand the logic in suggesting that a large bird can't be smoked safely in the 250 degree range or that large turkeys should be avoided because of a safety issue.

 

[raceyb]

I got it from this URL here...

http://www.smoking-meat.com/smoking-turkey.html

 

[pineywoods]

I will find it again if you would like Dave but the USDA says not to smoke larger birds because you can't get them through the danger zone fast enough. I read it on their site today. Of course there temps are in the 225-250 range or at least thats what the article I was reading stated.
As for the whole pig I know lots of people that do them but I don't think the USDA would approve the procedure smoking them at 225-250 either for the same reason as the turkey not getting it through the danger zone fast enough. That being said I have never seen an article from the USDA on smoking a whole pig

 

[pignit]

I give... Uncle!

 

[luvdatritip]

http://origin-www.fsis.usda.gov/Fact...utes/index.asp

6th item from the top is about smoking turkeys. The temp they mention is 225-300 degrees. Not sure if this is the same article.