Process for smoking a whole bird the night before?

h22lude · Nov 30, 2012

I'm having about 15 people over this Sunday for a Friendsgiving. We all go see our family on Thanksgiving so I thought it would be cool to do it again with friends. Anyway, I plan on smoking a whole turkey (probably 16 to 20 pounders...I heard 1 pound per person is plenty). If I get the 20 pounder it seems that would take about 10 hours at 250 (30 minutes per pound). I can definitely wake up early Sunday but if I can do it during the day Saturday and reheat it Sunday, that would be even better.

So from looking around it seems like I can cook it until the breast gets to 175 and then wrap in foil and put in the fridge. Sunday morning I would put the whole bird on a rack in a deep pan with some water or apple juice and cook in the oven until warm.

First, is 20lbs at 250 going to be too long in the dangerzone? Should I get a smaller bird?

Second, is that the best way to cook a bird the day before and reheat? Or would it just be better to get up early and do it? I guess I could do it Saturday night...start it so I can smoke it for a few hours then when I'm sleeping let it cook without smoke. It will be done way before I need it but I could just sit it in the oven on real low heat.

Oh I'll be bringing in ABs OJ brine starting today. And in my water pan I will have a regular onion, sweet onion, carrots, celery, garlic, lime, lemon, orange and apple juice. I will be spraying the bird every hour or so with apple juice as well.

mr mac · Nov 30, 2012

I would do it all the day of the gathering. A turkey doesn't take near as long as you think if you go by temp and forget the time. The last time I did one in the smoker, it was a 16 pound bird and it only took about three hours smoking it at 250. I let it sit until the thigh hit 165 and then pulled it for about a half hour rest and it was perfect.

Yes, every bird/smoker combo is different and yours may take much longer than mine but the last few I have done all went much faster than anticipated.

chef jimmyj · Nov 30, 2012

For a group you will be better off with 2-12Lb Birds than one 20Lb. Whole Turkeys have a 50% yield and the advantage of 2 birds is...They will cook quicker and get out of the Danger Zone in plenty of time, they are younger Birds so they will be more tender, and you get 4 Drumsticks and 4 Wings for the folks that like them along with the other Dark and White meat. Lastly 2 smaller birds can be Smoked Day Of to offer your guests peak quality. You are not going to gain much with all that stuff in the water pan and you would be better off catching the drippings to make Gravy. You can add Celery, Carrot, Onion, Garlic and Herbs to the Drip Pan then let the veggies smoke for an hour then add 2QT of Chicken Broth and finish the cook. While the birds are resting you can strain and thicken the Smokey Turkey Au Jus and make your Gravy. There is no need to Spritz Poultry at 250*F, you want the skin to dry and every time you open the door you are adding time to the Cook, especially in the Cold weather of the New England states. If you plan on eating or serving the Skin (best part) you should smoke to an IT of 145-150 then go in a 425*F Oven to finish the cook and Crisp the skin ..JJ

diggingdogfarm · Nov 30, 2012

You could also split a bigger bird, that works good.

~Martin

h22lude · Nov 30, 2012

Great advice guys. The first store I went to was sold out so I went with my back up store. They only had a 15.5 pounder so I did that. I think that will be plenty with all the other stuff we will have.

Chef JimmyJ, so you don't recommend all that stuff? Someone else is making a gravy so I won't need to make it. With the little research I have done, it seems a lot of people use apple juice in the water pan with a variation of those vegetables plus spraying it once in a while with apple juice. None of that is really need?

chef jimmyj · Dec 1, 2012

Sorry I am getting back so late. Smoking or Roasting a whole bird with a "small" amount of some fruit, veg and herbs in the cavity is beneficial and adds some flavor, kind of along the lines of Beer Butt Chicken. But there is no good evidence that a water pan of anything adds any flavor. I have been cooking professionally a lot of years and have never had a Chef say, " Throw a pan of fruit and stuff in the oven with that Prime Rib. It will make it taste like Lemons and Oranges..." As far as Spritzing goes. Opening the Smoker loses a lot of heat, extending the cook time and uses Fuel. Additionally there is No Way that apple juice will get past the Skin to flavor the meat so why waste apple juice and fuel. The bird is not going to be in there that long that a dry surface or Bark will form like on a 10-20 hour Pork Butt or Brisket so what are you gaining from Spritzing besides Limp, Soggy, Apple Juice flavored Skin...JJ

h22lude · Dec 3, 2012

Everything went great. I brined in AB's OJ brine for 2 days. Smoked it at 250 with hickory. I put vegetables in the bird and whatever couldn't fit I put in the water pan just so I didn't throw them away. It cooked very fast and was done a lot earlier than I needed it. I let it rest and then put it in the oven to crisp the skin and warm it a little. I think I had it in the oven for too long. Everyone loved it but I thought it was a tab dry. It was really good though.

chef jimmyj · Dec 4, 2012

h22lude said:
Everything went great. I brined in AB's OJ brine for 2 days. Smoked it at 250 with hickory. I put vegetables in the bird and whatever couldn't fit I put in the water pan just so I didn't throw them away. It cooked very fast and was done a lot earlier than I needed it. I let it rest and then put it in the oven to crisp the skin and warm it a little. I think I had it in the oven for too long. Everyone loved it but I thought it was a tab dry. It was really good though.

I really would like to Caution you and others against doing this. While a Small amount of aromatic veg is ok, stuffing too much of anything can be dangerous. Stuffed too full the Meat IT may be at 165*F but portions of the stuff inside may still be under 140*F and harbor Huge amounts of Dangerous Bacteria...Please be very conservative with how much stuff you stick inside poultry...JJ

h22lude · Dec 4, 2012

Chef JimmyJ said:
I really would like to Caution you and others against doing this. While a Small amount of aromatic veg is ok, stuffing too much of anything can be dangerous. Stuffed too full the Meat IT may be at 165*F but portions of the stuff inside may still be under 140*F and harbor Huge amounts of Dangerous Bacteria...Please be very conservative with how much stuff you stick inside poultry...JJ

Thanks for the advice. I think i was ok because i over cooked it a little in the oven when i reheated. It got to 180 at the thickest part of the breast. I will know for next time.

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Process for smoking a whole bird the night before?

h22lude

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mr mac

Master of the Pit

chef jimmyj

Gone but not forgotten. RIP

diggingdogfarm

Master of the Pit

h22lude

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chef jimmyj

Gone but not forgotten. RIP

h22lude

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chef jimmyj

Gone but not forgotten. RIP

h22lude

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