Smokeing a turkey ?

beerbelly

Smoke Blower

Original poster

SMF Premier Member

May 17, 2009

103

10

• Nov 9, 2009

• #1

Do I have this right? I have a 30 " MES, which I think only goes to 275 *. So this is to low of temp to smoke a turkey? Thanks

 

igolf2

Meat Mopper

Feb 19, 2009

152

11

Huntsburg, Ohio ( snowbelt!)

• Nov 9, 2009

• #2

Nope - 275 should be perfect - just ice the breast about an hour prior to putting the bird in the smoker (large zip-lock bag filled with ice cubes and placed on the breast) - this will ensure that the breast does not get over done.

Also remember - poultry takes smoke better than other meats so use a milder wood and not a lot of it.

 

fire it up

Smoking Guru

OTBS Member

Feb 24, 2009

5,167

14

South Jersey

• Nov 9, 2009

• #3

275 will be perfectly fine, you just won't be able to get the skin crispy that way.
I always pull the skin off my poultry after smoking so I don't mind the skin not getting crisp.
If you do want to eat the skin you can smoke it nearly to completion then finish it in the oven to give it that nice crisp brown skin color.

 

downstatesmoker

Smoking Fanatic

Apr 14, 2008

586

13

Rockville Centre, NY

• Nov 9, 2009

• #4

I always inject my turkeys to keep them nice and moist. Have used a variety of marinades to do this.

 

mballi3011

Gone but not forgotten. RIP

OTBS Member

SMF Premier Member

Mar 12, 2009

14,477

58

• Nov 9, 2009

• #5

I have smoked many of turkeys and 275 should be just fine like Jim said you just might not get the skin as crispy as you want to but the bird will be one of the tasteyest turkeys you have ever eaten. I personally haven't injected a turkey that I smoked I alway inject the turkeys I fry.

 

bigwheel

Smoking Fanatic

Oct 31, 2009

405

20

Foat Wuth

• Nov 9, 2009

• #6

Well in an ideal world 275 would not be whut the doctor ordered but we all have to make do from time to time. Best one I ever done was last year on the Brinkmann Elec Gourmet. Best as I can tell it cooks at about 295 with all thangs being equal. I rubbed it all over and under the skin with cheap eyetalian dressing and rubbed it in the same spots with a combo of Paul Purdhommes Poultry Magic and Lawrys Lemon Peppa at the rate of 50/50. Bagged it up in a trash bag over night along with any remaining dressing. It was a whopper which I think was 22 pounds or higher. Took 9 hrs to get it to 175 in the thigh. Used hickory..and mesquite chunks with a few small pee can limbs thrown in. Always cook it breastes down. I had to teach Emeril that trick.

bigwheel

 

cowgirl

Legendary Pitmaster

OTBS Member

Oct 2, 2007

7,644

48

Oklahoma

• Nov 10, 2009

• #7

Don't forget to take pics for us!

 

glasshog

Newbie

Sep 20, 2009

7

10

New Blaine, AR

• Nov 19, 2009

• #8

I've got a Brinkman electric also, but I've never done a turkey. I imagine mine will be around 14 lbs. It will be brined prior to smoking, and will be smoked with red oak and pecan or hickory. Approximatelt how long should the bird be smoked for? I will need to have it ready to carve by 4:00 pm, but I don't want to spend all night with it. I will probably have it in a cooler wrapped in tin foil and a towel for a couple of hours prior to carving.
Thanks in advance for the insight.

 

glasshog

Newbie

Sep 20, 2009

7

10

New Blaine, AR

• Nov 19, 2009

• #9

Sorry, my signature got lost at some point. I've been here before.

 

marty catka

Meat Mopper

Nov 5, 2009

264

11

SE MI

• Nov 19, 2009

• #10

You might want to check the ambient temp inside the MES. Dangle a remote therm probe or an instant read in the vent to double check the actual temp. Mine is off by as much as 50 degrees from what the thermostat says. It got closer as the unit cycled a few times, but it was still 30+ degrees high. 275 on the digital = 325 on the remote therm. I use the OS AW131 and in a pot of boiling water it reads 211.

 

downstatesmoker

Smoking Fanatic

Apr 14, 2008

586

13

Rockville Centre, NY

• Nov 19, 2009

• #11

I'd recommend going light on the smoke. I also have injected my turkeys in the past and it keeps them nice and moist, though many on here do not inject the bird.

I've used maple int he past for birds and that seems to work very well.
Good luck with it and send us some pics when done.

 

bluefrog

Smoking Fanatic

Feb 3, 2006

318

19

Delray Beach, Florida

• Nov 19, 2009

• #12

I remember reading on the SMF once that whoever the poster was had heard that rubbing turkey or chicken skin with cornstarch prior to smoking would yield a crispy skin. Has anyone ever tried this?

Scott