Turkey too big for smoker, approx time to cook piece.

[MikeS1971]

I'm still new to smoking ,just bought my first smoker two months ago. So far everything I've tried has been successful.

The turkey my mother bought for Thanksgiving is too big for my smoker whole or spatchcocked. Actually might of fit whole, but would of taken forever. It's a 22 pound turkey. So I seperated into three pieces. Breast section and two leg/thigh sections

So obviously now, it's not a 22 pound bird. I know that I need to cook to temperature and I can monitor each piece individually. My uneducated guess is that I should approximate time based on the weight of each piece. I suppose I can start really early and wrap it up and keep it warm in a cooler if I finish up to soon before dinner.

Thanks for any help and suggestions

 

[Mattyt7]

It’s not so much about the weight as it is about the thickness of each piece now that you’ve parted it out. You’ll have to keep an eye on them individually to determine doneness. What temp you cook at will obviously affect the timeline, but at 325 for example, I’d guess they get done in 2-2.5 hours. I’d suggest giving yourself 3-4 hours before dinner time just in case, and you shouldn’t have any isssue holding them if they get done early.

 

[MikeS1971]

Thank very much, I appreciate your suggestion.

 

[angryengineer]

Smart move separating the breast from the dark meat. Smoke the breast to IT of 160-165 and the leg/thighs to 180. At 225, go with about 12-15 min per pound based on the thickness of the piece. A thermometer will be your best friend. as Mattyt7 said, it is far easier to get done early and hold than to hurry. Frankly a long rest after smoking only improves the flavor.

 

[gmc2003]

I would start the dark meat before the white meat. So they end up finishing around the same time.

Chris