14lb Thanksgiving Turkey

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nittanyfans

Newbie
Original poster
Apr 24, 2016
18
12
I have a MES 30 and I want to smoke a turkey for thanksgiving.

I'm going to brine the bird overnight. My biggest decision is to spatchcock it or not.

I need to have dinner ready around 430. So I'm not sure if I should leave it while or spatchcock it.

Thoughts on how long each method would take???

Thank you!!
 
I'm all for spatchcocking chickens, but I like to leave turkeys whole. It's just a nostalgia thing.
If you smoke yours at 275° it shouldn't take too much over 6 hours. Get it in the smoker by 9am and you should be ok.
 
Once you spatch you'll never go back! Just imagine if Norman Rockwell had illustrated a spatched bird. No one would be cooking them whole! There are plenty of great ways to present a spatched bird that look as good or even better than a whole bird.
 
After all my preaching about wanting a whole bird, the damn thing wouldn't fit in the smoker!! So I had to part it out. I boned and rolled the breasts and made "Swansons" out of the legs. Boned, tied and bacon wrapped the thighs, leaving them attached to the legs.
 
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