1st Try at a Smoked Turkey

[lovethemeats]

Nothing is better than turkey from the smoker. Beautiful looking bird. That looked really good. Skin looks nice and crispy.
Points for a awesome looking bird.

 

[gmc2003]

Nothing is better than turkey from the smoker. Beautiful looking bird. That looked really good. Skin looks nice and crispy.
Points for a awesome looking bird.

Thanks LTMeats, I was worried when I first started. I didn't want to bring in a burnt looking bird to my wife. She would have crowned me, not to mention laugh. Thanks for the like also.

Chris

 

[smokingnkaty]

Beautiful bird Chris. I would think the WSM would be the perfect smoker for this. I do have a couple questions. I noticed the meat probe was in the breast, rather than in the thigh area. Did you also use a thermometer to check other parts for doneness? Also, what was the IT when you pulled it? 165?

Thank you for posting. My wife had asked about me doing one yesterday, and your post was my first read on this. Excellent presentation. Thank you!

 

[gmc2003]

Thanks smokingkaty, the WSM is a very good smoker. It's pretty close to set-it-and-forget-it smoking. The probe in the breast is the one I leave in the bird the pretty much the whole smoking time. Since the breast is usually finished quicker then the thigh I wanted to have a constant watch on it's temperature. I pulled it when the breast was about 165* and the thigh was reading close to 175* with my insta read thermometer. Give it a shot, as I said this was my first attempt.

Let us know how it goes, and if you have any more questions - please ask away.

Chris

 

[gmc2003]

texomakid thanks for the like appreciate it. Good luck with your turkey smoke.

Chris

 

[az porky]

Oh My Word...
You done the WHOLE Bird! :eek:
It certainly looks wonderful!
Did the smokey goodness get into the meat well?
I don't think I could get much of a bird in my MES 30. :rolleyes:

I don't know why, but I've had a rotisserie Chicken on my mind.
But my mind is like a slough, slow and full of disgusting stuff.
One day I'll probably get a bird and do it. :)

I have smoked many turkeys in my MES 40 and they all came out great.

 

[kelbro]

Looks good. I'm pretty new with the WSM and turkey so I have a couple of questions.

Do you run the vents wide open to hit those temps?

No water in the pan?

Thanks. Still trying to decide between the 18.5" WSM and the 22" Kettle for my turkey this Thanksgiving.

In the past, I've smoked them for about 1 - 1.5 hours and then finished them off in the fryer with peanut oil.

 

[gmc2003]

Answers in red:

Looks good. I'm pretty new with the WSM and turkey so I have a couple of questions. Do you run the vents wide open to hit those temps? Start with the vents wide open. When your about 30* from your desired temp start closing them down in smaller increments. Let the smoker stabilize before making another adjustment. One more point - I probably started with a half of chimney of lit coals.

No water in the pan? Correct - Leave then pan in the smoker empty, just cover it with aluminum foil.

Thanks. Still trying to decide between the 18.5" WSM and the 22" Kettle for my turkey this Thanksgiving. Either will work. The WSM will be less fuss.

In the past, I've smoked them for about 1 - 1.5 hours and then finished them off in the fryer with peanut oil.

Chris

 

[kelbro]

Answers in red:
Chris

Thanks Chris.

One more point to clarify please. When you said 1/2 chimney of lit coals, is that it? Or 1/2 chimney of lit coals dumped into a pretty full ring of un-lit briquets?

 

[gmc2003]

Thanks Chris.

One more point to clarify please. When you said 1/2 chimney of lit coals, is that it? Or 1/2 chimney of lit coals dumped into a pretty full ring of un-lit briquets?

Full ring of unlit. With a 1/2 chimney of lit spread over the top. I always use a full ring of unlit coals to start my WSM. You never know what will happen. When I'm done smoking whatever I smoking I just close down all the vent and snuff them out. I will reuse them the next time I fire up the WSM or kettle.

Chris

 

[kelbro]

Gracias señor

 

[gmc2003]

Gracias señor

No problem, let us know how it turns out, or if any questions arise.

Chris

 

[Shootr]

If I may tag into this thread...

I did a test run on a 13lb turkey last weekend to see how it would come out. (Camp Chef Pellet Grill) Was at 250 degrees, brined, seasoned, and butter under the skin. Using multiple temp probes (1 in each breast and one in a thigh) I noted the white and dark both merged at 165 degrees after 6.5 hours and I pulled and rested it.

The dark still looked a bit undercooked - possibly probe too close to a bone. My goal would be to get 165 at the breast and 180 on the legs/thighs. If I get the probe in the right location next time - and still get both meats looking like they will hit 165 at the same time, what can I do to keep cooking to get the dark up to a higher temp without drying out the breast?

I imagine foil over the breasts at some point could be an answer. But when? I'm guessing that around 140 degrees might be the time to loosely put some foil over the breasts to slow them down and let the dark keep going uncovered.

Has anyone been down this path, or know of a resource that has advice/tips/ideas?

Thanks in advance for any and all comments.

 

[gmc2003]

If I may tag into this thread...

I did a test run on a 13lb turkey last weekend to see how it would come out. (Camp Chef Pellet Grill) Was at 250 degrees, brined, seasoned, and butter under the skin. Using multiple temp probes (1 in each breast and one in a thigh) I noted the white and dark both merged at 165 degrees after 6.5 hours and I pulled and rested it.

The dark still looked a bit undercooked - possibly probe too close to a bone. My goal would be to get 165 at the breast and 180 on the legs/thighs. If I get the probe in the right location next time - and still get both meats looking like they will hit 165 at the same time, what can I do to keep cooking to get the dark up to a higher temp without drying out the breast?

I imagine foil over the breasts at some point could be an answer. But when? I'm guessing that around 140 degrees might be the time to loosely put some foil over the breasts to slow them down and let the dark keep going uncovered.

Has anyone been down this path, or know of a resource that has advice/tips/ideas?

Thanks in advance for any and all comments.

Hi shootr, I'm no expert at turkey as this was my first one. I didn't use a brine because it was already enhanced. I did however inject it with the stock made from the neck, gizzards and giblets. It was also cooked at an avg. temp of 325*. I tented the breasts for the last hour or so of the cook, because they were at the color I wanted. My wife would have crowned me if I brought in a black/burnt looking bird. So to answer your question - yes. I did go down that path, and it was a success. Someone else will chime in I'm sure with other or similar methods. As it is that time of year.

Chris

 

[CSR]

$0.37 cents a pound for birds here! Looking at one in the roaster oven for the anti-smoke crowd on T-Giving (mainly the boss), one on the smoker at 300-325, and one cured between now and the end of the year. Excited to try the different methods and have turkey sandwiches well into spring.

 

[gmc2003]

That's a great price. It's still to early around here for the discounts. I'll have to wait until the day after TG to get my smoking bird for next spring.

Chris

 

[Shootr]

Hi shootr, I'm no expert at turkey as this was my first one. I didn't use a brine because it was already enhanced. I did however inject it with the stock made from the neck, gizzards and giblets. It was also cooked at an avg. temp of 325*. I tented the breasts for the last hour or so of the cook, because they were at the color I wanted. My wife would have crowned me if I brought in a black/burnt looking bird. So to answer your question - yes. I did go down that path, and it was a success. Someone else will chime in I'm sure with other or similar methods. As it is that time of year.

Chris

 

[Shootr]

Thanks for the details I appreciate it. If you had to guess, what temp was the breast when you put the foil on? (I'm new to smoking in general and have been going mostly by temp).

I'm guessing right now - maybe 150-155 degrees at the breast then tent it.

Or if you tent at 165, the breast pretty much stops cooking?

Thanks again for your input.

 

[gmc2003]

Thanks for the details I appreciate it. If you had to guess, what temp was the breast when you put the foil on? (I'm new to smoking in general and have been going mostly by temp).

I'm guessing right now - maybe 150-155 degrees at the breast then tent it.

Or if you tent at 165, the breast pretty much stops cooking?

Thanks again for your input.

If I were to guess I think your right in the ballpark at 155*. +/-. The breast doesn't stop cooking, and I used a loose aluminum foil tenting.

Thanks for the like.

 

[catavalon21]

Thanks for the tip on tenting. I have a 15# bird going on shortly, will have to try that!