Doing my first turkey tomorrow on MES?

[john3198]

I have been reading through posts on doing a turkey and I have decided to try one at 300F to get decent skin. Problem is that I just realized my MES will only go to 275F. Is that high enough to get good skin? If not, I can use another charcoal smoker where I can get the temp to 300 or higher. What do you all think?

 

[Kevin DeShazo]

Every so often brush the skin with olive oil as it cooks, not quite oven crisp but far from rubber either.

 

[john3198]

Every so often brush the skin with olive oil as it cooks, not quite oven crisp but far from rubber either.

View attachment 452238

 

[john3198]

Looks great. What temp did you smoke it at?

 

[Kevin DeShazo]

Think that was 250 or 275 in my MES. I had a small bowl with olive oil in it and every so often, Id give it a coat of oil

 

[john3198]

Think that was 250 or 275 in my MES. I had a small bowl with olive oil in it and every so often, Id give it a coat of oil

 

[john3198]

Great, thanks

 

[chandler smoker]

Are you spatchcocking or doing whole? I find 275 spatchcocked gets the skin nice a crispy. For whole turkey's I've never done about 250 but brushed routinely the last couple hours with a butter/herb mixture or olive oil that is seasoned...and still came out crispy. You're gonna love it

 

[Kevin DeShazo]

Welcome sir, good luck

 

[Inscrutable]

I’ve cranked my PB to max and it comes out pretty well. Won’t be rubbery. Can always give it a short high temp finish in the oven.

 

[john3198]

Thanks guys. I have spached the bird. Will definitely do an oil/butter mop towards the end