First time turkey, need advice.

[smokersteve7879]

With Thanksgiving just around the corner and me having a new MES30 I'm wanting to try my hand at smoking a whole turkey, probably in the 10-12lb range. Im planning on doing the mailbox mod to my smoker this weekend and using my AMZNPS to produce all the smoke for future applications. A few questions though about the turkey: I plan on brining of course, but do I need to add Instacure or Prague powder to the brine? Also, ive heard that 40 minutes per pound at 250 is what I need to smoke at, does this sound right? Any wisdom and insight would be greatly appreciated, thanks guys.

 

[chef jimmyj]

You can add the Cure #1 if you wish, not really needed, but the Turkey will have a Hammy flavor. Plan ahead, start 2 days out. Brine over night and then dry the bird and give it another 24 hours, uncovered in the Refer to Dry the skin. The end result will be better. At 250*F the smoking time will be closer to 30 minutes per pound but I suggest you pull the Bird when the Breast IT hits 150-155*F and put it in a 425*F oven to finish to an IT of 165*F and Crisp the Skin...JJ

 

[smokersteve7879]

Awesome advise, thanks :) Here's what I would like to accomplish. I work from 6:30am to 5pm. I want to get up in the morning and start the AMNPS with a full load, put the bird in and go to work and forget about it and take it out when I get home. If I drop the temp some would this be possible?

 

[s2k9k]

Have you ever seen National Lampoons Christmas Vacation? I think if you cook that bird for 10 hours it will look like the bird in that movies dinner scene!

JJ said 30 mins per lb so a 12 lb bird should go around 6 hours.

I smoked 2 last year, T-day and X-mas and they were both around 12lbs and went right around 6 hours, so JJ's timeline is right on.

 

[smokersteve7879]

Lol I loved that movie!!! Never thought about it like that though. I guess I'll have to figure out how i wanna do this then. Maybe I could start it on a Sunday morning before church and pull it after.

 

[mballi3011]

It looks and reads like the chef has given you some really good advice. Just about everything that I would have told you. Good Job Jimmy

 

[smokersteve7879]

Thanks you all. I cant wait try this. I'll make sure and get some pics when I get to it. :)

 

[rstr hunter]

You can add the Cure #1 if you wish, not really needed, but the Turkey will have a Hammy flavor. Plan ahead, start 2 days out. Brine over night and then dry the bird and give it another 24 hours, uncovered in the Refer to Dry the skin. The end result will be better. At 250*F the smoking time will be closer to 30 minutes per pound but I suggest you pull the Bird when the Breast IT hits 150-155*F and put it in a 425*F oven to finish to an IT of 165*F and Crisp the Skin...JJ

Totally agree on the cure #1 question.  I've thought about doing this myself, but really it doesn't need it as long as you have a good brine recipe with the right salt content.  I however have never had a problem with a turkey on the skin getting done in the smoker, but if you did the oven would be a great way to do this.  Great response JJ.

 

[diggingdogfarm]

If using the cure#1 I wouldn't be in any hurry on the brining time, it can take up to 48-72 hours to get good salt and cure distribution and equalization even when injecting, depending on the strength of the brine.

For best results, I would hang the bird in a stockenette bag until the skin becomes quite tacky then place in the smoker @ 80-100 degrees until the skin becomes dry.
Once the skin is dry, introduce smoke and slowly raise the temp to to 130 for 5 hours or so, after the 5 hours increase the smoker temp slowly to 170 until safe internal breast temperature is reached.


~Martin

 

[fpnmf]

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/113574/my-turkey