First Turkey

[62veedub]

Hey guys and gals! I'm hoping to get some good advice from you all. I've used the search button, but haven't quite gotten enough information to feel comfortable.
We have a 17 lb turkey that I was going to brine and deep fry. I even went out and bought The Briner. I love new toys! Anyways, the weather report shows rain, so that plan is out. Moved to Phoenix hoping to avoid rain...I think it followed me.
Next plan is to try smoking it, never done one before. I have a new MES40 that I have only used twice, but with great results!
I was thinking of brining it tomorrow night. Then pull it out Wednesday evening to dry it, rub it and place in refrigerator uncovered.
I would preheat smoker to 275 around 4:00 am Thanksgiving morning and start smoking. I need it finished by about noon. The girlfriend isn't big on heavy smoke flavor, so I would only run two or three pans of applewood chips.
When the IT reaches 162, pull it and pop it in the oven at 450 for a few minutes to bring to final temp and crisp the skin.
Also, the turkey is a Kroger that says its basted with 8% broth.
Thoughts? Ideas? Should I just watch football and let her do all the cooking? Haha

 

[sandyut]

Slaughterhouse brine and splatchcock it. that is my reply on all smoked poultry. I am doing that exact thing on a bonein turkey breast. I dotn sweat the broth, salt sln etc BS. I just brine and smoke what they have-never had an issue.

 

[mike243]

2 hours in the smoker then into a pre heated oven and finish as normal

 

[JCAP]

I might pull it a little earlier- 140ish and finish in the oven. Better chance at crispy skin without overshooting IT.

 

[62veedub]

The problem with using the oven is that she is baking a ham, two pies, rolls, etc. So we can’t use the oven for long term turkey cooking.

 

[SecondHandSmoker]

8% solution is low enough that you will be fine with brining the bird.
My wife and I had planned on smoked turkey breast on Thursday but the rain nixed that plan too.
So, we will be using the oven instead.

At 17lbs, you're really pushing the envelope from a food safety standpoint. Perhaps you should consider smoking it per Mike's suggestion.

I take it that you will be smoking under a patio cover or have the smoker sheltered from rain somehow?

 

[SecondHandSmoker]

The problem with using the oven is that she is baking a ham, two pies, rolls, etc. So we can’t use the oven for long term turkey cooking.

Do the ham in the MES for double smoked ham since you're just really reheating the ham to an IT of 140 and save the oven for the turkey.

 

[SmokinVOLfan]

I would go with what sandyut said above. Same thing I am doing. Brine in slaughterhouse and spatchcock for a more even cook. At 275 you are probably looking 6 hours roughly.

If you still want to deep fry grab a waterproof pop up canopy and a cooler full of beer and head to the back yard!

 

[SecondHandSmoker]

I would go with what sandyut said above. Same thing I am doing. Brine in slaughterhouse and spatchcock for a more even cook. At 275 you are probably looking 6 hours roughly.

If you still want to deep fry grab a waterproof pop up canopy and a cooler full of beer and head to the back yard!

That's a good idea.
Unfortunately, it's gonna be raining sideways.
For Phoenix, NWS is forecasting 10-15 mph winds with 20 mph gusts.
Down in my neck of the woods, it will be even worse.

 

[JCAP]

The problem with using the oven is that she is baking a ham, two pies, rolls, etc. So we can’t use the oven for long term turkey cooking.

I agree with SecondHandSmoker - could you do the ham in the MES? Pies and rolls could also be baked in advance and free the oven up for finishing the turkey.

We used to make those pillsbury rolls in the oven but went to store baked rolls for that reason.

 

[SecondHandSmoker]

We used to make those pillsbury rolls in the oven but went to store baked rolls for that reason.

Same here.

 

[SecondHandSmoker]

Just in case you were wondering about a double smoked ham, here is Bearcarver's step by step:

Double Smoked Ham (Bear Style)

Double Smoked Ham (Bear Style) I made a Step by Step of Smoking 2 Hams, and one of Smoking 4 Hams, so I figured it’s time to do a Single Ham. These are still the Best Hams I’ve ever eaten, so might as well go for it. Also Mrs Bear found this Fully Cooked Shank Portion Ham on sale for 99...

www.smokingmeatforums.com

 

[Semortsr]

Hey guys and gals! I'm hoping to get some good advice from you all. I've used the search button, but haven't quite gotten enough information to feel comfortable.
We have a 17 lb turkey that I was going to brine and deep fry. I even went out and bought The Briner. I love new toys! Anyways, the weather report shows rain, so that plan is out. Moved to Phoenix hoping to avoid rain...I think it followed me.
Next plan is to try smoking it, never done one before. I have a new MES40 that I have only used twice, but with great results!
I was thinking of brining it tomorrow night. Then pull it out Wednesday evening to dry it, rub it and place in refrigerator uncovered.
I would preheat smoker to 275 around 4:00 am Thanksgiving morning and start smoking. I need it finished by about noon. The girlfriend isn't big on heavy smoke flavor, so I would only run two or three pans of applewood chips.
When the IT reaches 162, pull it and pop it in the oven at 450 for a few minutes to bring to final temp and crisp the skin.
Also, the turkey is a Kroger that says its basted with 8% broth.
Thoughts? Ideas? Should I just watch football and let her do all the cooking? Haha

For a turkey that large, I go one step beyond spatchcock. To insure the ALL parts of the turkey reach a safe temperature without overshooting the ideal temp, I actually quarter the bird. Remove the backbone, then use poultry scissors to split the breast. After that, its pretty easy to remove the leg quarter from the split breast. This gives you four pieces to then brine, inject, season, and smoke. When you hit about 155 degrees, I put seasoned butter under the skin and wrap each piece in foil . Once you hit the desired temperature, pull them off the smoker and let them rest. The nice thing about this method is that you can get the turkey done in MUCH less time allowing for more football watching time.

 

[dr k]

I separate the whole breast and wishbone from the carcass and it just sits ontop. I pull the breast at 155° since it has to hold that temp for one minute to pasteurize. The carcass stays in till joints aren't red then it comes out an hour or so later and I can work on separating the breast meat from the bone first while the dark meat rests.

 

[62veedub]

Thanks for all of the great info and advice! I appreciate all of it.
My smoker sits under the patio roof, so as long as the wind isn't too bad I'm good to go.
I'm kind of thinking of the ham in the MES. Bears looked damn good and fun to cook!