Multiple Turkeys & Turkey Questions - newbie

[barkandring]

Hello all, I'm brand new to smoking I've just acquired a smokintex 1460 and done my first smoke, a turkey in preparation for thanksgiving. I've attached a few pics below.

The result was an amazing tasting turkey, but I didn't get crispy skin, how do you get the skin crispy?

My next question has to do with how I can best prepare for thanksgiving with the knowledge that I need to smoke 4 turkeys.

Can I do 2 birds the day before, tent them and then somehow safely reheat them without carving them? 2 birds are for my friend's family and the day of birds are for my family.

Is this possible without ruining the birds?

Also, in previous years I have purchased a pre-smoked turkey and simply thawed and then fried the thing in my fryer, any tips on frying a home smoked turkey? Do I tent the smoked bird, let it fully cool then fry?

Any expert help would be seriously appreciated.

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• barkandring
• Nov 13, 2017

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• barkandring
• Nov 13, 2017

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• barkandring
• Nov 13, 2017

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• barkandring
• Nov 13, 2017

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• barkandring
• Nov 13, 2017
• 1

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• barkandring
• Nov 13, 2017

 

[jcollins]

Im sorry i dont have any advice for you but you do have a good looking bird.

 

[dirtsailor2003]

For crisp skin you need to smoke at higher temps. 325°+. If you can't do that then you can pull the bird when the IT hits 150° and finish in a high temp (425°) oven until the bird hits 165°.

A few other tips to get the skin to crisp.

1. air dry the bird for at least 8 hours and up to 24 hours prior to smoking. Place on a drying rack over a pan in the fridge uncovered.

2. In addition, if you haven't wet brined the bird you can dry brine it during this time. Kosher salt mixed with baking powder. 1 tablespoon salt/1/4 teaspoon baking powder ratio. Mix a batch big enough to liberally coat the bird. I eye ball this and maybe figure 1 tablespoon per 2 pounds. Add any other dry seasonings at this time. Then place in fridge to air dry.

3. Smoke in a dry pit. No water or other liquid.

4. Spatchcock the bird. I do this for almost all poultry. I spatchcock prior to air drying.

Yes you can reheat birds. Even with using the steps above the skin won't be as good as being served right out of the smoker. The best method is to carve and reheat. Have the turkey out for display for guests, then prior to serving time carve it place on sheet pans cover in foil and reheat in 275° oven. Bring it up to 130°-140° and serve.

 

[barkandring]

thanks jcollins, I'm hoping a few folks are turkey experts who can give some solid feedback!

I'm super excited to get into some beef soon, maybe my first brisket and some beef ribs...Oh man I can't wait, but first to nail these turkeys

 

[troutman]

What dirtsailor2003 said, get your temps up above 300*. On dry brining, if you choose that method (I wet brine), be sure to get the salt up under the skin as much as possible. Salt has a tough time penetrating poultry skin and really getting to the meat. Otherwise, good luck with your next smoke !!

(By the way, what exactly is a dirtsailor?)

 

[motocrash]

Hello all, I'm brand new to smoking I've just acquired a smokintex 1460 and done my first smoke, a turkey in preparation for thanksgiving. I've attached a few pics below.

The result was an amazing tasting turkey, but I didn't get crispy skin, how do you get the skin crispy?
Not sure how high your smoker will go...If it goes up to say 375-400 when the bird/s are at ~150* IT crank it up to crisp.
If not just use oven to crisp skin and bring to at least 165* IT.

My next question has to do with how I can best prepare for thanksgiving with the knowledge that I need to smoke 4 turkeys.

Can I do 2 birds the day before, tent them and then somehow safely reheat them without carving them? 2 birds are for my friend's family and the day of birds are for my family.

Is this possible without ruining the birds?
They need to be cooked to at least 165* IT the first time and reheating in oven tends to dry them out,hence the classic cold turkey sandwiches the next few days.You could wrap them real good and cross your fingers.
Also, in previous years I have purchased a pre-smoked turkey and simply thawed and then fried the thing in my fryer, any tips on frying a home smoked turkey? Do I tent the smoked bird, let it fully cool then fry?
Smoke bird to ~ 150*IT and fry for ~ 10 mins or so until reaching 165*IT or higher.
The 165* IT is minimum,some people like their birds cooked more,like 185* for a different texture of the meat.
Any expert help would be seriously appreciated.
I'm no "expert",Just a Hillbilly from Virginia :D

Bill

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• barkandring
• Nov 13, 2017

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• barkandring
• Nov 13, 2017

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• barkandring
• Nov 13, 2017

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• barkandring
• Nov 13, 2017

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• barkandring
• Nov 13, 2017
• 1

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• barkandring
• Nov 13, 2017

 

[barkandring]

Wow! dirtsailor that's a lot of info...

few clarifications if you don't mind?

So I need to smoke 2 birds on Wednesday... I plan to do that mostly the method I used which was a 24 hour wet brine, then dry the bird and add a dry rub and 1 whole stick of butter under the skin! This made for an amazing bird...

But do I undercook the wednesday birds and then send then to the friends house with instructions to oven heat them to finish the cook and warm them up? If so how do I ensure that they cook enough but not too much and don't get anyone sick?

What temps and times for two 16 lb birds being reheated?

On the day of birds, can I smoke them to 165 internal then remove and immediately fry for crispy skin?

Lastly, when you say better to smoke at higher temperatures, my smoker only does up to 250° so I think you are saying pull the birds at 150 then throw in the oven at 425 until internal gets to 165 but do i foil tent them or leave them open to the oven burners? I'm nervous at that temp about burning the birds.

Thanks for the help here!

 

[barkandring]

Thanks Bill,

Yeah I'm super nervous about 2 aspects, first undercooking poultry yikes! and second getting 4 birds beautiful and all ready on thanksgiving day for 2 families, so I'm doing as much homework now so I don't screw up Turkey Day

 

[motocrash]

Thanks Bill,

Yeah I'm super nervous about 2 aspects, first undercooking poultry yikes! and second getting 4 birds beautiful and all ready on thanksgiving day for 2 families, so I'm doing as much homework now so I don't screw up Turkey Day

Regarless,it sounds like you're gonna be runnin' around like a turkey with his head cut off.You'll be telling your bud to get his own smoker for next year...

 

[barkandring]

Regarless,it sounds like you're gonna be runnin' around like a turkey with his head cut off.You'll be telling your bud to get his own smoker for next year...

I can't really complain...He paid for the smoker, the deal is it lives at my house and I learn to master the smoke.

He provides meat sometimes and I'll smoke it for his crew but I get it for mine all the time...beggars can't be choosers!

 

[motocrash]

Guess not.

 

[theyankeesmoker]

Hey Bark,

Smoking my first turkey too! I already did wings over the summer and it was fantastic. Currently have turkey in wet brine. Can you share what you used for dry brine and how long you dry brined it?

 

[barkandring]

Hey yankee, good luck this week on that turkey.

I did a test turkey a few weeks ago and it came out almost perfect, the meat was awesome, the temp was perfect the only room for improvement was getting the skin to crisp.

Beginning tomorrow morning I start to prep 4 more turkeys which will be a combination of smoked and fried! Should be lots of fun! I'm going to smoke 3, fry 1 and then fry 1 of the smoked birds too!

After I remove the bird from the wet brine I hand dry the bird inside and out with paper towels, I really want to get as much moisture out as possible.

***I make sure to have separated the skin from the breast meat while still leaving it attached before I wet brine***

Next I take 1 whole stick of salted butter and massage the entire bird, cover the whole exterior of the bird and then fill the space between the skin and the breast meat with as thick a layer of the leftover butter as possible.

Lastly I very liberally sprinkle a Dry mixture (pre-mixed) of Salt, Black Pepper, Granulated Onion, Granulated Garlic, Paprika, & Chipotle Powder. I add this mixture to the entire bird, outside and inside and then under the skin, reaching deep down in there with my hands to ensure it gets in there.

That's it, that's my trick, as a note, my brine is a honey, fresh oranges, allspice, salt, cumin, cloves mixture, so what happens is you end up with a juicy, spicy bird with a hint of sweetness and nice smoke!

Good luck my friend and Happy Thanksgiving!