Turkey plans-expect the unexpected and adapt

[noboundaries]

So I took a 22.3 lb Butterball turkey out of the freezer Sunday morning, putting it in cold water in a cooler to thaw over a day or two. Big 'uns like that can take longer than 24 hours.

My wife asked when I was planning on smoking the bird. "Tuesday," I answered confidently. "You know, there's a big storm coming through on Tuesday. 90% chance of rain." Sure enough, rain through next weekend, although it drops to as low as a 40% chance. "Eh, I'll smoke it on Monday just in case."

So this morning I check and the bird is still partially frozen. Into the sink for the cold water thaw, changing the water every 30 minutes.

My wife calls from work and asks, "Have you started smoking the turkey?"

"Nah, it's thawing. I'll smoke it this afternoon."

"You know, there's a high wind warning."

Sure enough, I go outside and the wind is gusting enough to move our big oak tree all over the place. I don't light a fire in wind like this in this friggin' tinderbox of a state. Bingo, bango, into the oven it goes. I decided to do the flippy thing, starting breast down for the first 90 minutes then flipping it over. Roasting it at 425F for 20 mins and 325F for rest of cook. I've flipped it and inserted some probes. Thigh is 118F, breast is 82F as I type. There might be something to this flippy thing. I'll tent the breast if it starts getting too dark. Hmm, I need to reset the clock on my camera.

Not done, but on its way. And remember to expect the unexpected!

The best laid plans obviously dictate that you need to check the weather. It's been so constant for the last six weeks, I didn't bother. No smoke on this one, but I'll pick up some more on deep sale after TG. Might even be some fresh ones left I can smoke then.

 

[jcam222]

I plan on doing my Wednesday , I see rain in the forecast. So far it says a light rain possible at times. Usually when I need to cook that translates into a downpour. we shall see.

 

[yankee2bbq]

Safety first!

 

[noboundaries]

Getting impatient. 3 hrs 40 mins. ITs are 140F breast, 158F thigh. Bumped the oven temp to 350F.

 

[noboundaries]

Oven turkey is done. Simple. Easy. No fuss. And now I understand here's why the flip works so well. As many turkeys as I do each year, this first flipped bird came out with as close to a perfect white (P2)/dark (P3) split as you can get. Now, just gotta duplicate that in my WSM.

 

[texomakid]

Wow! you just cooked Big Bird! 22 lbs. That's a lot of Turkey. Big LIKE!

 

[chef jimmyj]

Nice Color on that bird!
" Expect the unexpected and Adapt..."

 

[noboundaries]

Turned out juicy and delicious. Didn't really notice it being more juicy from the breast down portion of the cook, but it was magic watching the breast and thigh temps reach near perfection at the exact same time. Yep, gonna do that again.

Oh, and 22 lbs? Takes just as much time to prep, smoke/cook, rest, and carve a 22 lb'er as it does a 12 lb'er. With a freezer, no reason to go small.

 

[chef jimmyj]

Oh, and 22 lbs? Takes just as much time to prep, smoke/cook, rest, and carve a 22 lb'er as it does a 12 lb'er. With a freezer, no reason to go small.

In general that's true.
Just a Note on Turkey Safety...
The USDA recommends limiting WHOLE TURKEYS to 16 pounds or less if Smoking. The reasoning is, most Commercial Turkeys are Enhanced, Injected with Brine, and at Low and Slow Smoking Temps, Big Birds run the risk of spending too much time getting to an Internal 140°F. Of course, Spatchcocking or Parting Out eliminates any risk. Short of a 35+ Pound Godzilla Gobbler!...JJ

 

[martin1950]

Looks like you nailed it on the temps.
I feel real sorry for in CA. Is it Illegal to do your smoking in the garage? I do it ALL the time but then again my garage is 35 paces out the back door.

Wow! you just cooked Big Bird! 22 lbs. That's a lot of Turkey. Big LIKE!

With 4 married sons and their families, 22#'s ain't enough for us. Momma's always doing a 22#er in the oven and I get to do a 12-16#er out on the Pit Boss just so we have a few leftovers. Gotta have leftovers!! I've heard of the flipping trick just ain't tried it yet.

 

[noboundaries]

Absolutely agree with JJ. For poultry, I've never been a fan of low n slow. Hot n fast is what works best. Treat your smoker like a smoky oven.

 

[noboundaries]

Okay, last point of something I did new with this bird. Usually, I put rub under the breast skin, spray the bird with oil and rub the skin. I salt the cavity. This time, I put a 50/50 mix of sugar and salt under the skin and in the cavity. Treated the outside like I usually do.

Some of the sugar burned in the drip pan and turned the drippings almost black. I thought the drippings were ruined, but OMG I was wrong. The pan was a beaache to clean, but those gelatin drippings made the most incredible gravy. Another thing I'll be doing from now on when I smoke or roast turkeys.

 

[Wandap11]

Wow! you just cooked Big Bird! 22 lbs. That's a lot of Turkey. Big LIKE!

How long did it take to smoke your 22 lb Turkey?

 

[texomakid]

Good question.
Hey Ray noboundaries do you recall how long it took to cook that 22 lbs bird?

 

[noboundaries]

Oh, man. I knew there was a reason I shoulda kept logging things. Had a crash in 2017 and lost most of my log. 2018 was the last time I logged every smoke. That year I had a 19 lb'er I smoked at 325-350F that finished in 4 hrs 6 minutes. A 16.3 lb'er smoked at 335F finished in 3 hrs 15 mins. A 16.1 lb'er smoked at 310F that finished in 3 hrs 35 mins.

The big birds, 20-24 lbs usually finish between 4 and 5 hours at a 325-350F chamber, about an hour less if spatchcocked.

If the bird is still partially frozen that will add a little time, but not much. I did a big bird one year that was probably still 60% frozen. That one took about 6 hours. Still delicious.

I'm going to keep digging for things I've written down. I did an upside down for 90 minutes last year, then flipped it. Temps hit exactly what I wanted in the white and dark at the same time. I believe I did a thread about it. I'll look for it and the size turkey.

 

[noboundaries]

Okay. I feel like an idiot. DOH! It's this thread! Like I said, between 4-5 hours.

 

[noboundaries]

I'll be doing a 21.9 lb'er tomorrow. Still debating whether going to smoke it or oven roast it. Been fighting a stomach bug for the last two days. Oven is simple and easy. Will do the upside down/flip whether I do the smoker or the oven.

 

[Wandap11]

Oh, man. I knew there was a reason I shoulda kept logging things. Had a crash in 2017 and lost most of my log. 2018 was the last time I logged every smoke. That year I had a 19 lb'er I smoked at 325-350F that finished in 4 hrs 6 minutes. A 16.3 lb'er smoked at 335F finished in 3 hrs 15 mins. A 16.1 lb'er smoked at 310F that finished in 3 hrs 35 mins.

The big birds, 20-24 lbs usually finish between 4 and 5 hours at a 325-350F chamber, about an hour less if spatchcocked.

If the bird is still partially frozen that will add a little time, but not much. I did a big bird one year that was probably still 60% frozen. That one took about 6 hours. Still delicious.

I'm going to keep digging for things I've written down. I did an upside down for 90 minutes last year, then flipped it. Temps hit exactly what I wanted in the white and dark at the same time. I believe I did a thread about it. I'll look for it and the size turkey.

So no problems with the bird ruining before it reaches prime temp?

 

[noboundaries]

You mean the 40-140 guideline?

 

[noboundaries]

Still wasn't feeling great and my wife refuses to handle uncooked poultry. 21.96 lb bird was mine today. Into the oven it went using the breast down to start then flip.

Coated with a butter/garlic/salt/MSG mixture.
30 mins at 450F.
60 mins at 375F.
Flip the bird (no pun intended) and insert two meat probes, one for breast and another for the thigh.
375F until 160F breast and 175-185F thigh.

IT at flip was 94F breast and 138F thigh.
85 mins later breast was 161F and thigh was 181F.

Total time for the 21.96 lb bird was 2 hrs 55 mins, not spatched (empty cavity too) but cooked at the higher temps.

Juicy and delicious.