What Wood to use for Turkey? Time?

  • Some of the links on this forum allow SMF, at no cost to you, to earn a small commission when you click through and make a purchase. Let me know if you have any questions about this.
SMF is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

sescoyote

Fire Starter
Original poster
Sep 15, 2008
45
10
El Paso, Texas
I am gearing up for this weekends Turkey Smoke. I have 2 13 pound Turkeys, one for smoking and one for deep frying (I am trying to please everyone!). I plan on using Hickory and Pecan for the smoked one but after thinking about it, if I am only keeping the bird on the smoker for 3-4 hours until the temp gets to 165 degrees, shouldn't I use a wood with a more pronounced smokey taste like Mesquite? What are your thoughts?

If I have a 13 pound bird, what should my smoker temp be set at for a 3.5-4 hour smoke?

Regards!
 
I like to use just cherry, for 2 reasons:
1.) Poultry will take in smoke easily and you can over smoke them really quick. Cherry, like most of the fruit trees apply a light smoke.
2.) The cherry will give you a nice deep red color on the bird's skin.

Can't help you on the time, too many variables. Just cook it to 155 in the deepest muscle. Then pull and tent until it caries up to and slightly over 160.
 
I live in the southwest so cherry wood isn't as available as some of the other woods, although I would like to try that some day on smaller sized poultry like chicken or game hens. I think I will start off with mesquite or hickory for the 1st hour and then go with the milder pecan for the next couple of hours with a splash of mesquite mixed in.
 
Im gonna be experimenting this week too lol...I think im going to try a mix of pecan and apple
 
I have Hickory, Mesquite and Pecan so I can use a combination of either those 3. Would an hour of mesquite be too much? I've always had good results with mesquite, just don't over do it. If I left the turkey on for 4 hours and had nothing but mesquite in there, then yes I would agree with you that it will have a strong smokey taste. If I use mesquite for only an hour I don't think it will be as strong. I guess the only way to find out is to dive in!
 
I've gotten tons of great information from everyone here which has provided me a good jumping point, but in the end it is always the doing where I learn the most, from my mistakes, failures, and triumphs.

If I was doing the smoke with those 3 woods, I would go heavier on the Pecan, lighter on the Hickory and Mesquite. Just MHO.

Good luck with it and come back with Qview and results
PDT_Armataz_01_12.gif
 
I love the combination of pecan with a touch of hickory, it smells wonderful while burning.
Personally I stay away from mesquite but both mesquite and hickory are very heavy flavors and pecan is very light so use caution with the heavier woods.
 
I did a Turkey as a test run a couple of weekends ago and all I used was Apple wood for flavor and coals for heat. Came out really good. Used a honey glaze on the skin and then about halfway through the cook started injecting the honey glaze in the bird as well. Came out extrodinary. Hands down the best Turkey I have even eaten.
 
Well the first thing is what woods do you have availble to you. I like to use apple and I do use apple but I have alot about 15-18 at my fingertips. If I could give you the wood I would use apple with alittle hickory thrown in. So theres my pennies.
 
Of what you have pecan......is my go to wood here,,,,,I have a lot of cured pecan.....apple and cherry is very nice on cluck.....hickory on Moo and pecan or apple on pork but just my two coppers.....Have mesquite but I use a few splits or some chunks,,,,little goes a long way for wife...and she was from West Central Texas...lol
 
Coyote, you and I must think alike. 2 birds for me, too. Trying to keep the family happy. Smoked some fatties for the AR vs MS State game last weekend. Everything turned out just right. The fatties were good, too. LOL.
I have one potential problem with the birds my wife picked up at the store. They are pre-injected, or soaked, or something with an 8% solution. Does anyone know if that will make my brined bird too salty. I was going to use a brine recipe that includes a gallon of water to 1 cup of kosher salt. If the bird is already semi-brined, should I cut the salt in half? Any help would be greatly appreciated. This will be my first smoked turkey, and I don't want to screw it up.
Thanks in advance.
 
Glass hog, I too had this question and the answer for already injected birds is to cut back on the salt. It's best to use kosher salt, not table salt, and the bird I brined and smoked for my trial run turned out great. Not too salty. Got that info. from these threads.
 
SmokingMeatForums.com is reader supported and as an Amazon Associate, we may earn commissions from qualifying purchases.

Latest posts

Hot Threads

Clicky