When to pull a Turkey to avoid overcooking

[bvanderheyden]

Hello all,

Its been awhile since I posted. Love the site and all the valuable information. I'm getting ready for Thanksgiving, and have decided to a 16 LB Turkey on my WSM. I've been smoking a ton of spatchcocked birds and I love the results every time. For my chickens I usually smoked at 275-300 for 2-3 hours, and they turn out great I usually pull them at 163 degrees and let them carry over cook. Is it safe to do the same with a non spatchcocked turkey? Or should I pull it off sooner as its a larger piece of meat? I figure I will give myself 8 hours to smoke at 300 degrees. 

I know there's a ton of knowledge on this site, and its been beyond helpful.

 

[mdboatbum]

155°-160° should be fine.

 

[SmokinAl]

I pull mine at 157 in the deepest part of the breast.

With a half hour rest the carryover will get it to 165.

Al

 

[jakester]

I like to pull my chickens or turkeys around 160 but 157 like Al said might be good for turkey. I think if you smoke it at 275 degrees your bird should be done in about 5 hours, 8 hours is probably way too long. 

 

[seenred]

 
Hello all,

Its been awhile since I posted. Love the site and all the valuable information. I'm getting ready for Thanksgiving, and have decided to a 16 LB Turkey on my WSM. I've been smoking a ton of spatchcocked birds and I love the results every time. For my chickens I usually smoked at 275-300 for 2-3 hours, and they turn out great I usually pull them at 163 degrees and let them carry over cook. Is it safe to do the same with a non spatchcocked turkey? Or should I pull it off sooner as its a larger piece of meat? I figure I will give myself 8 hours to smoke at 300 degrees. 

I know there's a ton of knowledge on this site, and its been beyond helpful.

I'm in line with the other guys...I usually shoot for a target IT of 160*.

The big challenge with cooking a large bird is getting all parts done to a consistent temp without spatchcocking.  By the time the thigh gets to your target temp, the breast can be overcooked and dry.  I assume there's not enough room in your WSM for spatchcocking a turkey that large?  

I've never tried it personally, but one thing I've seen cooks do is cover the breast with foil after the first couple hours.  The idea is, this will prevent it from overcooking while the thigh comes up to temp.

Red

 

[bvanderheyden]

SeenRed

Correct I do not have enough room to spatchcock unless It in half and cook one on the top rack, and the other on the bottom.

Al,

Your advice has always been super helpful. Do you think if I pulled at your temp that I could through it in the oven to crisp the skin a bit?

Jakester, 

I was thinking the same thing. I was trying to figure in the outside ambient temp of 42 here in Michigan.

 

[SmokinAl]

 
SeenRed

Correct I do not have enough room to spatchcock unless It in half and cook one on the top rack, and the other on the bottom.

Al,

Your advice has always been super helpful. Do you think if I pulled at your temp that I could through it in the oven to crisp the skin a bit?

Jakester, 

I was thinking the same thing. I was trying to figure in the outside ambient temp of 42 here in Michigan.

If your going to finish it in the oven to crisp it up, pull it at 150.

Al

 

[motown-n00b]

 
If your going to finish it in the oven to crisp it up, pull it at 150.

Al ​I

I always throw my chicken on a sheet pan and in the oven on Broil for a few minutes to crisp the skin. I've always done my turkey's whole and this method doesn't work so well as you can't evenly crisp the skin on a whole turkey. I plan to spatchcock the turkey this time, allowing for nice even skin crisping via the broiler. However, my concern is that if I pull it at 150, and only need to broil it for a few minutes to get crispy skin, the IT won't ever get up to the desired 165.

Maybe I'll pull it at 160, rest it until just before dinner time, (I always rest meat wrapped in foil and covered with towels in a cooler), then broil it just before serving. Any thoughts?

 

[smokinincincy]

Does anyone else have any ideas about this method for crisping the skin after smoking?  I plan to do one this same way. I got minor complaints last year from the skin not getting crisp in my MES30.

 

[noboundaries]

Forget about 8 hours.  Wow.  At 275-300F you'll be done well before then. 

To crisp the skin leave all your vents full open and pull the top off your WSM for about 5 minutes when the temp of the turkey is at 145-150F.  The influx of air will stoke your fire.  When you put the top back on you will see temps of 350+ on your lid gauge.  Another 45-60 minutes will crisp the skin nicely in the WSM.  It works beautifully.  Then take the IT to 165F in the bird.  Some folks go less, which is more important if your bird is not brined.  If it is brined by either you or the supplier (you'll see something about 8% salt solution on wrapping for example), you have a much higher internal temp tolerance and will still get a moist bird.   

 

[bvanderheyden]

 
Forget about 8 hours.  Wow.  At 275-300F you'll be done well before then. 

To crisp the skin leave all your vents full open and pull the top off your WSM for about 5 minutes when the temp of the turkey is at 145-150F.  The influx of air will stoke your fire.  When you put the top back on you will see temps of 350+ on your lid gauge.  Another 45-60 minutes will crisp the skin nicely in the WSM.  It works beautifully.  Then take the IT to 165F in the bird.  Some folks go less, which is more important if your bird is not brined.  If it is brined by either you or the supplier (you'll see something about 8% salt solution on wrapping for example), you have a much higher internal temp tolerance and will still get a moist bird.   

Noboundaries, 

You are definitely right about the time. I usually run my WSM hotter for chickens around 300 F. I like your idea, and will be giving it a try as the wife is going to have a ton of food in the oven.

 

[bvanderheyden]

 
I always throw my chicken on a sheet pan and in the oven on Broil for a few minutes to crisp the skin. I've always done my turkey's whole and this method doesn't work so well as you can't evenly crisp the skin on a whole turkey. I plan to spatchcock the turkey this time, allowing for nice even skin crisping via the broiler. However, my concern is that if I pull it at 150, and only need to broil it for a few minutes to get crispy skin, the IT won't ever get up to the desired 165.

Maybe I'll pull it at 160, rest it until just before dinner time, (I always rest meat wrapped in foil and covered with towels in a cooler), then broil it just before serving. Any thoughts?

 
If your going to finish it in the oven to crisp it up, pull it at 150.

Al

Motown noob, I hope someone can correct me if I'm wrong, but I would assume that since the bird should still carry over cook that the broiler will also help accelerate the cooking process. I assume that since your smoker will be no where near the heat from the broiler that it should also cook the bird as well?