Need turkey smoking advice

[Root Skier]

I've also injected turkey's with beer/butter. Very tasty.

[FrozenInTime]

Anything cooked with beer is tasty... IMHO

[mtsoxfan]

and butter....and bacon....bard those tender breasts with bacon...

[FedoraDave]

This is all great advice, and I thank you all.

I like the brine recipe (never brined a turkey before, but I can see how it would be advantageous). I've also been thinking about making a type of herb/spice rub and blending it with a stick (or two) of softened butter and rubbing that all over the bird, mostly under the skin and even in the cavity. That should keep it moist and make it flavorful throughout.

I was mostly concerned with temperature/time. I had figured 30 minutes/pound at temps between 250 and 300. Thinking of using a combination of oak and apple wood, hitting the smoke pretty heavy for the first hour, then backing it off to a steady line of smoke for the remainder.

Haven't decided what kind of stuff to put in the drip pan yet, but more of the herbs/spices I used in the rub couldn't be a bad thing, along with the neck and giblets and some onion (or scallions) and celery. Maybe even some apple slices.

Any thoughts on putting, say, 1/2 pound of bacon in the cavity? Not to serve with it, but just for flavor?

[mtsoxfan]

I know it goes against your plans but if you want the bacon flavor, your best drapping over the top. I'm not sure how much flavor you will get by putting in the cavity. The flavor is in the fat, and that fat may only possible get into the thighs.

Drapping over the top will also block coloring from the smoke.

If you chop the bacon, mix with herbs as previously planned with butter and tuck under the skin.... mmmmm bacon.....you'll get the smoke color, crispy skin, bacon enhanced turkey....
Just a thought...

[mtsoxfan]

Damn Dave, now you got me thinking.... and wanting to smoke a turkey...
I'm not sure on your smoker set up, but what about butter herb mix under the skin, like you planned, and layout bacon on shelf above turkey so it basts it as the smoking goes on? You would have to swap out the bacon after an hour or so depending on temps, and put more in if you want. The bonus here is you get some nice smoked bacon to eat....

[FedoraDave]

That's a good idea, but there's no way I can arrange a shelf above the meat. I do like the idea of crumbled bacon as part of the butter/rub mix, though. I can definitely see that happening.

[Root Skier]

Haven't decided what kind of stuff to put in the drip pan yet, but more of the herbs/spices I used in the rub couldn't be a bad thing, along with the neck and giblets and some onion (or scallions) and celery. Maybe even some apple slices.

Can't ever go wrong with a little beer in there as well.

[BlackDuck]

Dave...regarding your wood choices. I would be careful on how much oak you use. It could be a little strong for poultry. The apple is a great choice. In fact, any fruit wood will work great for a turkey. I use a combination of apple and cherry and it turns out really tasty without having a strong smokiness to it. A turkey will absorb smoke easier than pork or beef does. Too much oak could lead to an oversmoked bird. You can surely still use the oak, just be careful on how much.

[berryman]

This has been an interesting thread and I have been following it, but haven't had a chance to reply (I'd rather use my computer instead of my phone to post). I'm also planning on doing a turkey on my smoker this Thanksgiving for the first time. I have done a lot of chicken in the 5lb range and they come out delish, and I'll never cook them any other way again. I know a turkey will be a little different but I'm going to try it with my same method. I brine all night in the fridg. with water, salt, sugar and misc. spices, no injections and no under the skin rub, I rinse in cool water to get rid of the excess salt and Pat dry. I then rub down heavy with Ken's Herb & Garlic marinade inside and out and let it marinate for a while as I'm getting the smoker going and up to temp. I use kingsford original and sometimes mix in some lump, In the fire basket mix I spread around pieces of apple and hickory. Just before the cook I'll stuff lightly with sliced apples, a little bit of onion and garlic. At the temps I have been cooking at, around an hour per lb.
I have an upright smoker with a heat diffuser and use a drip tray. I'm only going to do around a 10 or 12 lb bird and My wife will be cooking the big one in the oven so if mine doesn't come out good, everybody will still have their turkey, but if it's even close to the chickens I've been doing... It should be great. If not it will be some expensive dog and cat food and they love it if I make a mistake cooking.

[FedoraDave]

Dave...regarding your wood choices. I would be careful on how much oak you use. It could be a little strong for poultry. The apple is a great choice. In fact, any fruit wood will work great for a turkey. I use a combination of apple and cherry and it turns out really tasty without having a strong smokiness to it. A turkey will absorb smoke easier than pork or beef does. Too much oak could lead to an oversmoked bird. You can surely still use the oak, just be careful on how much.

Thanks for the advice. I always considered oak to be a rather gentle smoke flavor, myself, but I can see your point. I might use a little bit, still. Maybe a 3:1 ratio of apple to oak. Or I may stick with fruitwood. I've got plenty of pear wood, now that I think of it....

[astrobeerman]

I smoke turkey quite a bit. Ive done a couple in the past several weeks to prep me for Thanksgiving and such. Since Im using Premium Young Turkeys, which are enhanced/brined (label will tell you if its in a water/salt/spices solution), I do not brine. Ive done a taste test, and no real difference. But if you do brine, and it is an enhanced/brined turkey, you might want to cut down the salt factor. I cook my turkeys the same way I cook my whole chicken. Ramp up the smoker at 325, and use fruit wood (apple/pear). As beeryman said, when using pecan or oaks, the smoke tends to come out more. I also cook in the higher range to give me a crispy skin, versus rubbery. I will stuff the cavity with orange and lemon quarters, and let her rip for about 15-20 min per pound. I stay in the 10-12 lbs range. Ive done bigger and you can get into dryness/overcooked issues on certain parts of the bird.
I use a simple salt and pepper rub (brings out the turkey flavor....plus salt/pepper rubs are a texas thing) and once 165 hits or 180 in thigh.......its done
I have used a COLD wet towel on the turkey breasts (during prep while rest of turkey comes to room temp before putting it on) with success........more moist.....but i havnt done it lately, just because im lazy

[astrobeerman]

You could even spatchcock the bird and smoke it that way. Ive had great success with that. Hell, even beercan turkey is great. I do not have any pictures of my spatchcock, bc I like the presentation of my whole Turkey.......as far as Thanksgiving is concerned.

Good luck, and practice

[DaYooper]

Ive never tried oak as heard it can be a little bit on the strong smokey side. But a lot of people in the south seem to. The guidelines seem to be the same as for wine: use red oak for red meat and white oak for fish and poultry. Speaking of wine (and contrary to what I just said), I like to add some cheap red table wine to my steam pan along with the special herbs and spices.

[myhorselikesbeer]

Wild grape vine with or without the leaf is a great choice as well. It imparts a fantastic flavor that is different than the other fruitwoods like apple,pear and cherry; and is milder than your oaks and hickory.