Need turkey smoking advice

[FedoraDave]

I was talking with SWMBO today about Thanksgiving, and mentioned I'd like to try smoking the turkey this year. I've done whole roasting chickens, and they've turned out great, but I've always been a little intimidated at the prospect of smoking a turkey.

But I'd appreciate some advice and tips from anyone on the Borg who's done it before, specifically temperatures and cooking times based on the weight of the bird.

Thanks in advance.

[JimH]

Sounds delicious! I haven't smoked turkey before, but the guy I work with is an animal smoking guru, he used to do BBQ competitions in Kansas. If no one else on the borg can give you the answer you are looking for, I can ask him tomorrow in the office. Smoking turkey is the only way he does it, so lots of experience.

[BlackDuck]

Dave...I do mine on the grill. I have a chargriller offset smoker, but I don't use the smoke box. I grill it indirect. The bird goes on the left side under the smoke stack and the fire goes on the right side closest to the fire box. I put a tin tray of chicken stock with carrots, onions, and celery in it right under the bird. The main chamber gets between 325 and 350. I do have to rotate the bird a couple times during the cook, so one side isn't next to the fire for the whole time. Since it's indirect I can still drop a few peices of smoking wood on the coals and get a slight smoked flavor. I've got a website bookmarked on my computer at work that I use for reference, it's an awesome webpage with all kind of great hints. I'll post it here tomorrow for you.

From what I remember last year, the bird was done about an hour and fifteen minutes early. So all I did was drop it in a cooler and closed the lid. It stayed plenty hot until it was time to carve. So, if you have a cooler, it's not a big deal if it finishes early.

EDIT...I found the website I was talking about above....here it is:
http://www.amazingribs.com/recipes/chic ... urkey.html

[FedoraDave]

Thanks, Black Duck! That's a lot of info to absorb, and I won't be able to do it with one sitting, but I'll look it over.

I will be using a Char-Griller Kamado vertical smoker, but it seems he addresses techniques with that method of cooker, too. It's a little less intimidating now.

[BlackDuck]

It's a great website. I followed his instructions the first time I did it 3 years ago.

Good luck Dave. You'll be fine.

[Wings_Fan_In_KC]

Smoking turkey is great.......it's just hard to keep it lit.

LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL

[shewdawg]

I have a vertical water smoker and have only done a turkey breast the past. I can tell you that it was delicious and would love to do a full turkey in the future. Don't know if you have a charcoal or gas smoker but recently came into ownership of a gas smoker. Makes a difference when trying to keep your temps correct. Little bit of work as I smoked mine around 225 def F and I apologize as I can't remember how long it took to cook. I did use a dry rub, basically a pre-made Cajun spice mix that went very well with the smoked flavoring.

[FrozenInTime]

I cheat, I have a nice, insulated electric digital temp control'd smoker. I can feed the wood-chips from the outside so it retains all the heat/smoke. I have been smoking venison like crazy this summer, love it. Couple years ago I smoked a turkey for 2 hours in it, then finished it in the oven. It was pretty good, I have some chickens I just butchered, I'm gonna have to smoke one of those.....mmmmm

[Root Skier]

I smoke my turkey every year. My smoker is awesome at turkey because the smoke and moisture from cooking are sealed inside smoker. I've never had any turkey as moist as mine. Here's a few things I do to it.

Brine it for at least 12 hours.
Apply rub under the skin (I fold the skin back over the rub).
Apple and Maple wood works well.
If possible, set up a drip tray under the turkey. Bonus points if you put the neck and giblets in there. Smokey turkey gravy is divine.

[FrozenInTime]

I've heard a few stories about brining. I've heard soak in saltwater, saltwater with spices, saltwater with brown sugar, what do ya'll find gives the most flavor in the end for the buck?

[Root Skier]

I don't know. I've never done it the same way twice. I've also done water, apple cider vinegar and brown sugar. Two years ago I didn't brine at all and it came out just as moist. I've also thought about soaking it in water, orange juice and brown sugar, and might try that on a breast next spring.

My smoker is actually a charcoal powered convection oven, that you can put wood chips into. It was designed for smoking turkeys quickly however. It does cook at a higher temp than a traditional smoker, and shorter has cooking times.

[RickBeer]

Why on earth would you want to smoke a turkey? Only the white meat would work well in the rolling papers and besides, turkey puts you to sleep, so what kind of a high do you think you'll get? Sheesh!

What? Smoke it as in cooking? Oh.

[Rayyankee]

That website BD posted looks really good for you Dave. I have smoked many turkeys in my time i have an indirect firebox on the side smoker. I started off by doing just the breast and still do that a couple times a year for my wife and i since we have no more children at home that works quite well and makes great sandwiches for leftovers. I would say that 225 for about 30 to 35 min. a pound has always worked well for me but i also have digital thermometer that i use and the pop up ones that come with the bird i take out i dont trust those. I do put a pan under the bird with the giblets and spiced water to keep it moist. turns out great every time.

[DaYooper]

Here is a good site. I signed up for their newsletter.

http://www.smoking-meat.com/

i smoke a few turkeys a year but rarely as a meal. I like to do them in the dead of winter in my hot smoker which does not have a temperature control so I never know when it will be done (or when I will get my butt out of bed to start) so dont plan a din-din around it. For a large bird in the middle of winter it takes 8-12 hours. Usually we will eat the dark meat, save some for soups, then vacuum seal the breasts for sandwiches, caseroles, or whateer. I mostly use a mix of apple and cherry wood for poultry but sometimes finish with some hickory.

The big trick is getting that right level of smokiness. I use old tuna cans for my wood chips and generally go through 3-4 batches of two each. All a matter of experience, your smoker, the wind, and if it is a full moon or not. For those who have those spiffy sealed and temperature controlled units I have to say --- CHEATERS!!!

[myhorselikesbeer]

Dave, I brine with 3cups brown sugar, 4 cups apple cider vinegar, 1/2 cup soy and the rest water to cover turkey in container(rubbermaid). Let sit for 24 hrs in fridge or outside if above freezing and below 50. Remove,drain pat dry and allow to glaze over in fridge for an hour or two. Apply your favorite poultry appropriate dry rub and into the smoker for 1 hr at 350 and heavy smoke to seal in juices, then back off to 250 and light smoke for 20min/lb. Be sure to keep your water pan full and you should have a masterpiece. I like to baste the last 1/2 hr at 300 with a beer/butter mix for amaizing color/flavor. Also make sure you have provisions to shelter your smoker from wind on smoking day should it be blustery and cold. Wind reeks havoc on smokers and makes temp control hard with the risk of overheating to compensate and drying out the turkey or worse yet burned. Good luck you have given me so much beer knowledge I am glad to share in return.