Smoked Turkey Novice needs help

Hawgsnheifers

Hawgsnheifers

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Had some of my co-workers who have been enjoying my Q ask me if I was doin any smoked Turkeys for Thanksgiving. I said sure, you want to order one? Now I have to do a half dozen 12 pounders. I have never smoked a turkey before. I can get two in the wsm, three in the dera, and probably 3 or 4 in the silver smoker. Anyone got any advise on time, temp etc...

Thank you for your support...
 
last one I did @ 250 degrees...........until it hit about 170 in the breast or just check a leg to see if its gonna pull off easy....did not really pay any attention to time, seemed to be quicker than the oven though. Hope that helps, there was several threads a month or so back on turkeys, might do a search on those.
 
FWIW I usually rely upon the plastic pop up timers.
I will let them smoke @ 225* for about 2 hours, then crank the temps to 350* till the timer pops. I think it might be another two or three hours.

Iv'e got a bunch to do for folks this year, I will pay closer attention this time for further inquiries.
 
Todd,
225 to 250 range in WSM worked good for me.
I agree with JOE...POP UP TIMER as well as checking the leg
for pull apart.
FYI....a turkey breast is excellant in WSM....
 
FatDad said:
Todd,
225 to 250 range in WSM worked good for me.
I agree with JOE...POP UP TIMER as well as checking the leg
for pull apart.
FYI....a turkey breast is excellant in WSM....
Click to expand...

One caveat, it is very rare that a pop up timer works for me when smoking a bird.

Why?

Because I spray. I'm usually cooking a chit load of different things, and spray everything.

So I go by temp, because the sugars in my spray that give the skin a nice barky crispness, also carmelize over the pop up timer and prevent it from popping.

As I start carving and removing the timer, I inevitably clear the clog and it pops every time.

So if you find yourself waiting and waiting for the pop, make sure the timers is not blocked/jammed

I'm going with 3 breasts in the WSM. No fryer this year.
 
What has worked for me.......
The last one worked out to be just about 30 min a pound between 250-300 degrees.
 
When it hits 180 in the thigh, pull it. If you do that you have a great bird.
 
In my experience 165 degrees in the thigh is done and juicy, when you start getting above that I believe that it starts to dry out. 180 in the thigh seems high to me, especially since it will raise some more after you let it rest.
 
12# bird should take approx 6 hrs cooking at 230-250 degrees, but rely on a thermometer to be sure internal temp is 165, as meathead said 165 gives the best moisture retention.
 
SloppyQ said:
12# bird should take approx 6 hrs cooking at 230-250 degrees, but rely on a thermometer to be sure internal temp is 165, as meathead said 165 gives the best moisture retention.
Click to expand...

I concur. 165 in the thigh.
 
Well, it looks like 165 it is, and since they will go direclty into the deep freeze after cooling a bit, 165 would allow for the re-heat turkey day without it drying out.

Thanks all for the suggestions. I will croncile this with pics and log the time and temps for all to use. Gonna be fun having the dera, silver and wsm going all at once. Gonna have to probably have at least a 12 pack marinating to keep me lubed up for this 7 bird cook this Saturday.
 
I'm with BBQJoe... Smoke for a couple of hours and then crank the heat. The higher heat speeds the cook and helps to crisp the skin. Take some cheese clothe and soak in a bit of white vinegar and drape this over the bird to keep it from turning too dark. The vinegar helps keep the clothe from sticking to the bird. 12# turk in about 5 hours. It is done when you can "shake hands" with the leg. Take the leg and wiggle or twist it just a bit. If it is loose in the joint and the juices run clear, it is done.

James.
 
Update: Got 7 12 pounders going. Food Porn!!!

I got 7 of the 9 I need going about noon today. 4 in the Dera (got a couple on one shelf and 3 on the silver smoker. Kinda cold here today. In the 50's so It's a challange to keep the temps up in the Dera. Been holding around 250 to 275 now. The silver smoker is so much easier to get and keep up to temp, but gotta watch the bird close to the firebox. Got a deflector mod on there along with another foil mod for today's cook. I think I'll spray em good again with apple juice around 5, then foil em and see if I can get the temps up to 300 or so for a coupld more hours then check the temp. The should be done. They would have been on for 6 to 7 hours. Then off to the coolers and then the freezer for a re-heat on turkey day. Thanks to all you brothers for the help. Gotta love The BBQ Brethren. Now for the porn. I'll post more when they are done.
dual cookers.JPG
dera four.JPG
silver trio.JPG
 
Damn Todd!
Sure look great. Do you have anything stuffed inside the cavities?

Scott
 
I just pulled one from the smoker myself. 14 lbs.
225* for two hours, 300 for an hour and a half. Internal temp of 180.
Into the fridge.
 
Your neighbors must hate you and weigh 600 pounds with all that delicious smelling smoke floating straight into their house like that! (I know every time my neighbor (professional chef) cooks out on his grill it makes me want to eat, even if I'm not hungry.)

Those birds look great! Way to break some mouthwatering new ground!

/Brother Dave
 
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