Thanksgiving Help for a new guy!

PrymeTyme said:

Hey everybody, I was given a hand me down smoker from an uncle, its just a standard electric tower type of smoker, cant remember the brand. But, anyways...i have NEVER smoked anything in my life and i volunteered to bring an EXTRA smoked turkey for lunch. I need all the help i can get! Dont even know where to start honestly. Any particular rub? how long to smoke it? what temp? do i ever need to wrap the turkey in foil at any point? As you can see, im as green as it gets, so any help would be TRULY appreciated. thanks!

Click to expand...

Google Alton Browns honey brined turkey. Great recipe! Just cooked one for my work pot luck Thursday night.

The one piece of advice I wish I had listened to when I first started out: Relax and let the smoker do its thing.

It's ok to be nervous with it being your first time, but don't be impatient and open the lid every 5 min to check it. Let it ride. Trust your thermo and watch your temp/smoke. Oh, yeah, and have fun. Drink some beer. Then drink some more beer.

Congratulations on entering the bbq/smoking world! Btw, its known to be extremely addictive . The biggest thing with turkey is pulling it off the smoker at the right internal temperature (160-165°in the breast, 175°or so in the thighs ) So get a good thermometer so you can check your temps. People cook at all different temp with turkey, but generally most go anywhere from 300-350°. Throw any kind of rub on as you like. I like to inject with Knorr chicken stock and butter in the breast. You probably can find a injection marinade in the store that comes with a needle. Its really just kicks it up a notch! But for your first time maybe just keep it simple. good luck!

All the above listed advice it great. As far as your question about wrapping. I'm not a big fan of the wrap unless your bird is getting too dark for your liking. Leaving it naked make for a better skin in the end. Relax and have fun. This is a crazy train you have jumped onto but it's a great one. Have fun kissing your paycheck goodbye at the meat department each weekend!

Simply put: If you can smoke a pork butt then you can smoke a turkey.

For generation after generation people have been putting turkeys into the oven and roasting for hours until done. They use different types of stuffing's and those little pop up timers (LOL). Guess what? Anyone can make a great turkey this way, but wouldn't it be great to go one step further...?

Smoked turkey is more flavorful and tender than one roasted in the oven. Breaking away from tradition can be hard, but The Brethren are here to guide you with your questions. You'll find pages upon pages of information and previously asked questions in our Official/Unofficial Talkin' Turkey Thead http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=120494

Smoking a turkey is really very simple, however most people tend to over think the process making something easy, more difficult.

Turkey, like most poultry has a lighter more delicate flavor. One does not want to lose the lighter flavor of the meat with an overpowering smoke flavor. The difference between a great turkey and a good turkey may be the type of wood you are using, the amount of wood, or possibly the temperature you are cooking at. Because of this careful consideration should be given to the smoking temperature as well as the type and amount of wood being used.

You will get many recommendations, but I prefer to smoke my turkeys at 325 degrees and I prefer apple wood chunks, or an apple/cherry wood chunk mixture.

I also feel one should really consider the benefit of using a brine, not only for moisture, but for imparting great flavors as well. If you plan to brine, make sure you do not select an "Enhanced" turkey as these birds have already been brined by the processor. If the bird is "Enhanced" and you brine it, you may end up with a slightly over-salty flavored turkey, and it may also effect the texture of the meat.

I prefer the flavors imparted by Patio Daddio's Ultimate Thanksgiving Brine.... The flavor is truly awesome!!!!
http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showpost.php?p=1087814&postcount=1

Here is a guide to smoking the turkey by the same person.
http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showpost.php?p=1450009&postcount=1

There is also a good article in Smoke Signals Magazine starting on page 26...
http://issue13.smokesignalsmagazine.com/

and of course the Brethren Unofficial Turkey Thread....
http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=120494

and lastly Wampus Smokes a Turkey.....This mirrors the article in Smoke signals.
http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=176618

Poultry takes on smoke quickly so cook around 350 Pattio Daddio's brine is really good You want to let the bis=rd sit uncovered in the fridge for about 24 hrs after brining to let it stabilize. Another thing you want to do is to put a gallon freezer bags of ice on both breast to drop the breast meat down That way the breast and dark meat are done at the same time

You've gotten good advice above. If you have a Brinkman electric, you should be able to get to 300F. I wouldn't worry too much about crisping the skin for a first attempt. Get the bird to temp and you'll win. I prefer apple with a touch of hickory. All hickory can be too strong, but, no hickory on turkey is off for me.

With an electrick yer goona be hard pressed to get hot enough to get skin that aint like chewing rubber bands. I'd smoke it on the lowest setting for 2 hrs( birds suck up smoke like a sponge so a little goes along way) then move it to the oven at 350 until you get 175 in the thigh. A word on smoke billowing white smoke bad thin blue tinted or invisible smoke good. I'm a S& P guy on turkey an injection of Tony Cacheres creole butter is a nice touch.