Some smoker advice please

[marinecorps93]

I originally had a barrel style grill from HEB, and would indirect heat everything using only half the grill space. I just bought a smoker that was made by a welder buddy of mine.It is 1/4 inch steel. The cooking space is 40" long and 24" wide and the firebox is 24 x 24. I cooked some leg quarters for nearly four hours and some wings. It got dark and I assumed they were done. But my quarters had some red in it (blood) and my wings werent ready, had to throw them in the oven. Did I need to use more wood/charcoal cause this is bigger. Does food take this long? Im really stressing cause Im gonna do the turkey on it, and the way it looks, It might take all night to make it

Any advice will be helpful

Now to think of it, I was just touchung the outside of the firebox and it was hot, and I was just adding a very few coals instead of extra ones. Maybe I was underestimating the temp.

 

[brntorng]

Sounds like you may need a thermometer to monitor the smoker temperature at the level of the meat. Also, I've noticed that smoking a turkey requires a higher temperature than chickens because it takes a lot of time for the heat to penetrate to the thighs to get them done. The first time I smoked a turkey I had a near disaster for the meal when the turkey just wouldn't finish so I had to transfer it to a hotter oven to get the thighs up to temp. You might want to consider what I posted on a different thread about doing the turkey in parts (I'm using the oven) to allow the individual pieces to cook at their own rate without over cooking the breast.

 

[hornian]

Yeah, get a thermometer. You want to smoke poultry at around 325 (whereas you do brisket around 225), and a 12 pound turkey should take you between 3.5 and 4 hours. So not too long.

Not to toot my own horn, but I just smoked a turkey and documented it, it might help you out:
The Link