Turkey smoking tips

[RichUT]

I want to try smoking a Turkey for Thanksgiving this year. Who's got some tips for this?

I'm looking for any and all tips.

What type of wood?
What kind of prep work is required?
What temp should I shoot for?
Do I need to do anything while it is on the pit to make sure it stays moist?
How many hours per pound?
How long does it need to be in the pit vs. in the oven?

Thanks in advance!

 

[DeadHeadHorn]

Definitely recommend smoking a turkey. I've done one the past two years and it's gotten rave reviews. Like "best turkey I've ever had" type of reviews.

1.) Wood - I've used mesquite and hickory, but I'm sure oak would work as well.

2.) Prep work = brine, brine, brine. I'm a firm believer that all poultry should be brined and turkey is no exception. Soak that bird in a bath of water, salt, and brown sugar (you can add other spices, but I've found that it doesn't add much to the flavor). Plenty of brining recipes on the Internets if you just google it. After you've brined it (either in a cooler or the fridge) for 12 hours, take it out, pat it dry, and let it sit in the fridge for at least six hours. This invaluable tip was provided to me, courtesy of HF, and is crucial in preventing the turkey from turning completely black in the last few hours of the smoking process.

3.) Temp's can be a little hotter than a normal smoking session, but you're going to want to keep it lower than 250. 230 is ideal, I guess, like all smoked foods, but my temps fluctuated a lot on my old smoker and I never really had much of a problem with the final product.

4.) I put the turkey in a foil pan while on the smoker, but I'm not sure if it's necessary. If you brine the bird (and I really can't recommend brining enough), the meat will be flavorful and juicy as hell. No need to baste or anything.

5.) Rule of thumb is 30 minutes per pound, which sounds pretty short, but that's always worked for me. Use a meat thermometer and take it off when it gets to be about 165.

6.) I've never finished it in the oven, but I usually wrap it in tin foil the last two hours of the smoke; it's probably taken in all the smoke it's going to get and I had one turkey come out completely black. Like Griswold family turkey black. It still tasted amazing, but it was almost embarrassing how bad it looked. Again, this was explained to me that you have to let the bird dry out post-brine, but it was also suggested to cover it in foil during the last few hours.

Gauge it by eye whether or not you think it's taken in enough smoke and wrap in a bit of tin foil if you're afraid about the appearance.

Enjoy it while you can - there won't be many leftovers!

 

[TheFied]

In reply to:

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[TheFied]

This is a thread I started up last year before I smoked and brined my 1st turkey.

forums.hornfans.com/php/wwwthreads/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=bbqpit&Number=5276382&page=3&view=collapsed&sb=3&o=0&fpart=all

 

[TheFied]

The links in that old thread are broken now but a few pictures from when I brined/smoked a turkey for the Holiday Bowl.

Ready to start.

After brining, putting on the rub and stuffing it with an orange.

Ready to take off.

 

[alden]

Agree with most of DeadHead's post. Brining is very important. Look for a bird that's not already salt-injected or "seasoned". They are getting hard to find.

I smoked my turkey last year at 350. Good, and some of the skin was actually crunchy/edible. Didn't use the oven at all.

One note, if you use the drippings of a smoked turkey to make gravy, it may come out disgustingly smokey. I would make a separate gravy just in case.

 

[hullabelew]

This is the brine we use for smoking turkey and chicken. Takes about 2-3 gallons for a whole turkey, depending on the size of your container. Brine for 8 hours and let dry in the fridge for 8 more. Stuff the oranges like Fied did also helps, mostly to keep in moist from the inside.
- Apple Juice Turkey Brine -
1 gallon apple juice, chilled
3/4 cup Morton Kosher Salt
1/2 cup honey
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar

 

[baboso]

DeadHead's tip #6 about the tin foil wrap is crucial for presentation. Otherwise, you end up with a tar black skin.