Smoking a Turkey

[HuskyFreeNorthwest]

I had planned on frying a turkey tomorrow, which I have done the last few years, but while out shopping today the new Dick's Sporting Goods had a smoker on sale and I decided to buy it.

It looks like about 10 hours to smoke the turkey. I know we have a few smokers here, if you happen to see this before tomorrow morning when I throw it in any tips or suggestions would be appreciated.

[Surfah]

Slow and low is the tempo.

[Jeff Lebowski]

Make sure you brine it first with Morton Tenderquick curing salt. I like to just rub it on liberally and let it sit overnight. You can also soak it in brine: 1 qt water per 1/4 C curing salt.

Rather than smoking for ten hours you can smoke for 2-3 hours and then finish off in the oven. You won't much smoke penetration after that anyway.

Have fun. We are smoking a turkey also.

[FMCoug]

Rather than smoking for ten hours you can smoke for 2-3 hours and then finish off in the oven. You won't much smoke penetration after that anyway.

I was going to say the same thing ... I do almost everything this way. Ribs are about the only thing I do 100% in the smoker.

[cowboy]

I was going to say the same thing ... I do almost everything this way. Ribs are about the only thing I do 100% in the smoker.

Yep. Smoking it for a couple of hours and then throwing it in the oven also helps to keep it moist.

[HuskyFreeNorthwest]

So I am concerned because the skin looks really brown. I don't want it to get burned. This is my first time with the smoker, does the skin change color right away?

[cowboy]

So I am concerned because the skin looks really brown. I don't want it to get burned. This is my first time with the smoker, does the skin change color right away?

What's the temperature in the smoker? Also, how long have you had it in?

[Jeff Lebowski]

So I am concerned because the skin looks really brown. I don't want it to get burned. This is my first time with the smoker, does the skin change color right away?

Could mean you are using too much smoke. That is common for first-time smokers. You really don't need a lot of smoke.

However, you aren't going to eat the skin anyway, so it shouldn't matter.

[HuskyFreeNorthwest]

It has been in for about 3:30, and the temp is 220-230.

[HuskyFreeNorthwest]

I think I maybe smoked for too long. It was a little dry, and the smoke flavor was pretty intense, though ldc seemed to enjoy it more than I so victory I guess. I was happy for my first try. Thanks for the advice.

[statman]

Make sure you brine it first with Morton Tenderquick curing salt. I like to just rub it on liberally and let it sit overnight. You can also soak it in brine: 1 qt water per 1/4 C curing salt.

Rather than smoking for ten hours you can smoke for 2-3 hours and then finish off in the oven. You won't much smoke penetration after that anyway.

Have fun. We are smoking a turkey also.

That's how I smoke everything - a few hours in the smoker, finished off in the oven, where I can completely control and monitor external and internal temperature.

The only real problem with this method is that it carries the smokey flavor into the oven for a while. It makes for funky tasting cookies...

[statman]

It has been in for about 3:30, and the temp is 220-230.

Temp is a bit high. I don't smoke anything over ~185-190. And like noted above, I usually go with a couple hours of smoke, and finish off in the oven.

Another problem with any poultry - smoke doesn't circulate well into the cavity of the bird. It's not as pretty, but if you want more uniform smoking, it's best to cut the bird in half - basically to butterfly it. If you like to have a pretty turkey, if you keep the skin on the top intact, you can kind of stick both sides together before you cut it.

Good smoked turkey is absolutely fabulous...

[Jeff Lebowski]

Temp is a bit high. I don't smoke anything over ~185-190. And like noted above, I usually go with a couple hours of smoke, and finish off in the oven.

Another problem with any poultry - smoke doesn't circulate well into the cavity of the bird. It's not as pretty, but if you want more uniform smoking, it's best to cut the bird in half - basically to butterfly it. If you like to have a pretty turkey, if you keep the skin on the top intact, you can kind of stick both sides together before you cut it.

Good smoked turkey is absolutely fabulous...

I smoke at 180. My old smoker had a thermometer, but no auto-control so I was always running outside to adjust heat. I love the digital control on my new Traeger. Set it and forget it.

[statman]

I smoke at 180. My old smoker had a thermometer, but no auto-control so I was always running outside to adjust heat. I love the digital control on my new Traeger. Set it and forget it.

I have both a 'real" Texas smoker (made from 18 inch pipe with off-set wood-burning firebox and an long horizontal smoker box) and an electric digitally controlled vertical smoker (Masterbuilt - Sam's Club carries them seasonally, but they're always in stock (and cheaper, as long as you don't mind black finish over stainless) at Cabellas. Ever since I've gotten the electric smoker, I haven't used my old wood smoker a single time. WAY more work, for a less consistent product. Smoking with wood as your heat source and no automated controls on temperature is a very very time consuming undertaking - something that might be great on a cool fall day with a couple of friends and a bottle of Jack Daniels and/or a case of Samuel Adams, but for the average Mormon guy with other things to do on a Saturday afternoon, electric is the ONLY way to go.

I'm also very happy with using pellets for my smoke - basically sawdust from specific woods crunched into cylindrical pellets about 1 inch long and 1/4 inch in diameter. These are exactly the same type of pellets that run the pellet stoves, but for smoking, you can get pellets made from specific smoke-friendly woods - a variety of fruit woods, nut woods, oak, etc.

And in case anyone wonders - the pellets are not used for heat - just smoke. They sit in a pan at the bottom of the smoker with an electric heating unit directly below. A cup or so of pellets fills the smoker with smoke for a good 60-90 minutes.

[FMCoug]

I have both a 'real" Texas smoker (made from 18 inch pipe with off-set wood-burning firebox and an long horizontal smoker box) and an electric digitally controlled vertical smoker (Masterbuilt - Sam's Club carries them seasonally, but they're always in stock (and cheaper, as long as you don't mind black finish over stainless) at Cabellas. Ever since I've gotten the electric smoker, I haven't used my old wood smoker a single time. WAY more work, for a less consistent product. Smoking with wood as your heat source and no automated controls on temperature is a very very time consuming undertaking - something that might be great on a cool fall day with a couple of friends and a bottle of Jack Daniels and/or a case of Samuel Adams, but for the average Mormon guy with other things to do on a Saturday afternoon, electric is the ONLY way to go.

I'm also very happy with using pellets for my smoke - basically sawdust from specific woods crunched into cylindrical pellets about 1 inch long and 1/4 inch in diameter. These are exactly the same type of pellets that run the pellet stoves, but for smoking, you can get pellets made from specific smoke-friendly woods - a variety of fruit woods, nut woods, oak, etc.

And in case anyone wonders - the pellets are not used for heat - just smoke. They sit in a pan at the bottom of the smoker with an electric heating unit directly below. A cup or so of pellets fills the smoker with smoke for a good 60-90 minutes.

Agreed. I have a Bradley and love it. My only complaint is size ... can't do a whole turky, etc. in it.