I just did my 2nd pork butt for this 'cooking season', mmmm. First time I put the needle to it, actually my wife made up some concoction. Still cooked (9 hrs) it in double layer of foil until about 205* then popped out the bone and transferred it to a pan semi pulled for a little, not quite bark but let's say coloring. Yum! Can you smoke a whole turkey or should I just look for a big breast ?
Done it many times! I did a 14lb'r for Thanksgiving last year, about 1 hr a pound at 175 to 200 degrees, try not to go over 250.
Yup. Ive done it a bunch of times over the past few years. Ive been told by family and friends that its the best turkey theyve ever tasted!
Grizzly Adam said it... You can brine, inject under the skin, "OR" do what I've been doing for years!. "big pot", insert turkey, cover with "favorite juice or beverage" I use an apple and cranberry mixture with a splash of (what else).... Wild turkey bourbon, soak over night, "6 hrs max", Start smoking in the AM, "save the rest of the wild turkey for after the bird is done I recommend"
I like a 24+hr brine seasoned with terragon, onion, garlic, lemon, and black pepper. Then smoke it at normal turkey cooking temps: 315-325. The sugar in the brine will cause cause the skin to darken faster than usual; in order to prevent that you can wrap in foil for the last hour, or the method which I prefer: wrap in bacon strips for the first hour. I find with poultry, low-and-slow is a no-no. It needs to reach 300+ degrees in order to render the fat under the skin and turn it into golden crispy deliciousness. If it does not reach that temp it will be like eating shoe leather. If you wanted to slow cook it, just plan to finish cooking over a propane grill or something to render the skin.
Try cooking it on a kettle type grill (weber) with some wood chips added for extra flavor. Use the indirect method of charcoal placement for the cooking. As the charcoal burns/gets used, you can add more charcoal through the gap of the grill handle. Works great. Easy! Phenomenal!
Whenever I smoke a turkey I always break it down into leg quarters, wings, and filet the breast out. Let quarters go for about 5 hours, wings for about 4, breasts about 2. Everything gets perfectly done that way. I also throw the rest of the carcass on there to make smoked turkey broth.
Well, not to contradict you, the cooked temp of a turkey is 165 to 175. You always get a fluctuation in temps but I try not to exceed 200 if possible. I have done this method for 20+ years and nobody has ever gotten sick, fat "will" render under the skin and through out the turkey. I cook/smoke mine in a 350 gallon grill/smoker that I've built many years back. I also "do not" stuff my turkey unless I cook it. I also check my turkey with a thermometer to insure it's cooked through. The whole part of smoking is "not" cooking!
Wasn't trying to imply you were going to make people sick that way. Just that, in my personal experience, the skin does not end up very appealing when cooked too slowly. I'm not the only person who's encountered this. Smoking poultry = tough, inedible skin • r/BBQ If you're getting crispy skin, great. If not, try cooking it a little faster. That's what worked for me. Just trying to advise the OP on his original question, sorry if you think I come off like a know it all jerk.
275+ for edible skin here at my compound.....but i will cook chickens at 225 some times,just dont eat the skin cause it will be tuff like SC said
Done just right, turkey (or chicken) skin is right up there with bacon on the yummy scale. Wish they'd come out with a 10 pound skin only bird.
Nope, wasn't taken that way! . I actually get some nice skin and I think it's because it's close to the top of the lid and it gets a little more deflection "radiation" heat . I really don't seem to have a problem as some say. I'm wondering if it's in the smoker design, either way I'll eat the "HELL" out of some skin! My girls don't like it so no problem here!
I've never done a whole bird, but whenever the breasts go on sale after thanksgiving, I get a few and smoke 'em for lunch meat. I like a simple brine with just salt and powdered rosemary and sage leaves. Usually smoke it on apple or maple. My mother runs a deli, so I bring it to her to slice real thin... Drooling here as I type! Good stuff!