I got a call from a lady last night wanting me to smoke a 30# turkey for a service she is having for her recently deceased husband. I told her I would be glad to although I don’t have much experience with them. After we hung up I realized, no way a bird that big will fit in my smoker. My stepson has a pellet smoker grill that I’m sure I can use. Anyone got any tips? Injectable marinades, rubs, pellet flavor, times and temperatures?
Here’s my recipe I use for church gatherings when I’ve smoked the birds. Simple and good and juicy. All I know is every time I’ve made it I’ve had calls asking for recipe the week before thanksgiving every year. I actually have the recipe saved on my phone Brine 4 hours to overnight. Brine is just 1gal cold water and 1c kosher salt and 1/2c sugar. Mix until dissolved in whatever is large enough for your bird. (Bucket works good nuff) Refrigerate while brining When ready to cook, preheat grill or oven to 230f, rinse birds well with cold water, oat dry. Smear with Mayo and then I use Scotty’s seasoning from Valentine. Place bird on directly on the grill or in oven on a rack in roaster pan, breast side down. Cook/smoke for two - three hours and then flip over and cook another couple hours. I let them get to 150+f and then foil tented to keep moisture in. Cook till deep breast meat is 165f. With a 30lb+ I’d plan for 7 hours at 230 or 10 hours at 200 if I wanted more smoke. When up to 165f, pull the bird(s) and being side to rest while tented with foil. Let rest 20 minutes and then slice.
No advice on a bird that size. I have been smoking turkeys for Thanksgiving for some time now , I did it one year and everyone loved it so now I am sort of stuck doing it every year. Brineing seems to work very well and I have done both a wet brine and dry. Both come out very well. Dry might be a little easier thsan dealing with all the liquid. As far as any recipe I don't have one , I just fly by the seat of my pants on that one. Skeeter might be the go to guy ? He seems to do more than his fair share on the smoker.
My dad used to smoke turkeys all the time and we just preferred the natural smoke flavor....didn't need any salt bombs to make the meat taste good but that could have been because it was home grown. Biggest turkey we raised was 42 pounds. Dad was proud but mom wasn't impressed haha.
Him, or Chvymn99 (now known as Cheffymn99 ) Although it sounds like jtstromsburg has things dialed in pretty well already...
Really ? Hard to believe that !! Time to step up to the plate and take a swing at it , It is really good stuff!!
I did a big ol’ bird a long time ago. Barely fit in my vertical smoker... you’ll have to watch the over cook and under cook portion. They had to take the bird split it up and finish the legs up in the oven... I’d be weary of doing one that big without spline up.. just my $.02...
Yeah, Spatchcock is probably the way to go with that big of a bird. I did a 26lb on my old GMG and it barely fit but wasn’t a problem. Kept it at 200f until it was about 145 in the breast and then cranked it up to 375 to finish a get a nice brown crisp on the skin. Seemed to work out well. That’s a lot o bird
Same here! I did one 2-3 years ago and I've been asked to do one every year, they absolutely love it. In fact I did 2 last year because nobody ate the oven roasted bird and the smoked bird went quick. I brine mine as well.....
