So the big day came and went, and the turkey (apple-brined for 48 hours) was just fantastic. It was perfectly cooked, incredibly juicy, not at all dry, and really, really tasty.

So here's the big question - WHY?

I put the bird on when the WSM was at around 325, and used the probe from my Guru for food/pit temp.

Within 1:15 at that temp, the breast of the 14 lb. bird was at 160. I know the probe was right, because it was at around 32 degrees in ice water, and I checked with a thermapen. I checked the thigh, and the temp was about 170, but it looked really red and water, so I knew it wasn't done.

I was getting scared that the bird was cooking so fast, and about an hour later, the breast was at 199, and the thigh was at 180.

Normally, I'd freak out and pull the bird, but last week I did a test run with a 14 lb bird, and pulled it at 2 1/2 hours, and it was not quite cooked enough.

I left it on for a total of 3 hours and 10 minutes. Breast was at 201, and thigh meat was at 187, confirmed with the guru probe and thermapen.

I didn't know what to expect, but from the looks of the bird, it seemed it would be really juicy...

...and it was - not even CLOSE to dry turkey when carved. The bird came off of the WSM, got foiled, wrapped in towels and put in a cooler breast down. There it stayed for almost 2 hours before the carve.

My question is, why was this bird not COMPLETELY overcooked? Everything about it was perfect, and it promptly disappeared from the serving dish earlier today.

So very curious... Thanks!

CJ

Wow...I thought it was just me.

That's exactly what happened to me too. I was nervous that it was undercooked. Left it on anyways for approx 3 hours. Turned out excellent.

By any chance was the Guru probe touching a bone or poking through the other side or almost poking through the other side of the breast? If so, this would give you a faulty reading. Something doesn't sound right, even cooking at 325º, the breast shouldn't have hit that fast. Brining will speed up the cook, but not that fast. I've also never had a breast register higher than the thighs!

Since you double checked it with to calibrated thermometers and both read 201º, it was indeed overcooked. BUT....the brine kept it moist.

But it sounds like it worked out great, especially due to your prior cook you knew what to expect!!!

Sounds like it touched a bone or was a little too deep

As Larry and Doug mentioned... I use an instant read thermometer and take temps after 2-1/2 hours to "benchmark". I also try measure at a couple of locations and at several depths.

joe

I thought about probe placement, so I was extra careful... I ut on my latex-dipped hot handling gloves, grabbed the bird, and was very careful and deliberate to not hit bone, and not go too deep. I probed at maybe 4 or 5 locations, and they all registered the very high temps. That's when the thermapen came out. Again, I was careful with the placement, and could not believe my eyes when I saw what read. This is baffling, especially the fact that the turkey hit such high temps so quickly. That, to me, was the really strange part!

CJ, have any leftovers?? I'm still hungry

i woulda pulled it when i got those first readings. carry over heat woulda done the final cooking. my turkey was pulled at those same temps and it was perfect and i didn't brine it or anything.