First Time Turkey


 
G

Gerry Ackerman

New member
Hi, all.

After years of deep fried turkey, I'm going to try smoking on my new WSM 22.5 (once I get it). Any info you can share is appreciated. I plan to do at least one, maybe two, test runs. Would I be better off doing a breast instead of the whole turkey first time out? How should I prepare it? For those that have fried in the past, what are the differences (besides the cooking time)? Thoughts regarding differences in prep? Should I inject or just rub or both? Any and all info is appreciated.

Thanks!

Gerry
 
Well try THIS one! I bet you will be happy you did.

No need to do a test run. But be sure to know how to get your wsm to cook @ 325-350.

Good luck and report back!
 
Gerry,

I agree with Wolgast that knowing how to achieve 325-350 temps is crucial. Last year was my first turkey smoke in my a 22.5 WSM and I ended having to invert the door and prop it open the achieve 350 temps. I would recommend a trial run or two to make sure you have the recipe down and to lessen the stress on the big day. Good Luck!

Phil
 
Gerry, you and I are in the same boat! I have fried turkeys for years, and I've said I don't want them any other way. My family loves them. However, this year it will just be "us" (my 5) and I'm game to try a smoked one. I'm fairly scared, as we look forward to the fried ones, but I really want to see if the smoked ones are good. I plan to brine, a la Alton Brown, but after that move I plan to do it in the smoker in the 325-350 range suggested using my pitmaster, and not using any wood first time out. I do plan to use a little rub, and probably butter rather than oil, but that's it. I hope yours goes well, and mine, too, or it's back to frying next year!
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by T Bounds:
I plan to brine, a la Alton Brown, but after that move I plan to do it in the smoker in the 325-350 range suggested using my pitmaster, and not using any wood first time out. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

T, in my experience you get minimal if even noticeable smoke flavor from charcoal or lump when it's mostly all engaged and burning so cleanly in order to achieve HH on the wsm. It's personal preference, but for all "smoked" poultry I like to use at least a couple chunks of well-seasoned fruitwood and/or pecan, which are a bit milder than hickory or even oak. Pecan has become my favorite wood choice lately for poultry and ribs.
 
I'm probably going to go turkey breast only on my first attempt, just to keep it simple. My brother in law will deep fry a whole turkey, and with eight adults, we should be covered. Also, by just doing a breast, I should have room in my fridge to brine it. I don't have room for a whole turkey in the fridge, especially with the other foods that are being prepared for the big day!
 
Dave, thanks for the advice. The only other poultry I've done on the smoker was my virgin run and I did some chicken breasts. I apparently used too much wood and those puppies were wooden themselves! Barely edible, and we had guests! Hubris, thy name is me!

I have a small supply of pecan and apple woods that I use for all apps now. Based on your advice, maybe one chunk of each for the turkey? Thanks for the insight from experience. I hope it goes well.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Wolgast:
Well try THIS one! I bet you will be happy you did.

No need to do a test run. But be sure to know how to get your wsm to cook @ 325-350.

Good luck and report back! </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Thanks for giving that link. I am going to try that.

Question though...they suggest air drying the turkey for 8 hours or so in order to crisp the skin. I have tried this somewhat with chicken and it is very difficult to get it to be edible. While it does get crispy, it is really too tough to eat.

So is there a difference between the turkey skin and chicken skin? Or do I just need to keep practicing?
 
I'm going to use this recipe over fri, sat and sun this week, since I work thanksgiving.

I have a digiq dx - will that help in keeping the 325-350 temp?
 
doing a 12lb apple brine as we speak. I ran a test run yesterday just to see if I could get temp up. I was able to. realized what a heat sink a turkey is. even with a digiq 1 1/2 chimney of charcoal and 2 chimneys of lump, It took 40 min to get it up into the 330 area... the digiq is workin hard to keep it there too. I am hoping that as the temp of the bird rises the temp in the smoker evens out. anyone have suggestions? oh I forgot to mention its only 35degrees outside, sure glad I built an smoke shack.
 
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