Introduction & Emergency Turkey Help!!!


 
J

Jim Creasy

TVWBB Fan
First, thanks and kudos to the web admin. guy and anyone else involved in maintaining this site. There is a wealth of information on here that is very helpful and there must be a lot of work involved getting it organized and presented so we can all use it. A labor of love, I'm sure, but still work.

Second, I've been BBQ'ing for about 7 years. (Grilling for about 15 years). My original, cheap ____________ Smoker never fit well and wore out. This Fall I bought the Weber Smokey Mountain. What a great product. (I should have gone with the Weber from the beginning since I have two kettles and know about their quality). It is amazing how simple it is to cook great BBQ if you have good, reliable equipment and you pay attention the lessons everyone else before you has learned. I had about 12 guys over last weekend for pulled pork and at least 3 guys said it was the best they'd ever had. (This was tough crowd of lawyers too)!

Third, enough gushing and on to my question. I am smoking my first turkey for Christmas. Need help. Some folks are cooking them without water with a shorter cook time. Someone on here, who's name escapes me, seems to be using the standard "Minion" start up, with water and a longer cook time. I've used my WSM about 8 times and am comfortable with using water, but really anxious about cooking without it.

I've got the bird and the rub down, but can I just do the good old fashioned "Minion" method with lower temperatures and longer cook time or will I end up with soggy skin and an overly smokey taste?

I've got a 13 pound turkey, so average cook times at high temp. seems to be around 5 to 6 hours? At low temp. what would they be?

Since this is for dinner tomorrow, I need fast answers.

Thanks folks,

JKC
 
I followed the base site info under talkin turkey. This was my first turkey for Thanksgiving.

I followed the light up time which if I remember was no h20, 1 chimney lit on one unlit and let it get going then assemble.

I actually had to rig some wire to keep the door ajar but not all the way open to keep temps in the upper side. I had a 15 lb turkey in the 22.5 wsm and it was done in 2-2.5 hrs.

Pulled on rec. temps from the site.

Amazing taste, moist, and a nice smoke ring.

Rave reviews. Easy peasy.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Jim Creasy:
I am smoking my first turkey for Christmas. Need help. Some folks are cooking them without water with a shorter cook time. Someone on here, who's name escapes me, seems to be using the standard "Minion" start up, with water and a longer cook time. I've used my WSM about 8 times and am comfortable with using water, but really anxious about cooking without it.

I've got the bird and the rub down, but can I just do the good old fashioned "Minion" method with lower temperatures and longer cook time or will I end up with soggy skin and an overly smokey taste?

I've got a 13 pound turkey, so average cook times at high temp. seems to be around 5 to 6 hours? At low temp. what would they be?

</div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Jim,

You can certainly cook your turkey "low and slow", but you won't have crispy skin that way, and depending on the amount and type of smoke wood you use, the final product might be too smoky for your tastes. That being said, you will end up with some moist and tasty bird doing it that way - think about smoked turkey sold in good "Q" joints.

If it were me, I'd probably go ahead and use the method you're comfortable with since there's a holiday dinner involved.

I haven't used the water pan on my WSM for a long time, but I wouldn't have tried that technique for the first time when others were counting on the results!

Good Luck!
 
Thanks, guys.

Greg, I've got a 22.5 as well, but Steve makes a good point (in spite of the fact that he is a Gator fan). Maybe I should stick with "low and slow" this time out.

Greg, you said no water and two chimney's full. One to light and one as the "Minion" fuel in the cooker? Correct?

One last variable, I was planing on using Kingsford Hickory Impregnated. Too strong?

Thanks in advance, guys.

JKC
 
I think you'll be OK using that charcoal.

As long as you are careful I'd bet that you can use either method and have a great tasting bird.
 
Cooking turkey without water is about as easy as it gets. You can do it. Foil the pan, open the vents all the way, let 'er rip.

Either way, though, the most important thing is to avoid overcooking it. Put a thermometer in the breast. Stop by 165, max. Go light on the smoke wood and it'll be great.
 
Thanks for the feed back. I am going to cook without water and higher temp. I will report the results and take a PIC if I remember to in the chaos.

Take it easy,

JKC
 
I look forward to hearing about your results.

Sorry I couldn't post back we were on the road.

I just thought that the way the website describes smoking turkey is easy and solid.

The reasoning for higher temps for me was that the turkey doesn't need to be broken down low and slow.

I was sold on the look, taste, and tenderness. Great for an $8.00 dollar turkey
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Did my fourth turkey this morning, high heat/no water, with absolutely perfect results. Apple brined the night before...it makes the whole process foolproof. I even had to hold the turkey on until it hit 175 deg internal at the breast, and then wrapped it in foil for transport to be consumed elsewhere. Two hours later it was still piping hot, moist, and delicious.
 
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