Large or multiple Turkeys on the WSM


 
M

Mike Leiter

TVWBB Pro
I was supposed to cook a turkey for 7 people next weekend and had gotten a 14lb turkey. Now it has grown to 12 people and a 14 lb turkey wont cut it and allow for leftovers :) Should I just buy a larger 20lb or so turkey and Spatchcock it or maybe just go with the 14lb and add another 12lb and smoke two.

I have done 16lb ones on the kettle with ease but this will be the first Turkey or two at one time on a WSM. Plan on using apple brine and then smoking with some apple and cherry wood. Any pointers or suggestions?
 
Gary,
I had when I linked to it from the front page when they had the links up for brines and etc but didn't book mark it and wished I did. Thanks for putting the link in there for me and that helps a bunch. I think I will just add another 14lb bird and do two at a time since I already have one on hand. Besides I have to have some extra white meat for turkey sandwiches later and this will make more :)
I read about Spatchcocking a large bird but have never done it myself and was curious if that was a good option to look at if needed.
 
I have spatchcocked an 8lb chicken on the kettle and it was great but have never done a turkey. They cook well that way and real easy to get under the skin for added seasonings. I will try it with a turkey next summer once it warms up some.
 
I smoked a 14lb apple brined bird this weekend at 325-350.

Do not use cider in your brine. It will dry out the meat.

My 18" would have no problem smoking two birds at high heat- but I'm using an ique.
 
Alan F said:
I smoked a 14lb apple brined bird this weekend at 325-350.

Do not use cider in your brine. It will dry out the meat.

My 18" would have no problem smoking two birds at high heat- but I'm using an ique.
Click to expand...

I was planning on using 100% Apple Juice and not Apple cider.....Are you saying don't use any kind of apple juices?
 
I would do one on the WSM and the other on the OTG. I've done that before and this means they won't both come out the same way, which to me is a good thing as each has a different texture/taste.:wsm:

Tim
 
timothy said:
I would do one on the WSM and the other on the OTG. I've done that before and this means they won't both come out the same way, which to me is a good thing as each has a different texture/taste.:wsm:

Tim
Click to expand...

Good idea. I could brine and smoke one in the WSM and then just inject and rub the other one and smoke lightly on the OTG.
 
Well I picked up my second Turkey today and it WAS HARD to find one not all shot up with solutions. I saw a majority of them at 10% and 8% in the groceries and the local fresh sources prices went way up. I bought my others for 49 and 59c lb and today the cheapest I could find was 99 for heavily solution injected...I should have loaded up more at Thanksgiving when they were better choices an cheaper prices..LOL
SO...I`ll be putting my frozen 14lb one in brine and using the apple brine to do it as soon as it thaws. The 14,5lb one I found today is 6% solution so I will just inject the breast with butter and stock an use rub under the skin. Was going to do one on kettle and one in WSM but both are headed for the WSM in the end. Will be cooking 28lbs in all so I hope to have some leftover for cold turkey sandwiches Mon.

Would love to do both in brine but fear the 6% injected one will be too salty.
 
Mike Leiter said:
Well I picked up my second Turkey today and it WAS HARD to find one not all shot up with solutions.
Click to expand...

I like to buy 1 or 2 turkeys after Thanksgiving to freeze and cook later. I, too, had a heck of a time finding non-injected turkeys this year. I think my go-to supermarket had some before Thanksgiving, but they were all gone after. I had to drive across town to a small, local market to find two Foster Farms turkeys...and I'm afraid I paid more that 49 or 59 or 99c per pound. :(

Regards,
Chris
 
Chris,
I do have some I bought at that time also and froze and its where my one 14lb bird came from above. The other two I have frozen are 18lb and 12lb an wanted to keep those for later in the yr for immediate family gatherings...Thanksgiving definitely gives you a Turkey price discount for sure as some I saw today were as much as 1.79lb. I was hoping to score a few more cheap ones but it wasn't the case today. I figure I would keep the good ones I can brine later and use the injected kinds I found today to give all the guests another kind of smoked turkey to try with no brine and rub.
On the other hand I saw some really nice standing rib roasts and whole ribeyes and prime cuts out for Xmas I usually don't see other times of the yr.
 
Got the Turkeys done and both went on the WSM. I put the Apple brined one on the bottom an the Injected and rubbed one on the top. Both came to temp at about 165 in almost 4 1/2 hours. I thought the skin may get a little browner but still semi crispy and not rubbery when it hit temp of 168 in breast and close to 180 in the thighs/legs. I wish the larger Turkey had been the Apple brine one as it was the greatest hit with everyone. I even had two people come that really didn't care for Turkey and they had seconds of it. The injected one also came out very good and juicy and didn't have much left of that either but I hid some white meat from that one for sandwiches later :)
Smoker ran at 325 at the grate the whole time with vents pretty much wide open on top and 3/4 on the bottom the whole time in 45 degree weather. I used a mix of KB an stubbs in the ring. Used 1 chunk cherry and 2 peach for the smoke
Turkey_zpse2aaa7e3.jpg
 
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