Need Help (ASAP)

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I am smoking a turkey today and was going to use the "self-basting" recipe. My questions are, would it help any to cook the bird on a poultry stand (breast side up) on the bottom rack, or is it better cooked laying flat on the top rack? Also, at what location in the pit are the depicted temps of 325-350 taken (top vent, top grate, botom grate)? Are these temps basically supposed to be the temp where the bird is placed(if I put it on the bottom rack, it should be 325-350 at the bottom rack)? Sorry about these basic questions, but this is going to be my trial run to see if I should smoke my bird for Thanksgiving, I eant to give it every chance to be a success.
 
I probably wont be much help as I have only smoked a turkey once on WSM. Keri Cathey recommened putting bird on "breast side down", the idea being that the fat in the bird will render down through the breat helping keep it moist. I agree with her theory. I cooked mine on top rack as it is hotter than the bottom rack. Mine turned out ok, but I think I will deep fry mine for Turkey day!

Once upon a time,long ago when I had an electric brinkman smoker, I used a Renolds browning bag in the cook. I smoked it for about 3 hrs, then put it in the browning bag and let it go all night. It was pretty good but I have not tried this method on WSM.
 
I just smoked my first turkey following the instructions in the Cooking section of the website and I can honestly say it was the best turkey I've ever had!

I didn't do anything special, but rub some olive oil on it, throw some old BRITU rub at it, and put some thyme and rosemary in the cavity.

I smoked it on the top rack, breast side up. I used 4 chunks of cherry on the fire. The smoker was between 325 and 350 the whole time (windy day); I took it off when the breast was 165, and let it sit under foil for 30 minutes.

Nothing special, I just did what the basic instructions said and the results were outstanding! Everyone's ready for the next one!

good luck!

-Chris Estes-
 
I doubt there's really any benefit to cooking breast-side down, but there is to resting whole poultry in a dry ice chest that way, as far as preserving and distributing moisture. I measure at the grate and usually split the difference between 325 and 350, but really, if you're measuring at the grate or the dome, 15-20* doesn't matter much. As long as you take the bird off when the breast reaches 160-165* internal, you should have a good result.
 
Mike,

I measure temps using a thermometer mounted in the lid, and anywhere in the 325-350*F range is OK. If you measure at the grate, I'd use the same range. Like Doug said, don't get hung up on a few degrees difference between lid and grate.

Hope you had fun,
Chris
 
Well, I smoked that yard bird saturday night, and I have to say it was better that I thought it could have been. It was moist, flavorful, and the red color or the meat from the cherry wood was the icing on the cake. I will most definately be smoking one for my family on Thanksgiving. Thanks for all the help guys. Without this board I would be lost in the land of dry show leather meat without a roadmap out. Thanks to all.
 
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