Smoking Another Turkey This Year


 
MichaelLC

MichaelLC

TVWBB Pro
Looks like I'll be smoking a turkey again year, now just more expensive...

Really happy how the 20# turned out last year on 18" WSM. I like trying new things, but sometimes it's best not to mess with success. Was pretty proud of this one from last year:

PXL_20211125_181553047.jpg

A year later after letting the bird rest for a bit, my cooler still smells like smoked meat though, :) .
 
I did a practice turkey this past weekend. I quartered a 14 lb bird and cooked it to perfection... very happy with the results. For "the big day" I'm probably going to do a bone-in-breast only since I'm not feeding a ton of people.
 
I have not had a holiday off in many years, I wouldn’t mind a break but, I’d still end up carving the thing. And telling or showing how to do parts of it. Now, I’m planning things for just nine, not 20 so, that’s fine with me, I’ll probably still cook for fifteen, it’s just my way.🤠
 
Have done our Thanksgiving and Christas birds on the pellet pooper the last several years, hot enough that there's barely a hint of smoke flavor. Decided to do it on the kettle this year with a fairly light hickory smoke (1 large chunk). It'll be dry brined overnight and cooked on a rack over an aluminum pan of traditional mirepoix with giblets that will be the base for the gravy. Got back to Walmart and picked up 2 more birds so there are 3 in the freezer ranging from 11.96# to 12.68#.

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https://flic.kr/p/2nZMY5L
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Just me and the wife so doing the smallest one for Thanksgiving. That leaves one for Christmas and one left over for pastrami that our youngest will take home after her Christmas visit. Whole breasts have been ridiculously priced lately, so will be stripping off the legs/thighs & wings, brining and smoking the whole breast.
 
Bob Bailey said:
Have done our Thanksgiving and Christas birds on the pellet pooper the last several years, hot enough that there's barely a hint of smoke flavor. Decided to do it on the kettle this year with a fairly light hickory smoke (1 large chunk). It'll be dry brined overnight and cooked on a rack over an aluminum pan of traditional mirepoix with giblets that will be the base for the gravy. Got back to Walmart and picked up 2 more birds so there are 3 in the freezer ranging from 11.96# to 12.68#.

[
https://flic.kr/p/2nZMY5L
]

Just me and the wife so doing the smallest one for Thanksgiving. That leaves one for Christmas and one left over for pastrami that our youngest will take home after her Christmas visit. Whole breasts have been ridiculously priced lately, so will be stripping off the legs/thighs & wings, brining and smoking the whole breast.
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I’m thinking of doing the same, buying a bird to cut up and then make a boneless breast for Texas style turkey breast on the WSK.

Wife likes the dark bird parts so it’s a win win. I can freeze the parts for future cooks and she’ll be happy with thighs and legs.
 
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MichaelLC said:
Looks like I'll be smoking a turkey again year, now just more expensive...

Really happy how the 20# turned out last year on 18" WSM. I like trying new things, but sometimes it's best not to mess with success. Was pretty proud of this one from last year:

View attachment 62117

A year later after letting the bird rest for a bit, my cooler still smells like smoked meat though, :) .
Click to expand...
This is what I am hoping to see! I am doing a 21 pounder on my 18. Assuming you went high heat, 325+? I am estimating around 5-6 hours at 325 for mine on the 18.
 
Matt Galletti said:
This is what I am hoping to see! I am doing a 21 pounder on my 18. Assuming you went high heat, 325+? I am estimating around 5-6 hours at 325 for mine on the 18.
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I am much shame; I didn't record the temps.

I do remember it cooked much faster than I expected and had to hold in the cooler for awhile. Had it on at 10:45, done by 2PM. Twenty pounder, spatch-cocked.
 
Matt Galletti said:
This is what I am hoping to see! I am doing a 21 pounder on my 18. Assuming you went high heat, 325+? I am estimating around 5-6 hours at 325 for mine on the 18.
Click to expand...
nah, that's way too long, methinks. are you spatching or leaving intact/bowling ball? maybe full bowling ball, yes, longer cooktime. spatching? much quicker then as that's why people spatch; to gain a more even bird for the heat to penetrate and to eat the dang thing, not watch it cook.
 
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Brett-EDH said:
nah, that's way too long, methinks. are you spatching or leaving intact/bowling ball? maybe full bowling ball, yes, longer cooktime. spatching? muc quicker then as that's why people spatch; to gain a more even bird for the heat to penetrate and to eat the dang thing, not watch it cook.
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Oh wow, had not considered spatching it! I may go that route. I was not planning on doing anything other than tuck the wings.
 
Spatch is the only way I would ever do a turkey or a chicken again. I did a 14 pounder in my UDS last year took 2:45 at 350, cut the drumsticks off let them run another 15 minutes tented the breast while the drums finished.

Just the wife and I this year got a 3 pound butterball breast boneless did one awhile back that is really easy think it was a little over an hour at 350 but I did that on the performer.
 
Bob Bailey said:
Got the dry brine on tomorrows bird.
3 TBSP Kosher salt
1 TBSP lemon pepper
1 TBSP granulated garlic
1 TBSP smoked paprika
2 tsp ground thymeBird.jpg
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After 3 1/2 hours @325 on the kettle with Royal Oak 100% natural briquettes and some apple. Came out good. Lots of leg, wing & thigh but the breasts were like B cups :)
 
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