Temp for Turkey had IQue 110 Struggling


 
HE Etheredge

HE Etheredge

TVWBB Member
Cooked a 12-13 lb Turkey. Tried to get the temps up to 325-335 but had no luck reaching it. It settled in at 300 deg with the IQue running wide open for the entire cook. I had plenty of charcoal, the outside temp was around 40-45 deg and was running with an empty foiled pan.

I understand the Turkey being a heat sink and the outside temp would have created some stress but I wouldn't think it would cause that much.

Don't get me wrong, I felt like the IQue was performing the way it should have. It has a variable fan and was blowing hard. The coals were red hot the entire time and as a matter of fact when I would open the door (happened 3 times during entire cook) the heat was very intense. I don't think it was a wrong temp reading because the IQue, temp probe and Weber temp gauge were all in the same "range". Plus my turkey cooked in about 3 hours.

I was very pleased with the results. I thought I would pose the question to see what you guys thought may have happened or how to correct it in the future.
 
Can you normally get to 325-350 without a ATCS?

I usually have to crack the door to get to 350.
 
I cooked a 12-13 lb turkey a few days ago with outside temp of 36 degrees with my digi dx. I targeted 350 degrees. I thought my digi was working too hard so I opened my digi damper wide open (normally half open) and opened the two other vents about half way.

I had no problem keeping it at 350 and much of the time it ran between 350 and 375. These are grate temps on the digi probe. My Weber lid thermometer runs 20-25 degrees cooler.

P.S. Wind was moderate. I think the wind chill was around 32. Cook ran around 3.5 hours, but I had the lid off a few times. My first whole turkey and I was doing it for friend who had an emergency and needed one real bad. I was worried about doneness and may have overcooked the breast. I have no idea how it tasted.
 
I don't bother with my Stoker for anything in the 300's. I have an 18" WSM and I don't think an ATC system is made for those temps. Load up the fuel, crack the door and see where it goes. I've never had an issue with the temps being too high on a high heat cook. Best I've had was 375 for about 90 mins.
Otherwise, you could just use a grill. 500F is only a few minutes away
icon_smile.gif


BTW Gary - For some reason, your comment "I have no idea how it tasted." made me laugh out loud.
 
I have a Stoker and 10 cfm fan for my 22.5" WSM. For high temp cooks, I can hit and keep 375 by opening my 2 dampers and running my stoker. Have your tried opening your other vents while running your IQue like Gary has mentioned?

I think I'm missing what kind of cooker you have. Another thing that you can do if you need more air is to put a separate, small fan blowing on high and angled at one of your open dampers.
 
James,
There's a story behind why I didn't get to taste it. I cooked the turkey for a friend of my wife whose daughter had an emergency and needed a smoked turkey for a high school club banquet on Wed. night. She didn't know she had to have the turkey until 9:30 Tuesday night. The person responsible for the turkey informed her around 9:00 that she didn't have one and couldn't get one. Her mom knew I had a smoker and asked if I'd do it. I didn't have much choice.

I was up till 2:00 Wed. morning and back up at 7:30 going through the cold water in sink routine trying to thaw it. About 1:00 or 1:30 I got it on the cooker.

She picked it up at up at around 5:00 to take to a banquet that started at 6:00. They also had a couple of baked hams and other stuff for around 50 people. I literally gave her the turkey right off the smoker wrapped and in a foiled pan. I'm not sure how it turned out but I not confident it was good. I guess it's better to try something like that out on others before I try it myself.
icon_smile.gif
 
Why would this have been a problem with the IQ?

Yesteday I had a 325 cook and needed about half of the vents open, which definatly was not using as much air as you were. Temps was around 50.
 
I agree with you Alan. It kinda of struck me funny.

I also laughed at the "I have no idea how it tasted" comment. I couldn't tell you why.

I think next time I will open the bottom two vents about half way and see how deep the rabbit hole goes. Thanks for the input.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

 

Back
Top