thinking about thanksgiving


 
D

DW Frommer II

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I am wanting to smoke a brined turkey (or two...maybe two at 10 lbs. each) for Thanksgiving. I have been brining chickens overnight and smoking them low and slow on a beer can type setup. The results are fantastic, especially since I put a lot of smoke into the cook.

I am wondering if a 48 hour brine (16:1 with spices) on a turkey would be too much? Last year an overnight brine was almost wasted effort--not sure whether it was my brine or the time.

Also, at say...240 degrees plus or minus...how long can I expect to cook a turkey per pound? I'll take it to 155 in the breast and rest for an hour or more.

Planning on wrapping with cheesecloth and smothering in butter before smoking.

Finally, how do I position the bird in my WSM? Breast down? Breast up? I don't think there's enough room to mount the bird(s) on a Fosters lager can like a BCC so I'm looking for suggestions.
 
Have you looked at these items in the Cooking Section: Apple Brine (this was a hit with my family), Basic Brine, Honey Brine.

I cooked the Apple Brined birds breast up (same as if it were being cooked in an oven). It was such a hit, my mother-in-law asked me to cook another for a dinner she was providing for some friends.

Unfortunately, that is the extent of my experience.

Hope you find the information you need.
 
Rick,

Last year I used a variation of the apple brine. Frankly, I was a bit disappointed. The turkey was too dry for my liking. I blame myself--maybe I cooked it too long (took it to 165 in the breast) maybe I messed up the brine somehow. Maybe it is the altitude hereabouts. Maybe it was just a bad bird. Who knows? I've been so pleased with my smoked chickens of late that I am a bit nervous about the turkey.

I wonder how to position two...say 10 lb....birds in a WSM? Side by side? One on the lower rack, one above?
 
I've done the brine for 48 hours (Shake's Honey brine minus the TQ) and it worked out fine.

Cooked 'em at 250-260F (19 lber) took about 5.5 hours.

Cooked 'em at 325F (again about 19 lbs) took about 3 hours. Looking for 160-165 in the breast.
 
Please don't let my question derail information on how to cook 2 10-12 lb turkeys.
We usually have turkey for Thanksgiving for a big crowd. My son-in-law has the 12-15 lb bird down to a cook any day on the Weber grill. I have done quite a few 25 lbs in the oven. I just got a WSM this year and thought it might be nice to show it off with a 25 lb turkey done to perfection... So does anybody do this??? Is it possible, practical or an unknown???
 
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