Turkey and Temperature Measurement

[Guest]

I'm a brand new member of the The Virtual Weber Bullet, which is a great and informative site, and I have a quick question. I'm planning on smoking my first turkey later today using the self-basting recipe from this site. I measure temperature on my WSM cooker through the lid vent by placing a thermometer through a cork and then into one of the lid vent holes, as shown on this site. Since the recipe calls for the turkey to be placed on the top grate, does anyone know whether the end of the thermometer will come into contact or be impeded in any way by the turkey? Also, I've read the temperature measurement tutorial on this site and it indicates that at temperatures above 280*F measured through the lid, the 12-15*F differential between the lid temperature and the top grate temperature breaks down. Since the recipe calls for a temperature between 325*F and 350*F, does anyone have an idea about the temperature I should be aiming for on the thermometer? Many thanks in advance.

 

[Doug D]

You don't want your temp probe tip touching anything, neither meat nor metal. Shoot for 325-350 as measured by your thermometer where it is, and you'll be fine. As someone has noted here before, if you were baking a cake, it would matter. The Self Basting Turkey article is pretty much a textbook WSM cook.