Turkey - Couldn't get up to temperature


 
T

Tom Wills

TVWBB Member
Hello,

I tried a turkey practice run this weekend and it wasn't very successful. I followed the directions on the main page for the apple-brined turkey. I could not get the temperature up. I topped out around 275. I ended up putting it in the oven to finish since I was crunched for time. It was tasty but I wanted to avoid the oven for Thanksgiving so I could use it for side dishes.

I used Kingsford charcoal. I live in Northeast Ohio but it wasn't that cold. It was raining a little bit. I used a 10 lbs turkey. I have an 18 WSM.

Any ideas?

Thank you in advance.

-Tom
 
Don't use water in the pan and leave all the vents wide open. You can also crack the door open and that will help get more air to the coals.

Did you use the minion method to light your charcoal? If so try using more coals that are lit to start.
 
I didn't use a water pan and kept them all open like in the directions. I lit a full chimney, then added an unlit chimney but waited for them to become mostly lit... eventually added half of another lit chimney. I still couldn't figure it out.
 
Fill the charcoal ring completely and dump your lit coals on top of the full ring. You should be able to get the temp up easily with all vents open to over 350.
 
Thanks. I will do that next time. Usually I am worried about getting the temp too high, not too low. Thanks for the suggestion.
 
propping the door never really worked for me. I like to offset the lid just a touch, about a half inch, works great for me.
 
Clint said:
propping the door never really worked for me. I like to offset the lid just a touch, about a half inch, works great for me.
Click to expand...

I do something similar: I place a skewer between the lid and center section which cracks it open to get more chimney action. It gets hot that way.

image_zps4309e100.jpg
 
"Not that cold" and "raining a little bit" can really cool off your smoker. I had a hard time holding temps in my 22" during my last smoke, with 4 butts and an empty water pan. Over night it was drizzling and dropped to around 45F, that was enough to absolutely blow through fuel and make it a struggle just to maintain 250.
 
Fill the charcoal ring and add a whole chimney full of lit coals. Foil the pan and no water. You still got time if you want to do another practice run.
 
Sometimes it doesn't no matter what you do. Did ours in the oven start to finish (family wants "traditional").

Breast got to 170, thigh sat at 150. Back in. Breast at at 185, thigh at 158.

Pulled it out. Nobody got sick.
 
I am surprised that two chimneys of lit and all vents open with no water in the pan does not get you at least over 325 JUst some additional questions....do you have the top vent open, is your charcoal dry, are you sure your thermometer is right?
 
James H said:
I am surprised that two chimneys of lit and all vents open with no water in the pan does not get you at least over 325 JUst some additional questions....do you have the top vent open, is your charcoal dry, are you sure your thermometer is right?
Click to expand...

Sure sounds like damp fuel. Without a water pan it should have hit 350 no problem. Don't know how handy you are but here is another solution to opening your fuel door or putting something under the lid.
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It makes a big difference.
 
If you are going to do turkey or other high heat cooks often, I suggest you get a second chimney. Fill both, light them, dump both in 20 minutes.
 
Tom Wills said:
I didn't use a water pan and kept them all open like in the directions. I lit a full chimney, then added an unlit chimney but waited for them to become mostly lit... eventually added half of another lit chimney. I still couldn't figure it out.
Click to expand...

If I'm reading this right, you dumped a full chimney of unlit on top of a full chimney of lit? Do the reverse.
When you say you didn't use a water pan - does that mean an empty bowl or was the bowl not in the smoker?
 
Hello,

Sorry I am just now getting back. Thanks for all the info. I put unlit on top of lit, i will try the reverse next time. I started with the empty bowl in the smoker, but then took it completely out to see if it would help get the temp up. All vents including the top were open.

I use a Candy thermometer inserted into the top vent. I am sure it is correct.
 
Last suggestion - make sure you're using dry charcoal. As in, not one that's been stored outside or in a damp environment.
 
When I did my practice turkey I used 2 chimneys full of 75/25 lump/Kingsford and lit them both. Empty water pan, cracking the lid open and using my windbreak let me run in the 325-350F range until the bird was done. Mine was an 11lb bird.

I think my next mod is going to be adding a second lid vent, when I smoked a couple butts yesterday I had to keep alternating between lid closed and lid cracked open and my temps kept swinging because of it.
 
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