What Size Turkey to Smoke on WSK?


 
M

Mack Manning

TVWBB Super Fan
BJ's gave me a coupon for a free 10-24lb frozen Butterball (injected, I know) turkey. Last couple years, I donated the frozen bird and bought a fresh, non-injected bird. This year, I am considering breaking it down and smoking on the WSK. My frugal side wants to grab the biggest bird they have, but should I instead get a smaller one?
 
All depends what you want to do. Personally I’d never buy a jumbo bird. I’ve always cooked smaller birds as I like the taste and flavor of them and they cook relatively quickly and evenly on the bbq.

Since you’re doing to break it down, a larger bird could be manageable and you can pull the white and dark off at different times, when they’re done.

I’ve never made a butterball so I’m of not help there. I usually wet brine in salt water with frozen orange and pineapple juice concentrate in the brine and assorted spices. All my birds for the past 20 years have been fresh kill, not deep frozen.

Then after 24 hours wet brine, rinse, dry and rub with evoo, herbs and pepper and garlic and a small amount of salt.

Unless you’re at 350° or higher, your skin will be rubbery. We like crispy skin so I’ve done indirect at 350° after searing all the skin sides over direct heat to mark the skin and start the render process.

24# is a jumbo bird. If it were me and I needed 24# weight, I’d cook two 12-14# birds and get them done quicker. And to me, the taste on a smaller bird is better than a jumbo. But that’s just my opinion.
 
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When I've smoked turkeys I've done smaller ones. 12 to 15 pounders.

I like the larger birds for oven cooks and would look for 24 to 25 pounders.
 
Brett-EDH said:
I usually wet brine in salt water with frozen orange and pineapple juice concentrate in the brine and assorted spices
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I have squeezed fresh oranges on the turkey before roasting, but never used frozen concentrate fruit juice in a brine.

I was at out local mega supermarket this morning and wanted to buy some frozen concentrate to try it out, and was surprised to see a very limited selection- store brand and Minute Maid, and only orange and apple juice- maybe six types between them.

I guess frozen concentrate juice has gone out of fashion?

I bought orange juice concentrate and will be adding it to our brine solution.

Traditional oven roasted bird though.
 
John_NJ said:
I have squeezed fresh oranges on the turkey before roasting, but never used frozen concentrate fruit juice in a brine.

I was at out local mega supermarket this morning and wanted to buy some frozen concentrate to try it out, and was surprised to see a very limited selection- store brand and Minute Maid, and only orange and apple juice- maybe six types between them.

I guess frozen concentrate juice has gone out of fashion?

I bought orange juice concentrate and will be adding it to our brine solution.

Traditional oven roasted bird though.
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I guess it depends on the market. We have plenty to choose from.

The trick to getting the flavor into the bird is to use as tight or small a vessel to hold your brine so you’re not over diluting the concentrate. For my turkey brining I use a two-gallon size ziplock. This way I can get the bird pieces in the bag and then pour my brine into the bag and squeeze out the air to ensure high brine to meat contact.

Be careful to not puncture the bag. Turkey pieces do have sharp bones so don’t overwork the brine into the meat when it’s all in the bag. And place the whole package in a container big enough to capture the brine if it leaks out of the bag, from punctures, for example.

And don’t over concentrate the citrus in the brine or the concentrated juice will overpower the turkey. The frozen concentrate is to enhance the meat, not announce itself when you eat your turkey.

Flavor is about layers. Each layer compliments each other and creates the combined flavors of all your ingredients.
 
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Brett-EDH said:
I guess it depends on the market. We have plenty to choose from.

The trick to getting the flavor into the bird is to use as tight or small a vessel to hold your brine so you’re not over diluting the concentrate. For my turkey brining I use a two-gallon size ziplock. This way I can get the bird pieces in the bag and then pour my brine into the bag and squeeze out the air to ensure high brine to meat contact.

Be careful to not puncture the bag. Turkey pieces do have sharp bones so don’t overwork the brine into the meat when it’s all in the bag. And place the whole package in a container big enough to capture the brine if it leaks out of the bag, from punctures, for example.

And don’t over concentrate the citrus in the brine or the concentrated juice will overpower the turkey. The frozen concentrate is to enhance the meat, not announce itself when you eat your turkey.

Flavor is about layers. Each layer compliments each other and creates the combined flavors of all your ingredients.
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Thank you Brett- as always sound advice and tips.

I have some large turkey brining bags and I place the turkey/ brine in an igloo 5 gallon water jug - exclusively used for brining that does nicely.

I plan on using the concentrate judiciously and have the remainder on hand for other poultry brining in the future.

For the record, we brine the bird, rinse and dry it, squeeze fresh oranges on the skin and the rinds go in the cavity, brush with a softened butter/ corn oil mix and sprinkle it with paprika.

Usually turns out well.

Gobble gobble, lol.

Cheers!
 
I only dry brine my turkeys overnight (under the skin). I get fresh local birds and I want to taste the bird, not the brine (personal preference). A spiced butter is then put between the skin and meat then off to the smoker. That’s how the turkey I pictured above was cooked.
As Brett said, it depends on what the situation is wether I cook whole, rotisserie, or spatchcock.

This year, I’m giving the WSK a place at the table (kid table, thing has a tude) and cooking the Thanksgiving bird on the 22 WSM.
 
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