Smoking up a Turkey

[bondobill]

Picked up a 18lb turkey at Costco last week.....smallest they had At .99 cents a pound I figured why not give it a go in the pellet, besides we be having Tday at our house this year and want to do a test run.
Birds been in a simple brine of kosher salt and brown sugar since Friday night. Going fire up the pellet smoker here in a couple hours, ain't decided yet whether to spatchcock or place it in a pan whole with some fresh apples in the cavity. Kinda leaning towards panning it ..really would like some lightly smoked gravy. . Not enough room between the grease pan and the grates for a pan to collect the drippings if I spatchcock it. I ain't decided yet either to smoke it low and slow or hot and fast .
So many decisions to make oh well besides sighting in my 17 cal. today I ain't got nothing better to do, might just as well see if I can destroy a cobbler.

Bill

[Okie Sawbones]

Two things from my experience, low and slow will give you inedible skin, if skin is your thing; you can always spatchcock the bird and put in on a rack over/in the pan to collect juices.

I don't care for the skin, so I cook at 275F, using a full size aluminum hotel pan, and place it on a full size grate.

[bondobill]

Thanks OS
So do you smoke whole or spatchcock ?

Thanks
Bill

[OldUsedParts]

$0.02 Pan it - - heck with the skin - - it's bad for you anyhow

Hadn't seen a "sebenteen" in years - - - it will shoot flatter and further than I can see

Awaiting the final pics

[Okie Sawbones]

I like to spatchcock, but have done whole as well.

[OldUsedParts]

I like to spatchcock, but have done whole as well.

I'll bet that 18 # gobbler would look like a Saddle Blanket when Spatchcocked

[spacetrucker]

I separate the breast from the wings, back and legs. The back is used for broth, the separation is because different pieces are done at different times, if you want a moist tender breast, the legs and thighs will be undercooked and the wings will be over cooked. I cook as normal at 275 and temp the all the pieces at 165, if the skin is important, then flip on the gasser and crisp the outsides, if you like bacon can be added to induce some fat and flavor...

[Russ]

I gave up buying whole turkeys years ago, I now just buy the turkey roast which is basically the breasts stuffed with stuffing and rolled and wrapped. Christmas day here I need room in the oven so it fits with a leg oh lamb in one cooking dish. Just saaaying. Easy carving as well.

Russ

[spacetrucker]

ok now you went and did it....
I have stuffed a pork loin with boudin, it wernt bad at all, so what you just said made think of a leg of lamb wrapped in a turkey breast... it just might taste good

[Finatic]

Most of the time I cook turkeys whole because I'm usually cooking at least 2 at a time and need the space on the UDS (which is my go to smoker for turkey). I brine them then cook them at 325 with a water pan. Always very moist and juicy.

[bondobill]

Sorry bout the late reply all

Well I ended up smoking the Turkey whole. Had the pellet set at 275'. Let it roll till it had a nice color to it. IT was at 140'. Tin and covered it.


Lets just say this, in this photo it looks a lot better then when I uncovered it at a IT of 178 in the thigh.
Next one I will Spatchcock. I'm done with trying to smoke a whole Turkey....seem to get the same results no matter what I do

One question for those of you that have smoked a spatchcocked Turkey ? Do you cook it to the same temps as you would a chicken
Ive had excellent results with spatchcocked clucker cooking it till a IT of 165 in the breast. At that temp in the breasts the thighs and legs are done perfect also

thanks
Bill

[Txdragon]

A whole turkey is good as done when cooked to a minimum internal temperature of 165 degrees. Check the internal temperature in the innermost part of the thigh, wing, and the thickest part of the breast.

[OldUsedParts]

Sho looks Larapin to MOI BB, what changes did you not like after finishing it

[bondobill]

Sho looks Larapin to MOI BB, what changes did you not like after finishing it

I think it was over cooked. Somewhat moist but nothing like when I spatchcock a chicken. Maybe the same results aren't achievable with a Turkey
The flavor was good, I applied olive to the skin then gave it a healthy dose of SBs Clucker dust. Both my wife and mom said it was really good but they may have been just being kind.
I did have to crank the temp up to 350 for a bit....didn't want dinner to be late.
One side of the breast was starting to split overdone me thinks.
Another thing I struggle with is Turkey gravy It ain't nothing like my mom used to make.

I ain't ready to give up yet although I asked the kids if Prime rib was ok for Thanksgiving...it didn't go over well

I guess one more test run be in order before Tday....suggestions !!!!

Thanks to all

Bill

[TX1911]

I'm with you on the prime rib over the turkey.

But.... if they insist on bird, you could always part it out. Bone in breast and some turkey legs?