I have a 19lb turkey that i am going to smoke in a original bradley smoker. It just fits in there thank goodness. My question is I need a rough idea on how long to smoke/cook it for this size turkey. Also can i put a aluminum drip pan in it to catch the drippings. One of those throw away ones. I really need some help here i am doing my first thanksgiving at my house and i don't want to screw this up. I'm using hickory for the smoke flavor if that makes a difference on how long to smoke it. Also i am going to brine it the night before. I am so new at smoking but very excited to do this. Please help. Thanks
Ski
I did a 12 lb turkey that took 7 hours. Not sure what a 19 would take. i also splatchcocked mine so it probably took a little less time. i would do about 2-3 hours of smoke.
Others will be along with their inputs.
did a 15 lb turkey last year that took 8 1/2 hours at 225
If the object is to present a good-looking, tasty smoked turkey at the right time, I'd smoke the bird for 2-3 hours and then finish it in the oven or Big Easy or whatever you're comfortable with. That should give you a nice smoked flavor, relatively crisp skin, and would be easier to regulate as far as oven and internal temperature go.
Welcome to the forum Ski81. Don't be afraid to ask any questions.
Haven't done a whole turkey in my Bradley yet but the answers I am seeing are right on. Others will come and give you additional information. In case you've never run into the term "spatchcock", here is a great illustration on how to spatchcock a chicken which is the same concept for a turkey: http://www.cookthink.com/reference/4162/How_to_spatchcock_a_chicken (http://www.cookthink.com/reference/4162/How_to_spatchcock_a_chicken)
As GusRobin pointed out a spatchcock turkey/chicken will cook quicker than an whole one. Also it's important to smoke poultry with the vent wide open.
Thank you for your inputs i can see already i am going to like this forum. I have a few more days to figure out what i want to do. It sounds like I will smoke for about three to four hours then finish in the oven I assume i will just put it in the oven until the thermometer pops up. Thanks again and I welcome more advice on this subject. Just one quick question if i smoke for three to four hours is that with heat or just the smoke machine and cook as directed in the oven.
I would smoke it at 250º for 3 to 4 hours and then transfer to the oven. I believe that it would be dangerous to cold smoke a turkey but I may be wrong. I would use a thermometer in the thickest part of the breast and not rely on the pop up. I believe that those are set to go off at a much higher temperature that most of use to gauge our poultry.
I normally pull it when the Internal Temperature (IT) reaches 162º. This usually means that the legs/thighs are in the 180º range. I normally FTC (Foil, Towel, Cooler) for an hour to allow the juices to reconstitute when I smoke it in the Bradley only but not sure if you need to do that after it's been in the oven. The breast is massive and therefore the bird continues to cook for a period of time. Probably someone else has the info about FTC when finishing the turkey in the oven.
Ski,
If you're going to finish the cook in your house oven, open the vent on the Bradley 100%, kick the heat to high and leave it there and smoke 2-3 hours. Poultry is a smoke sponge so 4 hours may be a bit much for your first try. At the end of the smoke period, transfer to the house oven and finish it there.
Hello Ski and welcome,
I can see others have giving you some good advice to noodle over and come up with a plan. Good luck on your bird and Happy Thanksgiving!
Hey Ski, I was going to spatchcock a 12 lb turkey tomorrow for my wife's Sew Club's luncheon on Monday but changing horses in mid stream and will run a little test for you and I instead since I have not smoked a full turkey yet. I have only done spatchcock bone-in turkey breasts. I will use Carolina Treet and Jan's Dry Rub on the Gobbler.
Will smoke it whole for 3 hours using (2) Hickory to (1) Apple at 250º in the smoker with the vent wide open. I will then put it into a preheated 350º oven and pull it when the breast temp reaches 160º. At which time I will FTC it for about an hour. Will post what I learned, times and temps, etc and of course will document with pictures ;D ;D
Pete, all sounds good but you might want to reconsider FTCing that turkey. It may cause the skin to become tough and chewy. Instead of a total FTC, maybe try tenting with foil so the steam can escape.
wow thanks for all the help again i think i feel safe with smoking it for three hrs and then putting it in the oven i will get a thermometer instead of using the one the bird came with. I am very excited to do this and cant wait to smoke other meats as well I will let you all know how it turns out. Happy Thanksgiving
Ski
oh ya can't wait to see pics of your turkey pete I appreciate you doing that for me.
Quote from: KyNola on November 20, 2010, 07:22:18 PM
Pete, all sounds good but you might want to reconsider FTCing that turkey. It may cause the skin to become tough and chewy. Instead of a total FTC, maybe try tenting with foil so the steam can escape.
Thanks KyNola. Like I said, I have never done a bird like this so I need the help too. Will tent the bird for a while while it cools. Unless I hear different, I will cook in oven at 350º after smoking for 3 hours at 250º. Should be fun.
Quote from: Ski81 on November 20, 2010, 08:10:26 PM
oh ya can't wait to see pics of your turkey pete I appreciate you doing that for me.
No problem Ski. I was planning on cooking a Gobbler tomorrow anyway ;D ;D
can i put a foil drip pan on the rack below or is it ok to just let it drip on the drip pan provided in the smoker. I want to make sure the foil pan wont hurt the smoker. i would imagine the foil pan will make for easier clean up
Ski81, Here's that little 12 lb gobbler I said I would smoke today so that the DW can take the breasts to her sewing club luncheon tomorrow. Now granted this is only a 12 pounder and not a 19 pounder like yours but it might give you some info.
Rubbed the bird with Carolina Treet (CT) and Jan's Dry Rub (JDR). Wanted to see what the combo of CT and JDR would do to a turkey. Preheated to 275º and kept it there on my PID cause I figured I would never get back to 250º but wanted to get as high as possible. OBS only got to 240º so I put the bird in and the smoking chamber dropped to 177º before it started a slow upward swing in an attempt to recover. [waiting for parts so my Son and I can can modify my OBS for a second element].
(http://i854.photobucket.com/albums/ab105/papa_peter/BBQ%20Smoke/12lbTurkey11212010/12lbOBSOven1.jpg)
Started @ 9:30am with an IT of 40º
10:30am temp @ 195º and IT @ 72º
11:30am temp @ 215º and IT @ 112º
12:30pm temp @ 239º and IT @ 122º ... after 3 hours of smoke (2) hickory to (1) apple I pulled the bird
(http://i854.photobucket.com/albums/ab105/papa_peter/BBQ%20Smoke/12lbTurkey11212010/12lbOBSOven2.jpg)
Placed in 350º oven and pulled when breast hit 163º / spent 2 hours and 10 minutes in oven
(http://i854.photobucket.com/albums/ab105/papa_peter/BBQ%20Smoke/12lbTurkey11212010/12lbOBSOven3.jpg)
Divided up the gobbler. Breast for tomorrow's luncheon and some of the rest for dinner tonight ;D
(http://i854.photobucket.com/albums/ab105/papa_peter/BBQ%20Smoke/12lbTurkey11212010/12lbOBSOven4.jpg)
The $$hot ;)
(http://i854.photobucket.com/albums/ab105/papa_peter/BBQ%20Smoke/12lbTurkey11212010/12lbOBSOven5.jpg)
Not sure if this help or not but I learned a few things today so it's all good!! CT and JDR with hickory on turkey are a good choice. Onwards to the next smoke
Thanks man that looks great will let you know how it turns out.
I would agree that the turkey should not be ftc'd. It ruins the skin.
hello my new smoker freind been reading the info that uall have writen and learn alot .i too would like to smoke a turkey this season .what about injecting the turkey& what shelf is the best heat& smoke middle closer to top or the bottom please i really dont know thank u billy