I just got my smoker and started with a chicken and some pork chops. I smoked for the full length of them about 3½ hours. Flavour on chops was good but the chicken was strong. Used Cherry briquettes.
Question: I want to smoke a 13.5 lb turkey for Canadian Thanksgiving on Sunday. I have apple, cherry and hickory briquettes. What chips should I use and how long to smoke and how long to cook?
Hi;
Welcome to the forum.
Whether it is a 3 pound chicken or 13 pound turkey I limit my smoke time to 1:40 - 2:00 hours.
Hickory will be alright, but I prefer apple of the choices you have.
id use apple on turkey 2 to 3 hour,,, box temp at 225... figure 1 hour to 1 and half hour per lb
I spatchcocked 2 twelve pounders and did them with hickory for 4 hours. Here's the link to what I did, for what it's worth. Pick the method that makes the most sense to your style of smoking. http://forum.bradleysmoker.com/index.php?topic=32862.0
Poultry, whether it be chicken or turkey is a smoke sponge. Given your reaction to 3 hours of smoke on a chicken, I think you have your answer. It's not so much the flavor of the wood as it is the amount of smoke you put on the poultry. I happen to like hickory on pretty much everything but apple or other fruit woods are great on poultry as well. Just use less than 3 hours. Habs's suggestion of smoke time is pretty much spot on. I would go 2 hours.
Where are my manners? Welcome to the Forum.
I made a Turkey last year for Thanksgiving. I did the injector method then smoked with apple for 2 1/2 hours then put on the grill to finish up. I was taking to another location and did the FTC to get it there and 2 hours after coming off the grill was perfect.
I will be doing this every year now.
Good luck- let is know how it turns out!
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doing a 7lb one for sunday....thinking going with maple and alder...i have apple as well I believe.