Cooking turkey in a smoker temp?

This year will be my first time smoking a turkey (16lb) in my smoker. I have read a lot of threads and I noticed that the smoking temperatures vary from 225 degrees to 325 degrees and I have a hard time understanding what temp is better.
Has anyone here cooked a turkey in a smoker and what temp did you use?

What about spatchcocking is that a better way to go?
Thanks much and wish you all an early Happy Thanksgiving day!

 

I have smoked mine with temps hovering at or around 240 degrees. I do 30-35 minutes per pound. But it is going to depend on how long you have before serving dinner. I am sure your guests will appreciate the deliciousness that you’ll be serving them tomorrow. Good luck

 

Spatchcock 100%. Line a baking pan with tin foil and put the spatchcocked bird flat on the pan in the smoker. 16 lb bird I would do 300F-325F for 3 ish hours I’m guessing. I don’t think they come out as good at 220 for 7 hours. Yoder Smokers/ALl Things BBQ has a good video on the whole process.

 

I like smoking turkey, spatchcoked, under 250 maybe 230 or 240. The one thing is the skin will not get crispy so for turkeys I will smoke it at 230 for a few hours then bring it in and finish it in the over to crisp it up. Make sure you put a tin pan under it in the smoker, and I toss all the giblets and neck in there with some Turkey stock. Collect all those drippings and flavors and make yourself an amazing smokey gravy.

 

Go to How to Barbecue Right with Malcom Reed online. He is a big country boy so you know he knows how to cook. It’s great website for beginners and experts to learn tricks of the BBQ trade. He goes over temp, types of smokers types of wood etc. His recipes are all excellent.

 

100% spatchcock. I did one last night for one side of the family and everyone raved about it. I don't like low and slow with birds cause i think they get too dry.

 

- 24hr brine
- Cook for 20-25minutes/lb at 250 degrees (at the grill, not the smoker temp)
- Watch the temp in the breast. Remove from the smoker at 155 degrees
- Let rest for 30+ minutes.

Meat is always amazing and moist.

I don’t inject as I’ve never found it to add anything. I get a seasonal brine every year, but only because I’m lazy. Just a salt water solution works great too.

 

325F gets the skin crispy. Use a good thermometer. Internal temp 160 for the breast and 170 for the thighs and yeah spatchcock is good, deconstruct is also good.

Put some salt on that thing tonight and smoke away.

 

First to this post... Malcom is awesome and his videos are entertaining. Check out his Meatball sub video. Recipe for marinara is the best I have made.


Back to turkeys I am smoking mine tomorrow as well. It will be my first so I am not an expert. However, the plan is 225 till internal of 110(breast) then finish it off at 375 till 155-160. Brined yesterday, air drying today, butter under and over skin tomorrow morning.

 

My brisket is going in the smoker here shortly

 

This is pretty much what I do when smoking a turkey. It turns out well every year. I don’t like the flavor injections, but I prepare a brine and then after brining I put spices and butter under the skin and aromatics in the cavities as well.

 

Just make sure your guests and family know that the Pink meat is from smoke....not raw turkey. If you can pull a gravy out of it, it's amazing too.

I'm in the higher temp, spatchcock camp. Dry rub/brine.

Times will be vary a lot. Make sure to test breast and thigh for doneness. If you do it right and spatchcock, they'll be done at the same time.

 

Spatchcock....always, then 325º in the smoker, not using too much smoke, a little goes a long way with poultry.

 

Thank you all for the tips they are greatly appreciated Any particular chips you use? I have hickory, cherry and apple.

 

I always use cherry. The year I used hickory it tasted a little like an ash tray.

 

I just did a 22lb turkey last weekend on my Green Mountain Grill (pellet) at 225 degrees. Turned it up to 350 degrees for the last 1.5 hours because I was freaked out it wasnt going to be done. I didnt do spatchcock, didnt even know what it was until seeing it here. Took about 10 hours to get to 160 degrees and was fantastic. Everyone was raving about it at our party. I mixed a stick of butter with a dry rub and put it on the meat under the skin.

 

Yeah, I would use a fruit wood with poultry. Cherry, apple, etc.

 

What’s the benefit of spatchcocking it? I’ve cooked them whole and always came out perfect. If you want crispy skin just turn up the smoker to 350 for the last 45 minutes.

 

This is very true. The white meat will have some pink because of the smoke. Trust your temp reading, but the juices are another good indicator. If they’re clear, then the meat is cooked. Still murky or bloody and the meat isn’t cooked enough.

And definitely find a way to keep the renderings. They’re amazing for gravy.

 

I’ve used lots of different pellets and never tasted a difference. I do only use 100% wood blends from a reputable brand to ensure quality and no filler crap in the wood. If you’re using block hardwood, then your results may be different.

 

Massively shorter cooking times....which results in moister turkey. Instead of cooking a turkey being an all day affair you're talking just a couple of hours. Because it cooks so fast, there is very little risk of it getting dry.

 

I just found out about the spatchcock today searching threads today. Even though I allready stuffed the turkey with apples, carrots, onions and celery I'm going to try the spatchcock way.

 

Once you spatchock, you never go back.

Just adjust cooking times accordingly, a spatchcocked turkey will cook in about a quarter the time of a stuffed bird.

 

325º, if your smoker gets that hot.

Mine doesn't so I smoke it at about 250º for an hour and then move it to the inside oven at 325º For the last hour to hour and a half. Even for a 20lb turkey its done in less than three hours this way. (160º breast meat, 180º thighs)

 

Brine, spatchcock, inject, under skin baste with butter or mayo, outside dry rub, 325* for 4 or 5 hours or when IT hits 160-165. Monitor skin in later portions of cook, if you get to about 140 IT and skin is still real soft crank the heat up.

 

Another vote for Howtobbqright, Malcom Reed, youtube and he has a website with the video links there.

I don't brine a bird, never had any issues with a dry bird. Your mileage may vary, lots of folks do tho. Same with the spatchcock method.

What kind of smoker? I prefer to use apple or cherry wood for pork and poultry. Use it for beef as well but thinking about changing to hickory or oak for a few smokes.

Good luck, enjoy the day and smoke on. It is raining here so I am cooking inside today.

 

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=mmsB8iAXBdI

 

Spatchcock is where it's at. As discussed above, it's quicker, moister and crispier skin.

For the gravy from smoked type birds we do on our charcoal or wood smoker ...our kids call it "Liquid Gold" as it's so good