# Smoked turkey



## Huge29 (Sep 17, 2007)

As posted previously and based on Gumbo's recommendation I built myself an Ugly Drum Smoker this summer that looks like this: [attachment=1:3bytvihy]compressed.jpg[/attachment:3bytvihy]
Anywho, I had some friends in town from my mission in Mexico here for conference, so I wanted to make them something out of the ordinary. It was a little difficult to find a whole turkey and so I ended up with a turkey minus the wings and legs that worked out really well, it was 8 lbs, which is just right as they have to be under 15 lbs for the smoker.
I started with a brine solution for about 8 hours with about a half cup of salt, 1 c sugar and several shakes of my favorite poultry seasoning. 
Then it was time for the smoke, I used lump mesquite charcoal, cherry and alder. I rinsed it, sprayed with Olive oil Pam and then rubbed it all down with my poultry seasoning. I smoked at 240 for about 6 hours until it reached 167 and then rested it in foil for about 15, so I assume that it made it to about 170, but I forgot to double check based on all of the other fixins that we made, mashed potatoes, stuffing, home made rolls, gravy, etc. 
I must say that I don't really care for turkey and only take a token amount even on Thanksgiving, but I couldn't put this stuff down; I was picking from it all night. Here is the end result: [attachment=0:3bytvihy]WP_000167.jpg[/attachment:3bytvihy]
We will be doing it this way for Thanksgiving. I bought a turkey fryer a few years ago and it makes turkey edible to a scale of about 7, but this makes it a solid 10 when brined.


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## Yonni (Sep 7, 2007)

I did a turkey on my UDS this summer as well, won't cook it any different again!! 

Great post Huge!


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## StillAboveGround (Aug 20, 2011)

Huge29 said:


> ...I built myself an Ugly Drum Smoker...


I like that ugly looking DIY smoker...
Also a big fan of smoked turkey.


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## Dannyboy (Oct 27, 2010)

I am a HUGE fan of smoked turkey!! i wrap mine in bacon and cheese cloth and then take it off for the last hour to brown it. Super moist and i can't flavor things with bacon enough.


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## Bhilly81 (Oct 18, 2009)

nice i love it im smoking me one tonight we are going to do a pre thanksgiving dinner tomorrow i smoke mine slowly and it gets marinated all the while it smokes for a 18 pound bird it takes about 18 to 20 hours to do it then it just peels right off the bone and is very moist and i cant eat another roasted bird again since i have started smoking them


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## Huge29 (Sep 17, 2007)

*yo*



bigboybdub said:


> nice i love it im smoking me one tonight we are going to do a pre thanksgiving dinner tomorrow i smoke mine slowly and it gets marinated all the while it smokes for a 18 pound bird it takes about 18 to 20 hours to do it then it just peels right off the bone and is very moist and i cant eat another roasted bird again since i have started smoking them


You stole my idea, same deal here! I have a 14 lb, I have read that anything >15 is too much in that the meat is in the danger zone for too long... I do mine for about 6 hours at 240, what temp is your method? Mine is brining in the fridge now.


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## Gumbo (Sep 22, 2007)

That's a great looking bird, Huge! If you like to eat the skin, cook it hotter and faster. I agree with you, there's no better way to cook a turkey than to brine and smoke.


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## Bhilly81 (Oct 18, 2009)

*Re: yo*



Huge29 said:


> bigboybdub said:
> 
> 
> > nice i love it im smoking me one tonight we are going to do a pre thanksgiving dinner tomorrow i smoke mine slowly and it gets marinated all the while it smokes for a 18 pound bird it takes about 18 to 20 hours to do it then it just peels right off the bone and is very moist and i cant eat another roasted bird again since i have started smoking them
> ...


i have never done a turkey thats smaller than 15 pounds i have done many that are 18 pounds plus a couple over 20 pounds and never had a problem with them i have never heard that you cant do anything over 15 pounds or anything like that i just throw it in with the water bowl i dont brine it at all i just rub salt all over the skins and i use the water bowl full of water to moisten the bird as it cooks and then i throw in my chips of choice this time i am doing jack daniels chips and i stick the thermometer in it and cook it until it reaches the temperature of 175 degrees a good thermometer helps alot for this due to the fact that if you used a normal meat thermometer then each time you open it up it loses the heat and slows it down so i use a digital wireless one that will sound an alarm when target temperature has been reached and the reason that i do it low and slow is so that it will moisten the bird up more. Needless to say i cant eat a roasted turkey anymore


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## Huge29 (Sep 17, 2007)

I have the same thermometer; I use two, one in the breast and one near the thighs to see where it is at as they vary and take it out at 165 and let it rest for about 30, turned out nice as always. I only open mine if I am not getting hot enough to get the fire going again otherwise the little caps take too long to give enough air to get it going.


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