So, last year I smoked a turkey breast for Christmas, now family says I’m the man for the job. Last year I did a wet brine and smoked for around 6 hours. This year I have a whole 15 lb turkey. Plan on buttering under the skin. But thought, well by golly, y don’t I just stuff some bacon up in there n butter skin for crisp? Also doing a dry brine. So what do you guys think?? Any advice on smoking a whole bird will be appreciated HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!!
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To bacon or not to bacon
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Club Member
- Nov 2017
- 7086
- Huntsville, Alabama
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Jim Morris
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Mudbeaver, I smoke whole or spatchcocked turkeys most Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays. This year I smoked two 20 pound birds for Thanksgiving, and a 15 pounder the following week (got it for half price on Black Friday).
Nothing wrong with that butter under the skin, but bacon under the turkey skin will never crisp up in my opinion. While it might impart some flavor to the breast meat, I also think it will interfere with crisping of the skin on the turkey, or that is what I think will happen.
My advice is to skip the bacon - just eat it or use in another recipe, and dry brine and season your turkey. I would dry brine with kosher salt the day before the cook and leave it on a pan in the fridge, and then season generously both over and under the skin right before putting it on the smoker. Include the butter if you like. Leave off the bacon under the skin part. Smoke at 325 to 350 for crispy skin.
I don't know what temp you smoked at to take 6 hours to smoke a turkey breast or turkey. Unless you are putting it on the smoker still partially frozen, a 15 pound bird should take 2.5 to 3 hours whole, and 2 hours or close to it if spatchcocked. I leave a probe in the deepest part of the breast, and set my alarm for 160F.
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Club Member
- Nov 2017
- 7086
- Huntsville, Alabama
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Jim Morris
Cookers- Slow 'N Sear Deluxe Kamado (2021)
- Camp Chef FTG900 Flat Top Grill (2020)
- Weber Genesis II E-410 w/ GrillGrates (2019)
- Weber Performer Deluxe 22.5" w/ GrillGrates & Slow 'N Sear & Drip N Griddle & Vortex & Party Q & Rotisserie (2007)
- Custom Built Offset Smoker (304SS, 22"x34" grate, circa 1985)
- King Kooker 94/90TKD 105K/60K dual burner patio stove
- Lodge L8D03 5 quart dutch oven
- Lodge L10SK3 12" skillet
- Anova
- Thermoworks Smoke w/ Wifi Gateway
- Thermoworks Dot
- Thermoworks Thermapen Classic
- Thermoworks RT600C
- Weber Connect
- Whatever I brewed and have on tap!
-
My biggest things about Turkey is high heat. I would do 375-425 F. Also the smaller the better you are good with 15lb. The 20+ one's are hard to get up to temp without them drying out.
Out of all the stuff I have done to turkeys the easiest was deep frying. If you can get it tied up right rotisserie is pretty easy too.
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Man I’m not sure I can run much over 300 with the ol okie. I cannot remember exactly how long it took or what temp. I almost feel like I did 275 250
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Club Member
- May 2018
- 1667
- Northern Illinois / Southern Wisconsin
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Weber Kettle 22; Broil King Signet; OKJ Bronco
Another thought on bacon: while virtually everybody loves bacon, it is a very strong taste and will materially change the turkey, which is fine, as long as that's what you want and think everyone will be happy with -- holiday meals are, to a certain extent, about tradition.
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And speaking of traditional, I have to plug my "Norman Rockwell" stuffed turkey again. https://pitmaster.amazingribs.com/fo...ockwell-turkey
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Dances with lemmings
(and smokes on a Yoder 640, raises bees and shoots a .408 WIndrunner) "come la notte i furti miei seconda"
Crisping skin... my secrets.
Dry brine like you mean it. Spathcock. Poke holes in the skin. Seperate the skin from the bird putting your gloved hand all up there to make sure some salt get on the flesh. Put whole herbs under the skin...not for flavor per se but to seperate the skin from the meat. Cook at 375F will breast meat at 160 (never had a problem with dark meat being at 170 when I do this). When removing the bird slice the skin between the leg and body (releasing steam which could sog things up.)
I use to add some baking powder in the dry brine (NOT SODA) but I don't need it with this.
Ultimate crispy skin... remove it all, cut the bird up and sous vide to perfection (about 140F for 2 hours depending on size), searing on removal and deep frying the skin in cut up pieces... crispier than potato chips.
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