Smoke the turkey.
At 225 degrees F, you can plan on approximately 30 minutes per pound for your turkey to smoke. For example, this 15 pound turkey will take 7 and 1/2 hours at 225 degrees F. I always plan an extra 30 minutes, just in case..
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Should I use a water pan when smoking a turkey?
Tips For Using a Water Pan When Smoking a Turkey
In cold weather, a water pan filled with boiling hot water can help maintain the smoker temperature, plus it gets the temperature up quickly for a fast start. This is especially helpful if your smoker can’t quite do the job when it’s cold outside.
How do you smoke a turkey and keep it moist?
My solution is to smoke the turkey directly on the grill grates, with a roasting pan filled with 1″ water underneath the grates, about 3-4 inches from the meat. This will keep the cooking environment moist but let the turkey get evenly crisp on the outside.
Should I wrap a turkey in foil when smoking?
About 3 hours into the smoke, check the turkey and if the wings or other extremities are getting too brown you can wrap them with small pieces of foil to stop the browning process. I prefer a nice dark mahogany look so I occasionally wrap the wings at about 4-1/2 to 5 hours into the smoke but usually not before that.
How do you keep a turkey moist when smoking?
Turkeys should be brined overnight, coated with fat only initially, and minimally seasoned. Brining keeps the turkey from drying out during the smoking process. Basting the turkey only results in soggy skin. Overly seasoning the skin just makes inedible skin – let the brine and aromatics add flavor.
What do you spray on a turkey when smoking?
If you decide to baste the turkey while smoking, good options are chicken stock, apple juice or apple cider vinegar diluted with water. You can also spray the turkey with cooking spray.
How long does it take to smoke a 12lb turkey?
It takes about 3 ½ hours to smoke a 10-12lb turkey but checking the internal temps is key. It has to hit at least 165 in the breast and 175 in the thigh. Once again – this is when a Thermapen comes in real handy.
Is turkey done at 165 or 180?
Insert it close to, but not touching, the thigh bone. If it reads 180 degrees F in the thigh and 170 degrees F in the breast, it’s done and ready to serve. (If it’s stuffed, check the center of the stuffing to make sure it’s 165 degrees F as well.)
How long does a 10lb turkey take to smoke? When you cook it according to this recipe, a 10-pound turkey should be done in about 5 hours. You’ll know the turkey is done when an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh, near the bone, reads at least 180 degrees F.
Should I wrap my turkey in foil while smoking?
Watch the smoker carefully and make sure it does not venture too far off course from your desired temperature setting. About 3 hours into the smoke, check the turkey and if the wings or other extremities are getting too brown you can wrap them with small pieces of foil to stop the browning process.
Do you smoke a turkey covered or uncovered?
Try to completely cover the exposed flesh. Pull the skin back into place after you’ve seasoned the bird. I use a couple of toothpicks to hold the skin in place, since it shrinks as it cooks. You don’t want the meat uncovered as it smokes.
Do you flip a turkey when smoking?
And using a DOT (probe thermometer) will allow you to monitor the Turkey while you cook and even set to alarm when it hits the right internal temp. When the timer goes off, rotate the turkey on the rack to ensure it is cooking evenly on all sides. I never flip the turkey.
How do you get crispy skin on smoked turkey?
For a turkey with crisp skin, smoke it until the internal temperature of the bird reaches 145°F. Transfer the bird to a hot grill preheated to 350° to 375°F and finish it off until the temperature bumps up to 165°F.
How long does it take to smoke a 20lb turkey at 225 degrees?
At 225 degrees, a 20-pound turkey should cook at a rate of 30 to 40 minutes per pound. If you increase the temperature to 250, it will take 25 to 30 minutes per pound. It’s best to keep the smoker temperature above 225 when smoking a bird this large.
How long do you smoke a 16 lb turkey? HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO SMOKE A TURKEY? It’s good to plan 30 minutes per pound when you smoke a turkey between 225-250 degrees Fahrenheit.
What’s the best wood to smoke a turkey? What are the best types of wood for smoking turkey?
- Pecan. One of the most common woods used in meat smoking, pecan provides an excellent combination of sweetness, smokiness, and sharpness to your turkey meat.
- Maple.
- Cherry.
- Alder.
- Hickory.
- Oak.
- Mesquite.
How long do you smoke a turkey at 225?
Low & Slow Smoked Turkey – Smoke your turkey at the low temperature of 225 degrees F for approximately 6-8 hours for a 22 pound turkey. Remove turkey from the brine and pat dry with paper towels (this is an important step, don’t skip it).
What temperature do you smoke a 12lb turkey?
Set the smoker to 225° F. Place the turkey on a cooking rack and cook for 8 to 12 hours or until the inner thigh temperature reaches 180° F. Check the temperature of your turkey after 3½ hours. Your turkey must pass through a critical range of 40° F to 140° F in 4 hours or less.
What is the best temperature to smoke a turkey?
Turkey can be smoked at a smoker temperature as low as 225 degrees, but it’s much quicker if smoked at 275-300 degrees, or even higher. When smoking at a lower temperature you’re looking at more time in the smoker, but that means the turkey could potentially have a richer smoke flavor.
How long does it take to smoke a 14 pound turkey at 250 degrees?
Smoking a turkey can be a long process, so be sure to start early in the day so that the turkey will be done by dinner time. Typically, it takes at least 6 hours to smoke an average sized turkey at 250 degrees F. Plan on having your turkey cook for about 30 minutes per pound.
Why is my smoked turkey tough?
This process requires water which means that if your turkey skin dries out too fast, it will never crisp up. The high-convection environment of a smoker is enough to draw out the moisture faster than the skin can crisp. The result is tough, leathery skin.
Why is my smoked turkey rubbery?
High heat is required to render some of the fat from the skin and crisp it up. Temperatures between 275-325 are the ideal temp. Cooking at temperatures lower than that is the biggest cause of soft and rubbery skin.
What do you put in a turkey cavity when smoking?
Fill the turkey cavity with butter, cola, apple, onion, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Cover turkey loosely with foil. Add wood chips to the smoker according to the manufacturer’s directions. Place the roasting pan in the preheated smoker.
How long do you smoke a 20lb turkey? Generally, though, you should allow for about 30-40 minutes of smoking per pound. So, if you have a 20-pound turkey, it’ll probably take 10-12 hours to completely smoke it. You should always determine doneness by internal temperature and not by time.
