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..
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How many minutes per pound do you smoke a turkey at 225?
If you are smoking a turkey breast, you will want to follow the rule of 225 degrees for about 30 minutes per pound.
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.
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 do you keep a turkey moist while 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.
How long does it take to smoke a 13lb 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. Our turkey was 13 pounds and took about 7 hours in the smoker to reach 180 degrees Fahrenheit.
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.)
What is the 40 to 140 rule? The 40 140 rule is an easy to remember rule for food safety temperatures. 40°F is the internal meat temperature when the cooking begins. This is the point where food is removed from the refrigerator at a safe temperature that it was stored at. 140°F is the internal temperature that meat must meet within 4 hours.
Is a 20 pound turkey too big to smoke?
For a faster cooking time, you can smoke at 250 or even 275 degrees, but for a regular-sized turkey, we like 225 for about 30 minutes per pound. In fact, it might be best to avoid smoking big birds (say, 20 pounds), because the increased time required could increase your risk of the bacteria issues we noted above.
How long do I smoke a 15 pound turkey?
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.
What is the danger zone when smoking a turkey?
Turkey breasts, drumsticks, wings, and whole turkeys are all suited for smoking, although for safety’s sake, stick with whole turkeys that weigh 12 pounds or less. Turkey is in the “Danger Zone,” where bacteria grows the fastest, between 40°F and 140°F.
Do you wrap a turkey when 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.
What is the 4 hour rule?
Explaining the 2-hour / 4-hour rule
Put simply the rule is: Under 2 hours = Good to use or you can refrigerate at 5°C or less. 2 to 4 hours = This timeframe means the food is okay to use. Over 4 hours = Throw your food away immediately.
Should you use a water pan when smoking 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.
Should I smoke my turkey breast up or down? Note: If you feel like going a little hotter, poultry can certainly handle it. I know quite a few folks who run their smokers at 275 degrees or more when cooking chicken and turkey. Most folks recommend breast side down to allow the juices to run down into the breast meat.
What is the best temperature to smoke a turkey at?
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.
Do turkeys stall when smoking?
Smoking is almost impossible to mess up. When I’ve done it, I’ve found there’s a natural stall point where the meat temperature kind of drags for 60-90 minutes between about 145-155 F.
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.
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 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.
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.
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.
How long does it take to 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).