BBQ Smoked Turkey

[hambone1955]

I have a BBQ pit that looks like A Franklin stove/oven 4ft x2ft wide 4ft tall made of sheet metal actualy it was left at my Father inlaws rent house when the tenant skipped out on his rent over twenty years ago. I can roast/smoke two large turkeys at a time usally over oak coals. I use oak because it burns slower than mesquite. Has any one roasted/smoked turkey over a diffrent wood source other than oak? ..... I have deep fried turkeys and they taste great however I actualy like the roasted/smoked turkey better. I inject them with Creole sesoning and dry rub them before I put them in the pit.. mighty good!

 

[kitchenelf]

I prefer Hickory. If I could find some fruit wood I would use that too.

I brine my turkey first, then smoke.

 

[TheCook]

I use cherry wood and brine the turkey first. The brine makes it jucier I think. And I make sure to use all natural turkey with no additives.

Here's a video I made smoking a turkey last year with my Weber Smokey Mountain

YouTube - Smoked Turkey on the Weber Smokey Mountain (WSM)

 

[Michael in FtW]

I, too, prefer hickory or pecan. I have sometimes used oak for the fire and wet chunks of hickory or pecan for the "smoke" if I don't have enough to do the whole cooking process.

Sometimes mesquite might be added in to boost the temp (not only does it burn fast it burns hotter).

 

[africhef]

a few years back a friend gave me wild turkey after gutting,plucking and picking out buckshot, i brined it then steamed, then i smoked in over oak with a pan of brown sugar directly on the coals when the sugar burns it creates a wonderful smoke. it was delicious, i also smoke salmon this way.

 

[Uncle Bob]

Wood Coals Rock!!! -----I prefer 20% Hickory --- 80% Oak -----Maybe a little Wild Cherry added in for poultry products -------

 

[MJK]

One of the other things I do is spilt the turkey down the middle (lengthwise) with a meat saw. Then I barbeque it. It takes about half the time as doing it whole. I prefer apple wood and lump charcoal. I can inject each half with a different marinade and/or use various rubs. I'll start each half in a sepearte aluminum recyclable pan and baste if I feel like it. (Depends on the rub and/or marinade) and finish on the open grate.

 

[AllenOK]

Well, I haven't attempted a whole turkey, yet. I will do turkey legs. I brine my turkey legs first, and smoke with a mix of oak and pecan.

 

[Palladini]

When I smoke turkeys, I brine them first, then I use about 70% Apple Wood, some Hickory and some pecan for the rest, they come out delicious.

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

I have smoked so many turkeys on the Webber Kettle, that it's rediculous. They all come out smoky, juicy and tender. I use ordinary charcoal, but set in two small piles on opposite sides of the kettle. When the charcoal is hot, I place sticks of wood on top, both to reduce the heat radiation that reaches the bird, and to create a flavorful smoke. Woods that are equally good with turkey include sugar maple, white birch, alder, apple, and choke cherry.

I roast the bird with the lid on, and all vents set to the half open position, for about 12 minutes per pound. I don't baste the bird, and it sits directly over a drip pan. Every 40 minutes, I check the fire and add charcoal if required, and throw on a little more wood.

At the end of the cooking time, the temperature is close to what I want, 155 degrees F. I check the temperature every 15 minutes until it reads 155 on the meat thermometer. The, the bird is removed to a platter to rest for 20 minutes. Then, it's time for carving magic.

This technique gets me rave reviews every time.

Seeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North

 

[Dawgluver]

I have smoked so many turkeys on the Webber Kettle, that it's rediculous. They all come out smoky, juicy and tender. I use ordinary charcoal, but set in two small piles on opposite sides of the kettle. When the charcoal is hot, I place sticks of wood on top, both to reduce the heat radiation that reaches the bird, and to create a flavorful smoke. Woods that are equally good with turkey include sugar maple, white birch, alder, apple, and choke cherry.

I roast the bird with the lid on, and all vents set to the half open position, for about 12 minutes per pound. I don't baste the bird, and it sits directly over a drip pan. Every 40 minutes, I check the fire and add charcoal if required, and throw on a little more wood.

At the end of the cooking time, the temperature is close to what I want, 155 degrees F. I check the temperature every 15 minutes until it reads 155 on the meat thermometer. The, the bird is removed to a platter to rest for 20 minutes. Then, it's time for carving magic.

This technique gets me rave reviews every time.

Seeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North

Chief, this is a fantastic explanation. Neat, concise, and to the point! It makes sense! Thanks, C&P!

 

[chiklitmanfan]

Chief Longwind and I use similar techniques in a large Weber Kettle. This might be a little long but I've refined this technique over 30 years. I normally Barbecue/smoke the turkey sans stuffing. To prepare the thawed turkey, I rub thoroughly with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper....that's it.

I stack charcoal liberally, starting with about 30 on each side. I make a drip pan in the middle with tinfoil. The turkey is put on the grill in one of those metal cradles, the vent holes are wide open and the lid is put on. I prefer soaked hickory for smoking.

The idea is to make the cooking process as hot as possible. Mine looks like a blast furnace with smoke rolling out the vents. I add more charcoal and hickory as necessary. I can completely bake a 15 pound turkey in about 2 1/2 hours, believe it or not. I also do not baste the bird with anything. My simple smoking/cooking procedure is meant to enhance the turkey's natural flavor, not cover it up.

When is it done? I don't rely on a meat thermometer. There are two fool proof ways to check: 1-"shake hands" with the turkey leg. If the leg is loose and moves easily it is usually done. 2-cut into the joint between the leg and thigh. If the juice comes out clear, it is done. If pink, more cooking is necessary. The oil-rubbed skin turns papery/leathery and seals a lot of the moisture in. The smoking process leaves the exterior meat somewhat pinkish.

Yes, I've had a couple of turkeys over-cook but they are STILL delicious. It still amazes me how this quick-smoking process permeates the bird all the way through.

One wood I've always wanted to try for smoking and never have is Alderwood which is a common fast-growing hardwood in the Pacific Northwest. It is used in smoking salmon by the northwest Native American tribes. The wood, when cut, exudes a sweet almost perfume like aroma.

Nothing goes to waste. The drippings go into the gravy. I make turkey soup with the carcass/skin and it is always a family favorite with the slightly smoky flavor. If you're interested I'll share that one too.

Smoking a barbecued turkey is about the only meat I feel competent to share my techniques with the group. For the most part, I'm just not very good at grilling any other meat except perhaps chicken! :-((

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

Chief Longwind and I use similar techniques in a large Weber Kettle. This might be a little long but I've refined this technique over 30 years. I normally Barbecue/smoke the turkey sans stuffing. To prepare the thawed turkey, I rub thoroughly with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper....that's it.

I stack charcoal liberally, starting with about 30 on each side. I make a drip pan in the middle with tinfoil. The turkey is put on the grill in one of those metal cradles the vent holes are wide open and the lid is put on. I prefer soaked hickory.

The idea is to make the cooking process as hot as possible. Mine looks like a blast furnace with smoke pouring out the vents. I add more charcoal and hickory as necessary. I can completely bake a 15 pound turkey in about 2 1/2 hours, believe it or not.

When is it done? I don't rely on a meat thermometer. There are two fool proof ways to check: 1-"shake hands" with the turkey leg. If the leg is loose and moves easily it is usually done. 2-cut into the joint between the leg and thigh. If the juice comes out clear, it is done. If pink, more cooking is necessary. The oil-rubbed skin turns papery/leathery and seals a lot of the moisture in.

Yes, I've had a couple of turkey over-cook but they are STILL delicious.

One wood I've always wanted to try for smoking and never have is Alderwood which is a common fast-growing hardwood in the Pacific Northwest. It is used in smoking salmon by the northwest Native American tribes. The wood, when cut, exudes a sweet almost perfume like aroma.

Nothing goes to waste. The drippings go into the gravy. I make turkey soup with the carcass/skin and it is always a family favorite with the slightly smoky flavor. If you're interested I'll share that one too.

Smoking a barbecued turkey is about the only meat I feel competent to share my techniques with the group. For the most part, I'm just not very good at grilling any other meat except perhaps chicken! :-((

The reason I don mine more slowly is that I want the smoke flavor to saturate the turkey. I want it super juicy, and tender.

I have cooked turkeys by your method, and they are very good, but just a bit different in flavor. The skin is crispier on yours as well, but not by much. I use a turkey rack with my birds, rub with .

For a change of pace, and one that would work very well for what you like in a turkey, try spatchcocking your bird, and cooking over a solid bed of coals. It make an amazing grilled turkey. But you can't call it barbecued. It cooks way fast, and can be used with bbq sauce of your own making. Just make sure that the sauce is only applied in the last 5 to ten minutes of cooking time so as not to burn the sugars.

Seeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North