Foodly Experts
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.
Then, Can you smoke a turkey too long?
The reason I recommend avoiding smoking turkeys over 15 pounds is that it can take too long to cook. Your bird will be sitting in the food safety danger zone between 40-140 degrees F for far too long and you can really risk the bacteria overgrowing and spoiling your turkey before it is finished.
Similarly, Should I wrap my turkey in foil while smoking?
The turkey should cook for about 45 to 60 minutes before you check it. … He wraps the turkey in heavy duty aluminum foil and finishes the cooking in the smoker until the turkey’s internal temperature reaches 165 degrees. Once the turkey is cooked through, allow it to rest for five to 10 minutes before carving.
In this regard What are the best wood chips to smoke a turkey? Wood Chips: Use standard hickory or mesquite to impart a solid smokiness; use mild fruitwood chips to add a subtle one (that won’t mask the mild taste of turkey). Try soaking the wood chips in water, fruit juice or wine.
What is the best wood to use for smoking a turkey?
Hickory is a classic hard wood choice for smoking turkey for several reasons. It has a distinct flavor that is robust and very forward and is familiar to those who enjoy smoky flavors. Maple wood gives off a sweeter smoke and can add a lovely golden hue to anything you smoke with it.
How do you keep a turkey moist while smoking? This will result in a soggy chicken. 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. 2.
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14 Related Questions and Answers Found
Do you flip a turkey when smoking?
Place the turkey on the smoker and set a timer for 1 ½ hours. As long as you maintain temps, there’s not much to do, just let it cook. … 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.
Should I smoke my turkey breast up or down?
Place the turkey, breast side down, directly on the smoker grate. Smoke for 1 hour, maintaining the proper temperature in the smoker. If using a gas grill, wrap a handful of unsoaked wood chips in foil, poke a few holes in the foil, and toss it on one side of the grill grate.
Are pecan pellets good for smoking a turkey?
Pecan is rich enough as it is, and any extra ‘earthy’ woods like hickory or oak risk overpowering the meat. These pecan wood chips do exactly what we want with pecan: They add a beautifully sweet and smokey flavor without overpowering the natural flavors of your turkey meat.
Do I need to brine turkey before smoking?
Brining helps bring up the juiciness of the bird. … With a smoked turkey, you don’t have to brine the turkey first, which is awesome. That is because, with a smoked turkey, the long slow and low heat actually doesn’t dry the bird out too quickly. The low heat draws the moisture into the bird, not evaporate it out.
Should you inject turkey before smoking?
Smoked turkey prep work. Cooking a whole turkey can feel intimidating, especially if it’s your first time. … I recommend getting the rub, injection, and gravy (if you’re making it) ready ahead of time so you can focus on smoking the turkey. You can even do this the night before if you need to make an early start.
How do you get crispy skin on smoked turkey?
Moisture and low temperatures cause a smoked turkey to have rubbery skin. For a crispy turkey skin, avoid basting, liquid brines, wrapping and tenting. Keep the temperature between 275°-325°F and cover the bird with oil and herbs to help make the skin crispier.
What is the best temp to smoke a turkey?
What is this? 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 you need to brine a turkey before smoking?
With a smoked turkey, you don’t have to brine the turkey first, which is awesome. That is because, with a smoked turkey, the long slow and low heat actually doesn’t dry the bird out too quickly. The low heat draws the moisture into the bird, not evaporate it out.
How many hours does it take to smoke a 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.
Should the turkey be breast up or down?
It’s personal preference whether you choose to cook a turkey breast-side up or breast-side down. The United States Department of Agriculture advises to cook a whole turkey breast side up during the entire cooking time.
Can you smoke a turkey without brining it first?
With a smoked turkey, you don’t have to brine the turkey first, which is awesome. That is because, with a smoked turkey, the long slow and low heat actually doesn’t dry the bird out too quickly. The low heat draws the moisture into the bird, not evaporate it out.
Which side of the turkey goes down?
How do you know the turkey is breast side down? The wings are up and the legs are down. Note that you can also place the turkey directly on an oven rack with a large roasting pan to catch the drippings on the rack below.
Do you need to brine turkey before smoking?
Brining helps bring up the juiciness of the bird. … With a smoked turkey, you don’t have to brine the turkey first, which is awesome. That is because, with a smoked turkey, the long slow and low heat actually doesn’t dry the bird out too quickly. The low heat draws the moisture into the bird, not evaporate it out.
Is mesquite wood good for smoking turkey?
Woods For Smoking Turkey
Aim for lighter tasting woods such as those that come from fruit trees, like cherry wood, to get the sweet smoke and mellow flavor instead of harsher, heavier tasting woods like the commonly used mesquite or hickory or white oak to add subtle smoke flavor.
What meats are best smoked with pecan?
It smokes a light sweet and fruity flavor that works great with pork, poultry and small game birds. Pecan wood is stronger than most fruit wood, but milder than hickory and mesquite. Pecan is ideal when grilling poultry but infuses a nice flavor to any cut of meat.
What is the best wood for smoking?
What is the Best Wood for Smoking Meat?
- Oak. Oak is the quintessential go-to for smoking meat. …
- Hickory. The most versatile choice as it can be used to smoke wood in many ways. …
- Maple. One of the most subtle smoking wood, it will impart a more subtle smoke flavor. …
- Mesquite. …
- Pecan. …
- Apple. …
- Alder. …
- Cherry.
How do you keep a turkey moist after smoking?
A wet brine is a water, salt, and sugar solution with your own flavor mix that you submerge the bird in for 24 hours. Over brining can cause the cells to break down, so don’t brine for too long. A wet brine adds amazing flavor and moisture.
Editors. 24 – Last Updated. 2 days ago – Authors. 9
