MES 30 Gen 1 - Smoking a Turkey

Tom, there are so many ways to smoke and oven roast a turkey.  Since this is your first, at least that's what it appears to be, aim for success not perfection. 

Poultry is most predictable when cooked/smoked at a higher temperature.  Set that MES on the highest setting and use the final ITs you show above.   3 AM is way early if you smoke it at the higher temp.   It could be done by 6 AM if you do that. 

My recommendation would be don't put anything in the cavity because the bird will cook more evenly without mass in there.

As far as a rub, I just use a seasoning salt and a poultry seasoning.  I put it on a slightly damp skin so it will stick.  I don't cover the skin with butter or oil, though many too.  My birds on the smoker come out blacker than I like when I do so.

Butter under the skin is good.  Be sure to use a drip pan.  You can put veggies in the drip pan too and they come out roasted and smoky. 

Topfuel said:

 
I know it's kind of late to ask, but I have a 11lb bird gonna start it bout 3am. That's about 7 hours from now.

Does anyone have a link or suggestion of a rub, I'm gonna place butter under the skin.

No injection or brine.

I was gonna fill the cavity with a few Lemon, Limes, Oranges, and apples ??? Does this sound ok, as I've seen some posts on here about leaving the cavity empty when I smoke it??

Temp. Suggestions. I've read 30 min per pound of bird or so.  Bring Breast to 165 and thigh to 175 ??

Any last minute ideas would be great, especially for the a rub or something ??
 

Ok GO!!!!
 

Thanks.

Tom D.

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My wife uses poultry seasoning, olive oil, butter, salt and pepper and places aromatics like lemon wedges and fresh sage and thyme inside the turkey. She takes the rub and rubs it under the skin of the turkey as well as on the surface of the skin.

Yes, you're right about those internal temps.