Need help timing for a fresh, organic turkey

[jercat]

We are getting a fresh (never frozen) organic, free range turkey for thanksgiving this year. we keep hearing that they cook faster and are looking for some smoking time guidelines. we will be brining overnight. Considering the fact that we are paying $20 per lb for this bird, we really do not want to mess this up!!! Any help, tips, tricks or info for smoking this bird would be appreciated!!!! TIA!

 

[noboundaries]

$20 per pound! Holy.........moly! I've done plenty of turkeys of all types; fresh, organic, free range, Butterball, store brand, parted, spatchcocked, beer canned, turkey cannon'd, but for $20 a pound I ain't touching this one.

I will say weight and smoking/cooking temp determine a ballpark time when it is done, neither of which was provided. Lower temp, longer time, rubbery skin. Higher temp (325F-350F), shorter time, crispy skin. Stop when breast is at 160, thigh is at 170 to 175. Free range, organic birds typically have less breast meat than the commercial, Butterball types, that's why they cook faster.

 

[jercat]

We are supposed to get a around a 20# bird (crazy cost), but won't know the size until we get it. If our temp is about 250-275 how many hours should we plan per pound?

 

[phatbac]

i wouldn't smoke a bird that big unless it was at 325. its not safe...the bird wont get up to 140 IT in 4 hours. Also at that low of a temp the skin wont crisp. if your smoker can't do consistent temps around 325 then go oven with it.

Happy Smoking,
phatbac (Aaron)

 

[noboundaries]

What Aaron said.

At 250-275, just smoke it for a couple hours to lay down some smoke, then move it to the oven and finish it at 350F.

I rarely do a bird under 18 lbs. I did an 18 lb commercial, frozen/thawed, brined turkey in late May. Chamber temp held steady at 350-365F. Took just under 3 hours to reach my target temps shown above.

Last TG one of the turkey's I did was a natural, organic, free-range never frozen turkey. I brined it. Price was WAY lower than what you paid ($3/lb). Chamber temp was 325F. Took 3.25 hours.

Digging back in my notes, I found a smoke from 2014 that struggled with chamber temp because I was using lousy charcoal. After loading the 18.3 lb bird and a huge roasting pan of veggies in the smoker, the chamber temp dropped to 250F. As the bird and veggies warmed up the chamber temp eventually climbed to 280F. Bird was done, but skin was rubbery. Total time to finish the bird was 4.5 hours to my target temps.

 

[browneyesvictim]

Spatchcocking the bird that size would definitely help it cook faster. The meat is "intact" so I wouldn't sweat the safety margin. If you inject, then that's a different story.

 

[jercat]

OK, so if we smoke it at 325-350 how many minutes per pound? Is there a guideline? Definitely want to be safe and also get that crispy skin! Just need some kind of idea how long it will take so we can prepare the sides in a timely manner. Any tricks to get the heat up and stay up that high? We don't plan to inject. Just brine, rub & smoke!

 

[forvols]

We are getting a fresh (never frozen) organic, free range turkey for thanksgiving this year. we keep hearing that they cook faster and are looking for some smoking time guidelines. we will be brining overnight. Considering the fact that we are paying $20 per lb for this bird, we really do not want to mess this up!!! Any help, tips, tricks or info for smoking this bird would be appreciated!!!! TIA!

20 bucks a pound...Even my wild turkeys here in East TN (had a flock of about 40 making all kinds of noise this morning right out my bedroom window at sunrise) ..about as free range and organic as you can get feel ashamed to be compared to your bird. 20bucks a pound times 20lbs equals 400 bucks for 1 turkey...Oh wait maybe its 15lbs vs 20 so that's only 300 bucks for one bird...whew I feel better...Cook times and what to rub it down with or stuff with..I aint touching cause 400 bucks for the bird ...then guess you got it figured out for stuffing rub/massage oils...

 

[jercat]

Yeah...I'm kinda feeling a little regret on this one because I didn't think the price through, but we already paid our deposit for the bird and we get most of our meat from this farm so I don't want to burn any bridges. It is what it is...it better be the best turkey we ever had!!

 

[noboundaries]

At 325-350F figure 10-12 mins per pound for a 20# bird. It isn't done though until you see 162F to 165F in the coldest part of the bird. That could be the thigh or the breast, but it is usually the thigh. Spatchcocking helps even it out and speeds up the cooking a little.

No stuffing in the bird if you leave it whole. You can check internal temps of the thigh and breast after say 2 1/2 hours to get an idea how it is progressing.

 

[Rings Я Us]

Yikes..

Lol...

I would say oven also for at least the last half. .. Basted with some nice buttery juices.

 

[jercat]

So about 3 1/2-4 hours. I thought it would be much longer than that but I am not complaining! We did order a ThermoPro Meat Thermometer so we don't have to keep opening the smoker and losing heat to check the turkey. So we should insert the thermometer in the thigh or the breast?

Also any thoughts on placing the bird upside down? I always did that when we oven cooked so the juices would settle in the breasts.

 

[Rings Я Us]

I would put that Turkey in a childs safety car seat on the way home from picking it up..
:D

 

[noboundaries]

I use a turkey cannon when I smoke my turkeys. I've done them breast side up and breast side down. Didn't make any difference in juiciness.

Breast or thigh? Depends how you cook it. The thigh can be undercooked, the breast overcooked. Spatchcocking definitely makes a difference and keeps the two areas closer in temp. I always check both, but if you only have one meat probe, stick it in the thigh. You can always move it to the breast at any time and it will read that meat too.

 

[hardcookin]

15lb turkeys @ 300 usually takes 3hrs on my Lang.

I usually estimate 20 minutes per pound at 300-325.