Turkey time! (w/ plenty of Q-view)

[nc cue]

12+ pound bird that I'm cooking early so I can watch football tomorrow! I brined it for about 18 hours in a cooler that I then put in the fridge--salt, brown sugar, a couple apples, rosemary, sage, clove, and a couple cinnamon sticks. Before putting it on the heat, I patted it dry, stuffed some homemade rosemary-garlic butter under the skin, rubbed the skin with olive oil, and threw a couple halved lemons in the cavity.

It's crazy windy out there today and I had a hell of a time getting the smoker up to temp. Hopefully maintaining won't be too difficult, but I'm counting on having to fight the elements. Started the fire with charcoal and will continue the cooking with applewood chunks, adding another chimney of charcoal if the temp gets too low.

Here's a picture at zero hour (about 1:15pm)--will add more Q-view as the afternoon progress:

115pm.jpg

• nc cue
• Nov 27, 2013

2:35pm--Good browning already and smells awesome. Smoker holding steady at a shade below 250. Didn't check the internal temp--no point until you're a few hours in, IMO.

235pm.jpg

• nc cue
• Nov 27, 2013

 

[rdknb]

You are off to a good start, I too am smoking the turkey today and fighting the cold rain, I may finish in oven to brown the skin, but hoping to just get it done in smoker.  Looking forward to more q-view

 

[nc cue]

4:15pm--Just hit the 3-hour mark. Smoker still maintaining temp well, which is a pleasant surprise. Getting a read of 144 on the breast and 135 on the thigh. Any tips on how to prevent the breast from overcooking? I'm a bit concerned that it's cooking so much quicker than the thigh.

415pm.jpg

• nc cue
• Nov 27, 2013

5:15pm--Not much of a change. Breasts are up to 155 or so, thigh facing away from the heat is around 145. I'm taking it off the smoke now and putting it into a 400 degree over to crisp up the skin and finish up the cooking. Finishing in the oven will also please the crowd who doesn't like quite as much smoke as I do.

515pm.jpg

• nc cue
• Nov 27, 2013

 

[up-in-smoke90]

Beautiful bird! One thing to remember is that when you pull the turkey and let it sit for 15 minutes or so to redistribute the juices its going to keep cooking and probably rise in temperature a few degrees. What I'm gonna do it pull the bird once the breast hits 165 and check the thighs, if they're a little below I'm gonna let it rest for a bit. Besides you'll likely be reheating it tomorrow for the big dance so it shouldn't be too big of a deal if they're not that close together in temp.

 

[nc cue]

Allrighty, all done! Turned out GREAT, although I wish I'd used a bit more garlic and rosemary in my rosemary-garlic butter--the lemon dominates the rosemary and garlic.

Here's the bird after I took it out of the over to crisp up the skin, which I'm very glad I did. The skin tastes like candy.

Done1.jpg

• nc cue
• Nov 27, 2013

Here are the breasts that I carved (read: hacked) away from the carcass. Note to self: brush up on your turkey carving skills!

Done2.jpg

• nc cue
• Nov 27, 2013

Here's everything (minus what I picked at) pulled/sliced/diced. Prettiest presentation? Not at all. Tasty? Yes, sir.

Done3.jpg

• nc cue
• Nov 27, 2013

 

[pureflusher]

Thanks for posting...Im gunna do it the same way.

 

[foamheart]

Nice job! There are going to be a lot of smiles at your house.

Happy happy, and wasn't it a beautiful day to smoke?

 

[nc cue]

Thanks, Foamheart! Any day I can spend time outside with a cooker and some adult beverage is a good day.

 

[sprky]

 I got one out of the smoker and another about 3 hours in, I figure it will be another 4-5 hours before its done.