Smoking a stuffed butterball

[mackenziejk]

Hi I want to make sure it would be safe to smoke a stuffed butterball. My plan is to let it thaw in the fridge then smoke at 300 till 170. Seems like a lot or people say to not smoke a stuffed turkey cause of the dangers of bacteria

 

[pineywoods]

The USDA says not to smoke a turkey over 12 lbs they also say not to stuff a turkey and smoke it. HOWEVER what they are really saying is don't smoke a turkey over 12 lbs or stuffed in a smoker running at 225 degrees.
What you are talking about is closer to oven temps I personally would bump the smoker temp up to 325-350 then you are at oven temps. You will not get as much smoke flavor because it won't be in the smoke as long but you can do something about that either use a stronger flavored wood or start at a lower temp for an hour or hour and a half then kick the heat up

 

[schlotz]

Run at a higher temp and use a smoker tube. Personally I would recommend not stuffing it given the time it would take for the internals to come up to temp. Just not worth the risk.

 

[mackenziejk]

Sounds good i think I will remove the stuffing and cook that in its own, I think the turkey is about 14 pounds is that to big to smoke at 325?

 

[DRKsmoking]

I think the turkey is about 14 pounds is that to big to smoke at 325?

Hi i'm sure others who have actually done this will drop by and explain, but what pineywoods and schlotz mentioned. the higher heat and unstuffed would be a lot better. If you can maintain the temp at least 325 or higher and if you want to remove the stuffing . 14 pounds at 325deg. should take 3.25 + hours in a reg oven. So I see no problem as long as you can maintain the temp (That is just a coincident on the time and temp because of the weight )

But like I said I have never smoked a whole turkey ( on my list to do )
Good luck and post up some pics when done

David

 

[gmc2003]

I agree with the comments above. I'll add poultry takes on smoke pretty easily and can quickly develop a foul taste if over-smoked. So depending on how much smoke flavor you like I'd go lite on the wood the first time around, and make adjustments on your second and third tries. Also keep a close watch on the skin(especially if your planning on eating it). Nothing worse then bringing in a black burnt looking bird.

Here's one I did a few years ago. It was about the same size. Done with two small chunks of hickory.

Chris

 

[DRKsmoking]

You got some nice looking bird there Chris gmc2003

David

 

[gmc2003]

You got some nice looking bird there Chris gmc2003

David

Thanks David, that was my first go at smoking a turkey whole.

Chris

 

[pineywoods]

As I said above if you were smoking the turkey at a smoker temp of 225 or 250 then I would not stuff it just like the USDA says and I would not go over about 12 lbs personally I have went up to 13 lbs once or twice when smoking at 225.
If you kick the smoker temperature up to 325-350 your into oven temps. Has anybody ever told you not to stuff a bird your cooking in the oven? Has anybody ever told you not to smoke a bird over 12 lbs in an oven? No they haven't and smoker or oven 325-350 is the same.
You can also get by smoking a larger than 12 lb unstuffed turkey at a smoker temperature of 225-250 by spatchcocking it. I don't smoke any poultry at 225-250 anymore because my family wants crispy skin.

 

[mackenziejk]

Great thanks for all the help will cook it at oven temps and i do want the crispy skin. I have may run my smoke tube for the first couple hours if running high heat.

 

[Sven Svensson]

Here’s a good stuffing trick when cooking it separately. Take the neck and any fat trimmings and gently simmer it in your favorite chicken broth for an hour. The broth will become infused with classic turkey flavor. Use that for moistening your baked stuffing. As a bonus it even makes a great base for turkey gravy.

 

[schlotz]

Another option to consider: use a rotisserie plus a smoker tube on a gas grill. This does two things well. You get a basted bird with great crispy skin and the smoke generated by the tube will not over saturate the bird. Some of the best smoked turkey we've done has been this way. YMMV.

 

[tpc74]

Not too old a necro bump right? What if your smoker only goes to 285? I feel like that is the upper limit of my gen 1 mes 40, but I don't remember exactly. It might actually run a little hotter but since I don't usually smoke turkeys or anything at that high a temp I am unsure.

Or I could position it in the sun, just not sure that has the same desired effect.

 

[BigW.]

Not too old a necro bump right? What if your smoker only goes to 285? I feel like that is the upper limit of my gen 1 mes 40, but I don't remember exactly. It might actually run a little hotter but since I don't usually smoke turkeys or anything at that high a temp I am unsure.

Or I could position it in the sun, just not sure that has the same desired effect.

Is your question on can your smoke a stuffed bird? I would say no, but I would never cook a stuffed bird. Can you cook turkey or chicken at 285, yes. The skin will be rubbery so you may want to crisp on a gas grill or oven at the very end.

 

[tpc74]

Is your question on can your smoke a stuffed bird? I would say no, but I would never cook a stuffed bird. Can you cook turkey or chicken at 285, yes. The skin will be rubbery so you may want to crisp on a gas grill or oven at the very end.

Ok thanks. Nobody eats the skin but me, so I can do that part for myself haha.

As for the stuffing, always intrigued about stuffing a bird and putting it in the oven or smoking it...in essentially what is a oven. I don't want to get anyone sick, so maybe I'll just pre-make some stuffing and put it in a foil pan above the bird....smoked stuffing! LOL

 

[Marknmd]

Turkeys and chickens were the first thing I learned to smoke - back in the late 80s. I followed the instructions from a book because the internet was not very popular back then. I stuffed the bird with chopped apples and onions, sewed up the two ends as air tight as possible with mechanics wire, and smoke cooked with apple wood at 225 F with a water pan. I figured about 35 mins a pound which came out perfect provided my cooker temp was stable. I liked 12 lb turkeys. So seven hours. I'd test for doneness by twisting the leg. Breast meat would squirt juice like an orange. Great very dark color. Skin was not crispy though. Not even close. Juicy, tender, flavorful. Rubbery skin so we didn't eat that. Nobody ever got sick.

 

[noboundaries]

Ah, turkey memories. I grew up with family and friends that cooked their turkeys overnight in the oven at 180°F. Then they'd crank up the heat to 350°F about an hour or two before serving. These were all stuffed turkeys. No one ever got sick because they were basically pasteurized over 10-12 hours. Breast was absolutely like chalk it was so dry. I REALLY disliked turkey as a kid. LOVED the stuffing.

First turkey I ever cooked for Thanksgiving 1977 was juicy and delicious. I followed the instructions on the packaging and oven roasted it at 325-350°F at so many minutes per pound. I've been high-temping turkeys ever since.

After getting married my wife wanted a 15 ft³ chest freezer. I filled it with sale meat, especially 4-6 turkeys each TG or Christmas. Did that every year for decades.

My techniques have changed over the years whether using the oven, Kettle, or WSM: beer cans, turkey cannons, flipping mid-roast, spatchcocked, parted, etc. Always high temp though, up to 325°F-450°F.