Although late to the party, I'm in the similar boat as the Freedom45:
I have a
masterbuilt 30", and I'm going to be smoking a turkey for Thanksgiving, but my questions center on the wood and how much to use, as it is my understanding that too much smoke can create an overpowering bitter taste in turkey.
I'm doing a trial smoke tomorrow so my family is not left hungry on Thanksgiving, and I have a 13lbs turkey in a brine now.
My question is, once I get the smoker up to temperature (275°F) and put the bird in, how much wood do I use over the course of the entire smoking process? I'm using Applewood and will be assuming an hour per pound of turkey. I will remove the bird at an internal temp of 160°F, and the wrap in foil until it reaches an internal temp 165°F.
My smoker is new, so I've only preseasoned it to this point, but I have noticed that it can only hold a cup of wood at any one time. Is this enough wood for the entire smoking process? If not, when should I add more wood and how much wood should I add? Should the wood be soaked in water?
I'm also interested in understanding how the water pan fits into the equation. Should it be filled with water? Something else that would add more flavor? Does it need to be refilled during the course of the smoking process?
Any and all help is appreciated.