Smoking - if you don't want to stuff a turkey...

[raselkirk]

What do you do with the cavity, if anything? Never smoked a full bird before, and the wife insists on doing her own oven-baked stuffing. My initial preference is to do a (smaller) deboned and netted breast, but curiosity's got the best of me here...

Russ

 

[SmokinEdge]

What do you do with the cavity, if anything? Never smoked a full bird before, and the wife insists on doing her own oven-baked stuffing. My initial preference is to do a (smaller) deboned and netted breast, but curiosity's got the best of me here...

Russ

Spatchcock or butterfly the bird. Cooks more evenly and has more surface area for smoke.

 

[raselkirk]

Sounds like a plan, thanks!

Russ

 

[bauchjw]

I’ve been doing a lot of brick chicken lately. If you spatchcock try weighting it down with a brick foiled or cast iron to lay it more flat on the grates!

 

[cmayna]

If just the two of you, might consider a small turkey spatchcocked as suggested. Very yummerful.

 

[tallbm]

What do you do with the cavity, if anything? Never smoked a full bird before, and the wife insists on doing her own oven-baked stuffing. My initial preference is to do a (smaller) deboned and netted breast, but curiosity's got the best of me here...

Russ

I use a vertical turkey rack (like giant beer can rack) when I smoke my turkeys. I've also smoked in a net.

I leave the cavities empty so smoke and air and heat can get inside. If you fill up the cavity then it takes longer to cook :)

 

[chopsaw]

I'm not a spatch guy . I like to do the birds whole . Stuff the cavity with an onion , celery and some fresh sage and thyme .

 

[SmokinAl]

Spatchcock guy here, and if the bird is a big one I separate the thighs from the breast, because I pull the breasts at 157 IT, and the thighs at 175 IT. Normally that is where they would be with a spatchcocked bird, they finish at the same time. But on a large bird I just want to make sure I don’t overcook the breast trying to get the thighs done.
Al

 

[cmayna]

I'm not a spatch guy . I like to do the birds whole . Stuff the cavity with an onion , celery and some fresh sage and thyme .

Actually, that sounds pretty darn good !

 

[chopsaw]

Actually, that sounds pretty darn good !

That's the way I've always done them on a Weber kettle , or in the oven . It also acts as a heat sink to even out the cooking . That and the smell is fantastic , which always add to it .
Halve the onion through the root end ( so it stays together ) , celery stalks and some of the leafy tops . Couple garlic cloves and whatever else you and yours like . I add rosemary and thyme . Maybe some sage if I have it .

 

[Ken Williams]

I leave the whole and use the CampChef Infusion Roaster (aka: Turkey Cannon). I fill the roaster with apple juice or apple cider. It keeps the meat moist as you smoke it. If you don't want to use the roaster stand, you can also fill the cavity with apple slices and herbsl, but I prefer the roaster.

 

[ofelles]

Another spatchcock guy. I have found that the thighs and the breast get done at the same time