# Is it dangerous to try to smoke a 26lb. turkey??



## gmintimidator03 (Nov 23, 2009)

Should I not even try this because of how big it is or what??


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## forluvofsmoke (Nov 23, 2009)

Only dangerous if you can't get oven temps out of your smoker.

I have a 22.5# and plan on spatch-cocking it for a faster cooking time...even though I can push way over 350* in my Smoke Vault...not worth the risk of doing it whole to me. Getting through the danger zone soon enough is the issue.

Eric


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## bbq engineer (Nov 23, 2009)

What Eric said...if you have a stick burner and can crank the temp to 325 ish, then you will have no problem.  If you can only get 225-250 out of your rig, you might not be able to get out of the 40-140 danger zone soon enough.  You will have to assess what your rig can do and judge accordingly.

Be sure to brine, and take some pics.  I'd love to see a beautiful smoke on a ginormous bird like that!

Good luck.


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## ddave (Nov 23, 2009)

What they said.

Plus, don't stuff it.  Leave the cavity empty so it can get through the danger zone faster.

If you can't get your smoker over 300°, I wouldn't do it.

Dave


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## gmintimidator03 (Nov 23, 2009)

Yeah I knew not too stuff it so the heat would get into it. Pretty sure I can get it past 300, just gotta keep it there. I want to try it really bad, but if I don't I  will just go with 2 13lb. birds. If I do push on with the plan I will get some pics of it.


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## alx (Nov 23, 2009)

I have done a stuffed 23 pounder before.Temps averaged 340-360-like a oven cook.....You should definetly stick a probe deep in the cavity full of stuffing-when bird is proper internal- to make sure stuffing is cooked as well...

The big birds are usually toms-male turkeys,so way more bone structure then a 15 pound hen....This does cut the risk of danger zone a bit,since the bones conduct heat much like a whole pig...

I would suggest no less then 320 degree-minimum....Mine take 14 minutes a pound on average at these temps to get too 170 degree in thigh....


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## bbq engineer (Nov 23, 2009)

Hey Alex,  How was the stuffing?  Did it have a light smoke, or just soak that in like my disasterous meatloaf episode?  I might want to try that as I love stuffing from the bird.


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## alx (Nov 24, 2009)

I love it Dana.I do a bread crumb and egg to bind with tons of fresh herbs,fresh garden scalions and roasted chestnuts ground etc...

I remove it from bird within ten minutes of pulling so it does not continue to cook...Really does not get much smoke-just the little bit sticking out,but the fat from turkey gives it a wonderfull flavor....I have to reserve some for sister or i get beat up....
My mom always did it this way.....I think- as you do,i also put a compound butter with herbs under skin and rub em down with olive oil...Worked last 25 years or so...


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## travcoman45 (Nov 24, 2009)

A big en like that I would spatchcock an smoke at nothin under 325° (350° bein better) myself.


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## thebattman (Nov 24, 2009)

Spatchcock is the way too go.

I do have a question though - Could one start off with a hot fire (say 300-ish), then once the bird gets past the 140 mark, let the temps fall off a bit until the bird is finished?  Or is the skin already hard enough by the 140 mark that not much more smoke gets in anyway?


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## ronp (Nov 24, 2009)

You may want to start it in hot oven 450' for 30 - 45 minutes and move to the smoker. Basically doing a sear.

Before smoking, I always did my birds this way.


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## pignit (Nov 24, 2009)

I've been watching this thread and I have a question. I'm not a turkey smokin expert so take this as a question from someone who doesn't know what they are talkin about. I smoke a whole 120 pound hog at 250 degrees and it is safe to eat. What makes a turkey so hard to get to an internal temp of 140+ in 4 hours or less? Even if it weighs in at 25 pounds.... with an open cavity, the thing can't be as thick or as dense as a whole leg section of a pig. Does it have something to do with the difference in the meat? I've seen a number of posts discussing the importance of smoking a smaller turkey around 15 pounds or under and I'm just not getting the reason why a large turkey would be unsafe to smoke in a 250 degree range.


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## alx (Nov 24, 2009)

Yep.Why the freak would i spatchcock a turkey that i know-i have done 23 pounders(at Least 50) plus at higher temps stuffed..I dont get it either.

A turkey is 50% bones and i have done 50 plus pigs at lower temps knowing the bones make up most of the meat and conduct the heat to the inside....WTF....I like higher temps cause i do not have the time etc...

Maybe the folk are worried about undercooking i.e. inaccurate thermos etc....VERY GOOD QUESTION !!!!!!!!!!


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## gnubee (Nov 24, 2009)

Its called the Turkey cannon. Made by Camp Chef, known for their Cast Iron ware. 

It cooks the Turkey quite a bit faster than conventional methods and applies heat to the inside as well as the outside of the bird, which reduces the time the bird is in the danger zone.
Whether or not it improves the moistness or flavour I don't know. 

Spatchcocking is a really good method also, anything to get the bird up to temp faster is a plus.

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/te...set=ISO-8859-1


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## pignit (Nov 24, 2009)

Why? From what I understand.... if the bird hasn't been injected or the meat punctured, there should be no reason to rush the bird to temp. I understand wanting higher temps for poultry to crisp the skin up but I am not understanding this rush to get a turkey up to temp any faster than what we get a ham or a butt up to temp or what the problem is with smoking a large bird. I'm not trying to get any controversy started.. don't want that at all.... just want to understand the why thing here.


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## raceyb (Nov 24, 2009)

I wouldn't recommend it unless you have been smoking for some time and know what you are doing. The founder of the forums recommends 10-12 lb birds on average.


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## ronp (Nov 24, 2009)

I guess I might as well chime in also. I think there is so much mis information going on with Thanksgiving,  I understand being cautious but common sense should play in here.

As far as spatchcock I feel that anytime you pierce the skin you are gonna lose the juices.

I split a breast a while ago and it was dry. I did the other half in the crock pot, no kidding, me, and a crock pot?
Yeppers.

I agree with Dave and Alex, just be safe and enjoy.


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## raceyb (Nov 24, 2009)

The difference between the whole pig and a big turkey is salmonella, which is common in poultry. It multiplies quickly and is killed only if it reaches 165 degrees. It lives in the intestinal tract of birds and can cross contaminate other meats and fruits and vegetables.

Because a turkey is considered done at that temp, it is very important to make sure that teh thickest part of the breast reaches 165 and the thigh as well. You may have to foil tent the breast to prevent over cooking while finishing up the dark meat.

A pig can be cooked to a higher temperature and still not be dry because it is not as lean as the poultry.


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## raceyb (Nov 24, 2009)

Wasn't the skin cut when the head was chopped off and the bird gutted?


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## alx (Nov 24, 2009)

So a turkey is thicker then a pig.Every case of salmoonella i know of was from the factory-lately.Improper handling.When was the last case of triconelma(speeling) in a pig.This was old days when everyone fed pigs, SLOP.Sleeping with the pigs was an old saying.

I have met/know folk who love wild poultry and pig....Deer,elk.

I understand a forum protecting folk,but Dave raises a good point for folk who have some experience.... Play it safe etc...


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## ronp (Nov 24, 2009)

Not to the extent of spatchcoking. Compare apples with apples, not appels and oranges.


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## raceyb (Nov 24, 2009)

It doesn't matter. Spatchcocking doesn't cause poultry to dry out. Over cooking does. I'm not sure where you are getting your apples and oranges, but this is the thrird thread that you have come behind me and and attempted to detract from my opinion or advice.  What's up?


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## meateater (Nov 24, 2009)

? what is the math on safe temp on poultry from the fridge? I have a 20 # bird and dont want any problems.


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## raceyb (Nov 24, 2009)

I'm sure someone that advocates smoking a bird that big will be happy to give you advice.


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## alx (Nov 24, 2009)

WTF.....Open forum...


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## pignit (Nov 24, 2009)

_Salmonella_ is the name of a group of bacteria. _Salmonella_ occurs in raw poultry, eggs, beef, and sometimes on unwashed fruit and vegetables. Salmonella comes from feces. It isn't in the whole muscle of any animal unless introduced. Salmonella on the surface of a pig that has been injected and the internal muscle meat is compromised... will make you just as sick as salmonella that comes from the intestinal track of a turkey. There is a more likely chance that a turkey may be harboring the salmonella bacteria, but if handled properly.... would be no more of a cause of salmonella than a properly handled piece of pork. 


I understand, but what does this have to do with smoking a large turkey?

I still don't see where the threat of Salmonella is an answer to why you can't smoke a large turkey safely.


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## meateater (Nov 24, 2009)

Thanks Ron! Thats what I was looking for. :) I want to keep big bird whole!


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## raceyb (Nov 24, 2009)

You can if you can keep the temperature up and get the bird out of the zone fast enough. It's simple really, the forum rules advise against giving advice that could get newbies into trouble. 

Advocating that smoking a 26 lb bird OK is going to get newbies into trouble. If not, why would Jeff recommend a Turkey up to 12 lbs and that's it? Because he doesn't want to be liable for anyone getting sick.

We had this discussion with cooked bird and everyone was all onboard with safety and handling. It seems in this thread, caution is being tossed into the wind.


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## pignit (Nov 24, 2009)

Ok.... you just went full circle on me. That's my question and if you don't have an answer that's cool. Maybe someone else that reads the thread will be able to answer it for me. Your statement works for any piece of meat your gonna smoke. I'm asking...... is there some difference in the density... etc.... that makes getting turkey meat into the safety zone harder or longer than getting beef or pork to the safety zone?


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## raceyb (Nov 24, 2009)

Oh wow, I'm sorry, I thought I understood your question earlier, but now I do perfectly well. I don't have an answer for that. I looked and did some Googling and don't see anything indicating cell structure or density of the meat having anything to do with it.

Maybe someone else can come up with the science behind it?


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## alx (Nov 24, 2009)

Yep............What science are you takling about!!!...Experience counts.

What science backs up your original posts....


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## meateater (Nov 24, 2009)

I'm going to bed, reminds me of going hogging! ;) Night yall !


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## pineywoods (Nov 24, 2009)

http://origin-www.fsis.usda.gov/PDF/...nd_Poultry.pdf


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## meateater (Nov 24, 2009)

Thank you!


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## raceyb (Nov 24, 2009)

I'm not using any science to back up a post. Now that I understand his original question asking about cell structure or meat density, I stated I don't know and maybe someone can come up with the science behind it.

What original post needs backing up?


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## pignit (Nov 24, 2009)

Thanks Jerry.... I've seen that read. The thread started with the question of smoking a 26 pound bird and there seems to be a general concensus that you should avoid the larger bird and stay with the smaller bird for safety reasons. I've researched and researched and I'm not finding anything to actually substantiate that opinion and was hoping someone could enlighten me with an answer. I've not seen anything giving a size limit on safely smokin a bird. I would like to understand the logic in suggesting that a large bird can't be smoked safely in the 250 degree range or that large turkeys should be avoided because of a safety issue.


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## raceyb (Nov 24, 2009)

I got it from this URL here...

http://www.smoking-meat.com/smoking-turkey.html


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## pineywoods (Nov 24, 2009)

I will find it again if you would like Dave but the USDA says not to smoke larger birds because you can't get them through the danger zone fast enough. I read it on their site today. Of course there temps are in the 225-250 range or at least thats what the article I was reading stated.
As for the whole pig I know lots of people that do them but I don't think the USDA would approve the procedure smoking them at 225-250 either for the same reason as the turkey not getting it through the danger zone fast enough. That being said I have never seen an article from the USDA on smoking a whole pig


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## pignit (Nov 24, 2009)

I give... Uncle!


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## luvdatritip (Nov 24, 2009)

http://origin-www.fsis.usda.gov/Fact...utes/index.asp

6th item from the top is about smoking turkeys. The temp they mention is 225-300 degrees. Not sure if this is the same article.


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## pineywoods (Nov 24, 2009)

Here is another article read about grilling then remember they figure smoking is at lower temps than grilling

http://origin-www.fsis.usda.gov/Fact...utes/index.asp

I personally would not recommend smoking a turkey that size its just easier and safer to get two smaller ones


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## pignit (Nov 24, 2009)

Especially since you are new to smokin.... I'd go with the 2-13 pounders. Get some smoke time under your belt and then tackle the big bird. The advice here is excellent. Larger bird equals hotter smoke and carerful monitoring of internal temps to make sure you are out of the danger zone in time. Regardless of what your smoking, safety in what your serving or eatin yourself is the bottom line. Never take chances. Let us know how it turns out and don't forget to take pictures.


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