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7 replies

Cooking Times and Temp

T timcomerMember
OK, here goes. Decided to try an “enhanced” Butterball turkey in my SM 25. No brining for this first attempt. Bird was 20 pounds, but we had it in the freezer and I cooked it. Due to it's size, I set the smoker at 275 degrees. In two hours, the breast was done, but the thigh area still said 145 degrees. Another hour and a half brought the thigh area up to 170 degrees. So in three and a half hours, this thing was done, but the breast was dry.

Now then, did I cook at too high a temp? I never dreamed of this big bird getting done that fast. Does heat concentrate at the top of the SM 25? Just trying to figure out why the top half of the bird got done so fast as compare to the bottom. Any help would be appreciated. And I'll not buy another bird this big. Even if it is on sale.
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T timcomerMember
Bird was placed in the smoker breast up. No brining as this was an enhanced turkey. It was bought before I got the smoker. After two hours, I sprayed the turkey with butter flavored cooking spray to help keep it moist as the breast meat had already come up to temp. I also did this at the three hour mark also. It would have been hard to cut this bird up and cook it all at once. I would've had to do that in different batches.

If I had any idea the bird would cook this quick, I would have started at a lower temperature. Heck, I even tied the wings together to get it in there. But I didn't want to stay in the danger zone too long. This bird was cold when I stuck it in the smoker. It had already reached 113 degrees in one hour.
P pagsMember
The problem is when the thighs get to temp, often times the breast dries out. The answer is brining as it gives the breast a lot more leeway while cooking those thighs.

I love spatchcocking poultry. Tends to cook more evenly. Would a spatchcocked 20 lb bird fit into an 025? Might have to split it and cook on 2 shelves. Still might not fit unless cooked whole on the bottom shelf.
cal 2cal 2Member
When you say "enhanced", how much are we talking? If less then 18%, I'd still brine it. Yep, might even put a little tender quick in it for a bird that big.

I like to cook 13lbers on the bottom shelf. One thing a fella has to watch is the internal temp probe coming into contact with the turkey, yeah experience can be a teacher on this.

You can always put an ice bag on the breast all night in the frig, if you need some help in taking longer for the breast to cook.
T timcomerMember
I can't remember the percentage of the Butterball “moisture method”. Trust me, after reading turkey 101, I'll not be buying one this big again.

I think what threw me was I “sacrificed” a big chicken as the first test of the smoker. That took over 4 hours at 225 degrees. Came out great. I never dreamed this would cook so quick. I had holes all over it from poking it with a temp guage as I just couldn't believe my Cookshack temp probe. But it pretty much matched the mechanical one. All those holes didn't help matters either.

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