Set the smoker to 225° F. Place the turkey on a cooking rack and cook for 8 to 12 hours or until the inner thigh temperature reaches 180° F. Check the temperature of your turkey after 3½ hours. Your turkey must pass through a critical range of 40° F to 140° F in 4 hours or less.
How long does it take to smoke a 12 pound turkey at 225 degrees?
If you are smoking a turkey breast, prepare your smoker to 225 degrees Fahrenheit and smoke for 30 minutes per pound.
How long does it take to smoke a turkey 20 lb turkey?
10-12 hours
Generally, though, you should allow for about 30-40 minutes of smoking per pound. So, if you have a 20-pound turkey, it’ll probably take 10-12 hours to completely smoke it. You should always determine doneness by internal temperature and not by time.
How long does it take to smoke a 12 lb turkey?
It takes about 3 ½ hours to smoke a 10-12lb turkey but checking the internal temps is key. It has to hit at least 165 in the breast and 175 in the thigh.
How long does it take to smoke a 12 to 15 pound turkey?
Typically, it takes at least 6 hours to smoke an average sized turkey at 250 degrees F. Plan on having your turkey cook for about 30 minutes per pound.
Is it better to smoke a turkey at 225 or 250?
Turkey can be smoked at a smoker temperature as low as 225 degrees, but it’s much quicker if smoked at 275-300 degrees, or even higher. When smoking at a lower temperature you’re looking at more time in the smoker, but that means the turkey could potentially have a richer smoke flavor.
When smoking a turkey do you flip it?
Cook the bird upside down, meaning the breast meat down, then flip it halfway through based on your estimation. If you are using a kettle and have all of your charcoal on one side of the grill, you will also want to rotate the turkey when you flip it so that it doesn’t overcook on one side.
How do you keep a turkey moist while smoking?
My solution is to smoke the turkey directly on the grill grates, with a roasting pan filled with 1″ water underneath the grates, about 3-4 inches from the meat. This will keep the cooking environment moist but let the turkey get evenly crisp on the outside.
Is it OK to smoke a 20 pound turkey?
For a faster cooking time, you can smoke at 250 or even 275 degrees, but for a regular-sized turkey, we like 225 for about 30 minutes per pound. In fact, it might be best to avoid smoking big birds (say, 20 pounds), because the increased time required could increase your risk of the bacteria issues we noted above.
Should you smoke a turkey low and slow?
At What Temperature Should You Smoke Turkey? For this recipe, you’ll preheat your smoker to 225 to 250 degrees F. Low and slow smoking ensures a juicy texture and perfect flavor.
Can you smoke turkey too long?
Supplies Needed for a Smoked Turkey
The reason I recommend avoiding smoking a turkey over 15 pounds is that it can take too long to cook. Your bird will be sitting in the food safety danger zone between 40-140 degrees F for too long, and you risk bacteria overgrowing and spoiling your turkey before it is finished.
Can I smoke a 15 pound turkey?
For turkey, safe internal temperature is 165°F. Can I smoke turkey that is bigger than 15lbs? It is not recommended to smoke a turkey that is much bigger that 15 lbs, especially up to 20 lbs. This is because of a much longer cooking time and a higher chance of having bacteria issues.
What is the best temp to smoke a turkey?
Set the smoker to 225° F. Place the turkey on a cooking rack and cook for 8 to 12 hours or until the inner thigh temperature reaches 180° F. Check the temperature of your turkey after 3½ hours. Your turkey must pass through a critical range of 40° F to 140° F in 4 hours or less.
Should I wrap a turkey in foil when smoking?
At this point, Heilig said over-smoking could result in a dry turkey. He wraps the turkey in heavy duty aluminum foil and finishes the cooking in the smoker until the turkey’s internal temperature reaches 165 degrees. Once the turkey is cooked through, allow it to rest for five to 10 minutes before carving.
Does smoked turkey look pink?
Meat and poultry grilled or smoked outdoors can also look pink, even when cooked to 165 °F. There may be a pink-colored rim about one-half inch wide around the outside of the cooked meat. The meat of commercially smoked turkeys is usually pink because it is prepared with natural smoke and liquid smoke flavor.
Should I use a water pan when smoking a turkey?
Tips For Using a Water Pan When Smoking a Turkey
In cold weather, a water pan filled with boiling hot water can help maintain the smoker temperature, plus it gets the temperature up quickly for a fast start. This is especially helpful if your smoker can’t quite do the job when it’s cold outside.
Is it better to smoke a turkey fast or slow?
Allow enough time and smoke hotter than usual
Cooking low and slow will result in rubbery skin that is unpleasant to eat. Keep your smoker between 275 – 350°F, but if it dips higher or lower it’s not a huge deal. Just make sure it doesn’t stay that way for too long.
How do you get crispy skin on smoked turkey?
Turn the heat up to at least 350°F at the end of smoking. If you cook a turkey low and slow until finished, it will have rubbery skin. Do you baste a turkey while smoking? You can baste or spritz with chicken broth while smoking the turkey to help keep it moist as well as help crisp up that skin.
How long do I cook at 20 lb turkey at 225?
At 225 degrees, a 20-pound turkey should cook at a rate of 30 to 40 minutes per pound. If you increase the temperature to 250, it will take 25 to 30 minutes per pound. It’s best to keep the smoker temperature above 225 when smoking a bird this large.
Should a turkey be breast up or down in a smoker?
Whether you’re using a smoker or a grill, have the bird breast side up. Insert a digital probe meat thermometer, if you have one, into the thickest part of the breast or thigh.
What’s the best wood to use to smoke a turkey?
Hickory is a classic hard wood choice for smoking turkey for several reasons. It has a distinct flavor that is robust and very forward and is familiar to those who enjoy smoky flavors. Maple wood gives off a sweeter smoke and can add a lovely golden hue to anything you smoke with it.