I have a large turkey I want to smoke.
How large you ask?
About 45 lbs... ;D
My question is...how long do I keep the coals going under him?
Trying to keep it around 250 degrees in the bird part of the smoker, probably about 10-12 hours!
Quote from: Speedbag on August 16, 2011, 02:53:48 PM
Trying to keep it around 250 degrees in the bird part of the smoker, probably about 10-12 hours!
That's all?
Easily done. [thumbsup]
If I do it colder and give it much longer will it be OK?
Hey, hold my beer and watch me cut this turkey in half at 60 mph with my Arai!! [thumbsup] [beer] [popcorn]
Quote from: fastwin on August 16, 2011, 03:01:09 PM
Hey, hold my beer and watch me cut this turkey in half at 60 mph with my Arai!! [thumbsup] [beer] [popcorn]
This is a non-violent turkey. ;)
Putting it into a smoker filled with hot coals isn't exactly friendly [laugh]... but it damn sure sounds real tasty! [thumbsup] [popcorn] [bacon]
Quote from: ducpainter on August 16, 2011, 02:57:24 PM
If I do it colder and give it much longer will it be OK?
How much colder? I wouldn't go much below 200 myself. You want an internal temp of about 170 when it's done, FYI.
Brine it first for 24 hours - it will be much juicier. And be sure to have a water pan in there too.
That's a big-ass bird.....
My brine: to each quart of water needed to immerse, add 1/3 cup pickling salt, 1/3 cup brown sugar, 1 teaspoon black pepper, 1 teaspoon minced garlic.
A turkey that big is going to be difficult IMO to get cooked well all the way through. I have a hard enough time getting the dark meat on chickens up to a palatable temperature (180ish) in a 220 smoker for 8 hours.
mitt
45 pounds :o Moby Turkey! Is that including head guts and feathers or dressed weight? Anyway, figure about 20 minutes per pound for a dressed, brined bird, then test. You want the internal temp of 180o.
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20081125115003AAUK5Gg (http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20081125115003AAUK5Gg)
Same weight and everything! [laugh]
Well, except for the smoking part.
I think the answer is until the breast meat reaches the 150s or higher - it is actually safe if it does not hit 165 (you'll have to keep it in the 150s for a few minutes) but the texture of the meat may not be too appealing to most. Check out page 5
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/OPPDE/rdad/FSISNotices/RTE_Poultry_Tables.pdf (http://www.fsis.usda.gov/OPPDE/rdad/FSISNotices/RTE_Poultry_Tables.pdf)
There is probably at temperature at which no matter how long you keep the bird in the smoker, the internal bits will never get cooked. I would probably start with 250-300 adjust from there? I would suggest spatchcocking the thing - I have had good luck with this cooking dark meat to dark meat temps, white meat to white meat temps in the oven, at least. You are in uncharted turkey territory, good luck with it.
Quote from: howie on August 16, 2011, 09:15:25 PM
45 pounds :o Moby Turkey! Is that including head guts and feathers or dressed weight? Anyway, figure about 20 minutes per pound for a dressed, brined bird, then test. You want the internal temp of 180o.
That's dressed.
It took two of us to handle him live. :P
Thanks everyone.
I think maybe I'll put him in the smoker for a while and then the oven
Quote from: Speedbag on August 16, 2011, 03:21:46 PM
How much colder? I wouldn't go much below 200 myself. You want an internal temp of about 170 when it's done, FYI.
Brine it first for 24 hours - it will be much juicier. And be sure to have a water pan in there too.
That's a big-ass bird.....
+1...but I'd aim for about 210-220 for 12 hours....
Where the hell do you find a 45 lbs turkey? Them birds be hitting the juice!!
Quote from: duccarlos on August 17, 2011, 07:56:56 AM
Where the hell do you find a 45 lbs turkey? Them birds be hitting the juice!!
It was a custom build job.
I'd remove the breasts (bone-in ofcourse) from the legs/thighs, brine them like Speedbag said, then smoke them. That way you can remove the white/dark meat separately when they're done.
It should also help with space. 45 lbs! :o
Quote from: duccarlos on August 17, 2011, 07:56:56 AM
Where the hell do you find a 45 lbs turkey? Them birds be hitting the juice!!
I found him in the turkey coop behind the barn.
How long to keep the coals underneath?
no time at all....coals should be on the other side 8)
I have used this recipe several times with great results-
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/neelys/smoked-turkey-with-bbq-gravy-recipe/index.html (http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/neelys/smoked-turkey-with-bbq-gravy-recipe/index.html)
i dont make the bbq gravy.
i half the salt in the brine so the skin doesnt get too salty
plus the brine has bourbon and brown sugar in it [thumbsup]
6(ish) hours @225 with a bone in breast(10-15lbs), cover with foil about 1/2 way through so the skin doesnt burn
have done it in the bbq and using the side box...both worked
agree with speedbag on the brine, water pan and temp.
Quote from: ducpainter on August 17, 2011, 09:50:04 AM
I found him in the turkey coop behind the barn.
Is that coop kinda like the gym that Drago used in Rocky 4? Super high tech coop where they inject turkeys with roids.
Quote from: duccarlos on August 17, 2011, 07:38:54 PM
Is that coop kinda like the gym that Drago used in Rocky 4? Super high tech coop where they inject turkeys with roids.
Nah...
he got a stay of execution last fall.
It isn't common to keep them over a year.
Let us know if roids filled turkeys taste better than Rocky Balboa size turkeys.
Quote from: duccarlos on August 17, 2011, 07:59:19 PM
Let us know if roids filled turkeys taste better than Rocky Balboa size turkeys.
no roids bro...
just clean country livin'...
and probably $200 worth of grain [laugh]
That grain was juiced!
FRY IT!
FRY IT!!
FRY IT!!!
Quote from: donzo on August 18, 2011, 12:28:16 PM
FRY IT!
FRY IT!!
FRY IT!!!
I suspect they don't make a
pot vat big enough for to do that with this kind of bird in this particular case...
Hollowed out oil drum?
Quote from: donzo on August 18, 2011, 12:42:48 PM
Hollowed out oil drum?
yeah, but balancing that on a burner assembly and filled with highly flammable oil may seem too much akin to a "hold my beer and watch this" moment...
unless it is done as a celebratory fire starter at DIMBY!
Quote from: zooom on August 18, 2011, 12:38:12 PM
I suspect they don't make a pot vat big enough for to do that with this kind of bird in this particular case...
Who is this "they" you speak of?
To fry a turkey that big you don't rely on the The Man to build you a big enough pot.
You become The Man and build your own.
Quote from: Drunken Monkey on August 18, 2011, 12:57:39 PM
Who is this "they" you speak of?
To fry a turkey that big you don't rely on the The Man to build you a big enough pot.
You become The Man and build your own.
too much effort to fry just 1 bird (IMHO-think instant gratification here-which drove he point of frying a turkey in the 1st place)....now...if you were breeding a whole slew of em....that is a whole horse of a different color.
Brined, smoked bird is gooder anyway. [drool]
For a bird that size, I would strip the breasts, separate the sticks, thighs and wings and smoke the pieces individually. That way you can staggar pulling the parts off due to varying levels of doneness.
Not as romantic as doing the entire bird but might make for a better finished product. Throw a pork butt in the smoker while your at it! It will disappear!
Quote from: rgramjet on August 18, 2011, 02:10:18 PM
For a bird that size, I would strip the breasts, separate the sticks, thighs and wings and smoke the pieces individually. That way you can staggar pulling the parts off due to varying levels of doneness.
Quote from: Triple J on August 17, 2011, 09:47:36 AM
I'd remove the breasts (bone-in ofcourse) from the legs/thighs, brine them like Speedbag said, then smoke them. That way you can remove the white/dark meat separately when they're done.
[thumbsup]
You my friend, are a frickin genius!! [thumbsup]
All those excellent suggestions sound like waaaaay too much work.
The bird will go in the smoker whole and will be finished in the oven to make sure it reaches a safe temp. ;D
There will be plenty. ;)
Stop by.
I want a before and after pic of this 45 lb creature.
Quote from: rgramjet on August 19, 2011, 04:09:14 AM
I want a before and after pic of this 45 lb creature.
+1
Quote from: rgramjet on August 19, 2011, 04:09:14 AM
I want a before and after pic of this 45 lb creature.
Kinda late for a true 'before' pic. He was in the process of coming back from a molt so he cleaned up real good.
I'll get some pics of it when I put it in the smoker.
What will you do with the gizzards?
Quote from: rgramjet on August 19, 2011, 04:14:14 AM
What will you do with the gizzards?
My buddy took the heart.
I have the liver, gizzard, and neck...not planning on gravy.
Any suggestions?
Yes, a small saute pan, butter, salt and pepper. The cooks gotta eat! Might have to butterfly the actual gizzard or even steak it! They take forever to cook.
Quote from: rgramjet on August 19, 2011, 04:37:39 AM
Yes, a small saute pan, butter, salt and pepper. The cooks gotta eat! Might have to butterfly the actual gizzard or even steak it! They take forever to cook.
It's already butterflied...easiest way to clean it.
I'll give it a try.
Thanks.
Quote from: rgramjet on August 19, 2011, 04:09:14 AM
I want a before and after pic of this 45 lb creature.
+2
Be sure to throw something in for scale so we can see how huge this thing really is! :)
Quote from: ducpainter on August 19, 2011, 04:24:57 AM
I have the liver, gizzard, and neck...not planning on gravy.
Any suggestions?
Let it sit out for a day, then go try and catch a catfish with it?
Quote from: Triple J on August 19, 2011, 08:03:43 AM
+2
Be sure to throw something in for scale so we can see how huge this thing really is! :)
Check out the dimby thread.
It was the biggest turkey I've ever seen on my life.
Quote from: Monsterlover on August 21, 2011, 07:53:14 PM
Check out the dimby thread.
It was the biggest turkey I've ever seen on my life.
yeah me too...
it looked like fred flinstones' dinner [laugh]