+1
2-3 hrs on the smoker…then into the oven until the internal temp reaches 170F.
Cool. That is what I will do. I have a 9.5 lb turkey. Thinking about smoking it for 8 hours and then ramping the temp up to 400 in the oven to crisp the skin. Think that will be ok?
Depending on what temps you do 8 hours could be a long time. I would check internal temps throughout that time period, more towards the end. You don’t want to dry it out, and if temps are higher than expected you may get the thing done sooner than that.
But otherwise, smoking, then finishing in a hot oven should work fine…I’ve done that for a lot of stuff.
I’m pretty handy with smoking Chickens and Que - shouldn’t be a problem. I just have never smoked a turkey before, so I’m a little more nervous. Usually when I do Que (pulled pork) if it takes too long I put it in the oven, but with Chicken it never is a problem. Hopefully it will be about as simple with the turkey.
Just keep monitoring the temp every 1-2 hrs as it smokes. You might be surprised as it may be finished on the smoker before 8 hrs.
How did that turkey come out?
My sister ruined the roasted turkey she made. Dried out mess it was. yuck.
Oh well, next year it is at my house, I will insist.
It was drier than I had hoped - not so dry you couldn’t eat it but not perfect either. I had a hard time getting the internal temp past 150 and was running out of time and slapped it in the oven, which pushed it over the edge. SHould have just built the fire on the smoker up one more time. Luckily my MiL brought a turkey she had roasted and it was good this year for a change.
OTOH I made some hot turkey open faced sandwiches on some good french bread for dinner with the smoked turkey and left over gravy last night and they were great!
Next time you smoke a turkey or pork. Brine it for a longer time. Also get one of those brine injectors (looks like a big hypodermic needle), even the cheap plastic ones work well. Works great for smoking the turkey and for just roasting it. A good brine infused meat will be juicy every time. Even if it gets a little over done.
Also another thing that works well is to cook the bird breast down. This because the parts of the bird that yeild the most juice are on the back. The back bone, the wings and thighs. The fats and juices of this part of the bird will drip down through the breats meat while cooking.
Then for the last third of the cooking time. Baste baste and baste.
We all have a year to practice before next TG. ;D
Interesting idea…I may have to give that a try sometime.
If you try it, oil the bird well with some veg oil and oild the roaster pan. This helps keep the skin on the breast from sticking and tearing off.
I usually roast it two thirds of the time breast down covered in foil or lid then uncover it turn it back over to brown the skin on the breast for the last third of the cooking time. Works great for chicken too.
Or just spatchcock the bird across the breast.
There is a famous Georgian dish that is made with ether turkey or chicken. It is marinated in a mixture of olive oil, grape seed oil with garlic, herbs, spices and chopped walnuts. It is semi de-boned, spachcocked and splayed out with several skewers prior to the marinade. Then it is slow grilled high on the fire till golden brown. You have to be careful not to burn your nuts.