Smoking a Turkey

Unknown

I planned on smoking a Turkey tomorrow, but now we're expecting more people. My question is -- do you think I can smoke 2 birds (approx. 15 lbs each)? If so, will it affect the cooking time. The BGE Recipe I have suggests about 6 hours for smoking a 14# bird.[p]One last question. I do have run of the mill "chips", but yesterday I was at a meat locker that had nice apple, pecan, walnut "chunks". How do I use these bigger pieces -- soak like the chips? Thanks!

fishlessman

Mark Weber,
sounds like you have the smoked turkey buzzard recipe. i like the recipe but not the cooking directions. its much better cooked between 325 to 350 degrees and its done when the breast temp is 162-165. figure more like 15 minutes per pound and start checking at 12 minutes a pound. do a search for mad max turkey. it has all the directions for the tuekey as well as the gravy

Wise One

As for the chunks, yes soak them a bit (30 minutes will do) and then place them just off the hottest spot on the fire. They will give you much longer smoke than the little chips that burn up in about 5 minutes. I use a chunk of pecan with my turkeys and it really adds a nice flavor. I learned something last night on one of the food channel shows. Pecans (and hickory nuts and I asume walnuts) are fruits more related to peaches and plums than they are to true nuts (like acorns). Apparently if the nut has an outer soft covering then it is actually a fruit. It's just in some fruits we eat what is inside the seed (like pecans) while in other fruits we eat the soft covering (like peaches)