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COLD water turkey thawing time
Turkey weight
Hours to allow for thawing
8 to 12 pounds
4 to 6 hours
12 to 16 pounds
6 to 8 hours
The third safe method for thawing a turkey is in the microwave. Follow the manufacturer’s direc-
tions, and roast the turkey immediately after thawing. Make sure that you have removed all the gib-
lets and gizzards from the turkey, as well as the plastic pop-up thermometer.
Bring on the Brine
Brining is not an essential part of smoking a turkey, but most people agree that soaking in a brine
gives their smoked meat maximum flavor and juiciness. Brine is a mixture of water and salt, and
usually sugar or honey as well. Many brine recipes also include a variety of spices. A whole turkey
can take up to 24 hours of brining, so plan ahead! After you remove your turkey from the brine and
are ready to smoke it, rinse it thoroughly in cool water to remove excess salt, and then drain it and
pat the bird dry with paper towels.
Rub It with Spice
(You don’t rub it. Sprinkle it on)
For evenly browned skin, rub the entire bird, in and out, with oil or butter. To add extra flavor, you
can also massage the turkey with a dry rub right before smoking, Keep in mind that, if you have
brined the turkey, you should not use any salt in the dry seasoning mixture, or your turkey will taste
far too salty to eat! Unfortunately, stuffing a smoked turkey is not recommended. If you've got
your heart set on stuffing, you can make it separately in the oven.
You Can't Rush a Good Thing
Although smoking a turkey is pretty easy, it takes time. With your smoker running at 225° F, the
turkey will need about 50 minutes per pound to cook to perfection. So, a 12-pound bird needs at
least 10 hours, and even more if the smoker is at a lower temperature. ]
Give yourself plenty of time!
When the smoker is cleaned and ready with
foil on the floor, (don’t forget to put your fin-
ger through the drain hole) place the oiled and
seasoned turkey directly on the center rack
breast-side up. Close the smoker door, and set
your temperature. Avoid opening the smoker
too often because you will lose heat and in-
crease the cooking time. Using the "50 min-
utes per pound" rule, calculate how long the
turkey will take, and start checking the temperature at the end of this time. Insert the meat ther-
mometer deep into the thigh, being careful not to touch the bone or joints. When the thermometer
reads 180°F , pull it out of the smoker, let it rest 15 minutes, and then serve.
Note
: Your customers may think the turkey is raw if they've never encountered smoked turkey be-
fore. The white meat has a pinkish hue although it is cooked all the way through.