{"id":250,"date":"2013-12-24T18:06:47","date_gmt":"2013-12-25T00:06:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/justinparrtech.com\/JustinParr-Tech\/?p=250"},"modified":"2020-11-30T16:37:46","modified_gmt":"2020-11-30T22:37:46","slug":"how-to-smoke-a-turkey","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/justinparrtech.com\/JustinParr-Tech\/how-to-smoke-a-turkey\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Smoke a Turkey"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><em>I get asked about this all the time, so here are some instructions and tips<\/em><\/p>\n<p><!--more Click here to read more!--><br \/>\n<em>Note:\u00a0 All temperatures are in degrees Fahrenheit.<\/em><\/p>\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_81 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\"><p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<\/div><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/justinparrtech.com\/JustinParr-Tech\/how-to-smoke-a-turkey\/#selecting-and-preparing-the-turkey\" >Selecting and Preparing the Turkey<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/justinparrtech.com\/JustinParr-Tech\/how-to-smoke-a-turkey\/#stuffing-and-sides\" >Stuffing and Sides<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/justinparrtech.com\/JustinParr-Tech\/how-to-smoke-a-turkey\/#selecting-the-wood\" >Selecting the Wood<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/justinparrtech.com\/JustinParr-Tech\/how-to-smoke-a-turkey\/#preparing-the-water-pan\" >Preparing the Water Pan<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/justinparrtech.com\/JustinParr-Tech\/how-to-smoke-a-turkey\/#a-word-on-smokers\" >A Word on Smokers<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/justinparrtech.com\/JustinParr-Tech\/how-to-smoke-a-turkey\/#setting-up-a-water-vertical-smoker\" >Setting Up a Water (Vertical) Smoker<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/justinparrtech.com\/JustinParr-Tech\/how-to-smoke-a-turkey\/#setting-up-an-offset-smoker\" >Setting Up an Offset Smoker<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/justinparrtech.com\/JustinParr-Tech\/how-to-smoke-a-turkey\/#stages-of-cooking-and-timeline\" >Stages of Cooking and Timeline<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/justinparrtech.com\/JustinParr-Tech\/how-to-smoke-a-turkey\/#summary\" >Summary<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"selecting-and-preparing-the-turkey\"><\/span>Selecting and Preparing the Turkey<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><strong style=\"line-height: 1.5em;\">&#8211; Cook two smaller turkeys, instead of one big one.<\/strong><span style=\"line-height: 1.5em;\">\u00a0 This requires less cooking time, there is slightly more dark meat (as well as four drumsticks instead of two), each smaller bird is easier to manipulate than one big one.\u00a0 Also, &#8220;leftovers&#8221; are a lot easier, since you will probably have a fractional part of one SMALL bird to deal with instead of one LARGE one.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>&#8211; Don&#8217;t stuff the turkey.<\/strong>\u00a0 Stuffing makes it extremely difficult to bring the core up to the 165-degree minimum safe temperature.\u00a0 The stuffing will cook unevenly, the breast will be dry, and you could inadvertently kill someone with salmonella poisoning.\u00a0 Cook the stuffing separately.<br \/>\n<a style=\"line-height: 1.5em;\" href=\"http:\/\/www.foodsafety.gov\/keep\/charts\/mintemp.html\">http:\/\/www.foodsafety.gov\/keep\/charts\/mintemp.html<\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong style=\"line-height: 1.5em;\">&#8211; Don&#8217;t brine, rub.<\/strong><span style=\"line-height: 1.5em;\">\u00a0 Make a salt-based dry rub.\u00a0 I usually apply mine at the time I put the bird in the smoker, but some people apply a dry rub up to 2 days in advance.\u00a0 Pepper, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, basil, rosemary, chilli powder, fennel, citrus zest, and red pepper flakes are all good dry rub ingredients &#8212; a good rule of thumb for a poultry rub is 1\/2 salt, 1\/2 &#8220;everything else&#8221;, to your liking.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><em>Example dry rub:<\/em><br \/>\n&#8212; 1\/4 cup salt<br \/>\n&#8212; 1 Tbsp\u00a0 ground pepper<br \/>\n&#8212; 1 Tbsp paprika<br \/>\n&#8212; 1 tsp\u00a0 garlic powder<br \/>\n&#8212; 1 tsp onion powder<br \/>\n&#8212; 2 tsp rosemary<br \/>\n&#8212; 2 tsp chilli powder<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">This is 1\/2 cup total &#8212; plenty for one large or two small birds.\u00a0 Adjust to your liking.<\/p>\n<p><strong>&#8211; DO NOT USE SUGAR &#8211; SUGAR WILL JUST BURN.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>&#8211; Do not use Jelly.<\/strong>\u00a0 Jelly is made with sugar, and sugar will burn.<\/p>\n<p><strong>&#8211; YES, you CAN cook fully frozen.<\/strong> \u00a0Add 4 hours to the timeline for a large bird, 2 for a smaller bird. \u00a0Cut the time in half, for half-defrosted, etc&#8230; \u00a0There is a myth that you must defrost the turkey before cooking &#8212; although more convenient, there is <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">NO DANGER of contamination.<\/span> \u00a0YES, it will take longer, but not much longer. \u00a0Smoking is a much longer process than cooking, meaning, that you are already committed to a much longer timeline than just throwing it in the oven. \u00a0Defrosting on the smoker only takes a few hours, which is a relatively small portion of the overall timeline.<\/p>\n<p><strong>&#8211; Do not rub with butter.<\/strong>\u00a0 Butter has a lot of water in it, which is bad. \u00a0Moist meat doesn&#8217;t have water in it &#8212; moist meat has fat in it. \u00a0Water turns to steam and evaporates, so you want to draw out as much water as possible BEFORE you cook, and then ensure that the meat will soak up as much fat as possible. \u00a0Instead of butter, use a light coating of olive oil.<\/p>\n<p><strong>&#8211; Cook breast-side down.<\/strong>\u00a0 This allows fat from the darker back meat to drip down through the bird, and in to the breasts.\u00a0 This is probably the biggest trick to keeping the turkey moist while smoking.<\/p>\n<p><strong>&#8211; Example Turkey Preparation Instructions:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">&#8212; Put the bird in front of you, breast-side-up<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">&#8212; If there is a turkey timer (small plastic insert) in one of the breasts, remove it and discard, as they are useless.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">&#8212; If the turkey came with any kind of butter or other seasoning packet, or any kind of glaze, discard them.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">&#8212; If thawed, remove the neck and gizzards. \u00a0If frozen, leave &#8220;as-is&#8221; until the bird is melted enough to remove the gizzards (it will be thawed 2-3 hours after you put it on the smoker)<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">&#8212; Splash with some balsamic vinegar<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">&#8212; Coat with a light coating of olive oil<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">&#8212; Apply a liberal coat of dry rub.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">&#8212; FLIP THE BIRD (breast-side-down)<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">&#8212; Splash the back with balsamic vinegar<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">&#8212; Coat with a light coating of olive oil<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">&#8212; Apply a liberal coat of dry rub<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">&#8212; COOK BREAST-SIDE DOWN (See above)<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"stuffing-and-sides\"><\/span>Stuffing and Sides<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>If you have room, you can cook stuffing and other sides on the grill, in the last 2 to 3 hours of cook time (See below for an explanation of the timeline).<\/p>\n<p><strong>&#8211; Cook stuffing separate.<\/strong> \u00a0DO NOT COOK STUFFING INSIDE THE TURKEY. \u00a0This can lead to bacteria leaking in to the stuffing, and you could kill someone.<\/p>\n<p><strong>&#8211; Use glassware or an aluminum pan.<\/strong> \u00a0A better option is to use a glassware (Pyrex or Corningware) casserole dish, or disposable aluminum pan. \u00a0Cooking on a grill or smoker can result in glassware becoming discolored due to the heat and smoke. \u00a0Although it can be cleaned, getting glassware clear again after grilling can be difficult. \u00a0If you either don&#8217;t care, or plan to have a separate set of glassware for grilling, glassware is the best option. \u00a0 A good alternate option is to use a disposable aluminum pan. \u00a0These can be purchased individually or in bulk, in several sizes, inexpensively.<\/p>\n<p><strong>&#8211; Smoke flavor.<\/strong> \u00a0To add some smoke flavor, leave the stuffing or other dish uncovered for all or part of its cook time. \u00a0To avoid smoke flavor (cook or reheat normally), just cover with a glass lid or aluminum foil.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><em>Sides that go well with smoke:<br \/>\n<\/em>&#8212; Green beans<br \/>\n&#8212; Beans<br \/>\n&#8212; Stuffing (light smoke)<br \/>\n&#8212; Potatoes (light smoke)<br \/>\n&#8212; Most meat dishes<br \/>\n&#8212; Some cheese casseroles, such as macaroni and cheese (light smoke)<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"selecting-the-wood\"><\/span>Selecting the Wood<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><em>Note that all of this information is relative to what you can obtain commercially in Dallas, TX.\u00a0 Tips about varieties of wood, or good sources of cooking wood are greatly appreciated.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong>&#8211; Stick with specific varieties.<\/strong>\u00a0 Don&#8217;t burn generic &#8220;fire wood&#8221;, that may contain harmful oils and chemicals.\u00a0 Do not cook with pine!<\/p>\n<p><strong>&#8211; Don&#8217;t burn moldy, mildewed, or rotted wood.<\/strong>\u00a0 Self-explanatory.<\/p>\n<p>&#8211; <strong>Select a sweet, flavorful wood.<\/strong>\u00a0 In general, mesquite, hickory, oak, pecan, apple, and cherry are all good cooking woods.\u00a0 For cooking turkey, in order of preference, I prefer:<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">&#8212; Option 1:\u00a0 Cherry &#8211; very sweet smoke, goes very well with poultry.\u00a0 Cherry is somewhat difficult to get in logs, but can be obtained in chunks.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">&#8212; Option 2:\u00a0 Apple &#8211; almost as sweet as cherry, goes very well with everything.\u00a0 Apple is available in chunks and logs, but logs can be expensive.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">&#8212; Option 3:\u00a0 Pecan &#8211; when burned correctly, produces a light, sweet smoke, and goes very well with everything, especially beef.\u00a0 Pecan is cheap, and easy to obtain in chunks and logs.<\/p>\n<p><strong>&#8211; Get a variety of woods.<\/strong>\u00a0 If you plan to use apple or cherry, these can be more expensive than pecan.\u00a0 You can heat up the cooking chamber with oak or pecan.\u00a0 Likewise, if you have some last minute sides to prepare, pecan can be used to finish.<\/p>\n<p><strong>&#8211; Wood burns hotter than charcoal.<\/strong>\u00a0 In a water smoker, charcoal is adequate to heat up the cooking chamber.\u00a0 Wood should be soaked in water (at least 24 hours soak time), because the wood will burn too quickly, and the cooking chamber will get too hot.\u00a0 In an offset smoker, you probably need wood logs or chunks just to get the cooking chamber up to temperature.<\/p>\n<p><strong>&#8211; If you start frozen<\/strong>, the turkey won&#8217;t absorb any smoke flavor until it starts to thaw (perhaps 1\/2 hour to 1 hour after starting).\u00a0 This might help you plan what wood to use, accordingly &#8212; for example, you could start with pecan, then switch to apple or cherry after the first hour.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"preparing-the-water-pan\"><\/span>Preparing the Water Pan<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><strong>&#8211; Smoke greatly reduces humidity.<\/strong>\u00a0 Using a water pan greatly increases humidity while cooking, and can be used to infuse flavor.\u00a0 In a water smoker, the water pan is absolutely required, in order to regulate temperature and deflect direct heat.<\/p>\n<p><strong>&#8211; Don&#8217;t cook with tap water.\u00a0 Ever.<\/strong>\u00a0 Use filtered or distilled water.\u00a0 If your water smells bad, your food will taste bad.\u00a0 There is fluoride in tap water (and depending on your location, sulfur) and other impurities that will be absorbed in to the turkey.\u00a0\u00a0 The same applies to your potatoes and other side dishes &#8212; they will all taste much better without the &#8220;benefit&#8221; of tap water.\u00a0 You can get a cheap $20 water filter pitcher that uses replaceable filters &#8212; if you don&#8217;t have a tap water filter, this is well worth the investment.<\/p>\n<p><strong>&#8211; If you start frozen,<\/strong> the turkey won&#8217;t absorb any flavor until it starts to defrost &#8212; approximately 1\/2 hour to 1 hour after you start.\u00a0 In this case, start with just plain (filtered!) water.<\/p>\n<p><strong>&#8211; Add alcohol to the water pan.<\/strong>\u00a0 The following alcoholic beverages and distilled spirits can be added to the water pan to greatly enhance flavor.\u00a0 Alcohol evaporates at about 160 degrees, much lower than water, and is easily absorbed in to the meat.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">&#8212; Fruit-flavor-infused vodka.\u00a0 Don&#8217;t use plain vodka &#8212; plain vodka has no flavor, and won&#8217;t add anything to the taste of the meat.<br \/>\n&#8212; Brandy.\u00a0 Brandy is distilled fruit wine.<br \/>\n&#8212; Bourbon.\u00a0 Enough said.<br \/>\n&#8212; Beer.\u00a0 Use something you like to drink.\u00a0 Don&#8217;t use cheap beer (unless you like to drink cheap beer).\u00a0 Lagers work well (most American beers are lagers), as do red \/ brown ales.\u00a0 Stouts have a really intense flavor that might not go well with the delicate flavor of the turkey.<br \/>\n&#8212; Wine.\u00a0 Use something you like to drink.\u00a0 Tend toward something blush or light red, and fruity.\u00a0 White Zinfandel and white Merlot both work well.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">A good rule of thumb is to add 1\/3 alcohol to water.<\/p>\n<p><strong>&#8211; Add spices<\/strong> such as cloves and pepper to the water pan.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"a-word-on-smokers\"><\/span>A Word on Smokers<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>There are four major types of smokers.<\/p>\n<p><strong>&#8211; Electric \/ smokers.<\/strong> \u00a0Electric smokers use an electric heating element, like an electric oven. \u00a0Smoke flavor is added by burning a small amount of wood chips. \u00a0This type of device is more of an oven. \u00a0If you want to cook in an oven, use an oven with liquid smoke, rather than purchase an expensive electric smoker. \u00a0<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">This type of device will not be discussed<\/span>.<\/p>\n<p><strong>&#8211; Pellet smokers.<\/strong> \u00a0Pellet smokers use a timed device to periodically inject compressed pellets or discs (consisting of compressed wood shavings or sawdust) in to a burner, thereby closely regulating the temperature, while maintaining appropriate levels of smoke. \u00a0&#8220;Pellets&#8221; and &#8220;discs&#8221; are available in a wide variety of woods. \u00a0I&#8217;m sure these devices are great, but I have no personal experience with them, <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">so they won&#8217;t be discussed<\/span>.<\/p>\n<p><strong>&#8211; Water (vertical) smokers.<\/strong> \u00a0This type of smoker has a fire pan at the bottom, a water pan above it, and one or more cooking racks above the water pan. \u00a0The water pan is used to regulate the cooking temperature, and deflect direct heat from the fire pan (creating indirect heat). \u00a0You can obtain an inexpensive water smoker for about $60, and requires much less knowledge and experience than an offset smoker, making it a good beginner-level smoker. \u00a0In addition, water smokers require very little maintenance, and last a very long time without rusting. \u00a0Vertical water smokers don&#8217;t have much cooking surface area, but some have multiple racks that can be stacked inside the cooking chamber. \u00a0Even a low-end vertical water smoker has enough room for a 20 lb. turkey, or a small brisket. \u00a0Don&#8217;t expect to smoke a big brisket or a whole rack of ribs without some cutting or twisting involved.<\/p>\n<p><strong>&#8211; Offset smokers.<\/strong> \u00a0Offset smokers have a fire box on one side, coupled to a cooking chamber, with a smoke stack on the opposite end. \u00a0Offset smokers are higher-end, and require more experience and knowledge to operate. \u00a0Offset smokers range from $200 for a low-end model, and up. \u00a0Offset smokers offer a greater cooking surface area, and can be used in most weather conditions (except heavy rain) and temperature ranges. \u00a0Offset smokers are generally preferred by &#8220;professional&#8221; pitmasters, but require more maintenance, and you must have some knowledge of your smoker in order to use it&#8230; meaning, you WILL cook some awful meals while you &#8220;learn&#8221; your smoker. \u00a0Better quality offset smokers require less maintenance, are made from more durable materials (such as thicker metal), hold a more steady temperature, and are larger. \u00a0Some offset smokers are built on top of trucks or trailers, and might be large enough to cook 20 turkeys!<\/p>\n<p><strong>&#8211; Reverse-flow smokers are a type of offset smoker.<\/strong> \u00a0Reverse-flow smokers have a path from the fire box, where the smoke cools and the temperature drops, then the exhaust doubles back at the end of the smoker before passing over the food being cooked. \u00a0Reverse-flow smokers are better suited to cold smoking &#8212; a process that adds smoke flavor, curing the meat without really cooking it. \u00a0Although this type of smoker is great for making sausage and jerky, the goal is to <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">cook<\/span> the turkey, thus <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">we won&#8217;t be discussing reverse-flow smokers<\/span>. \u00a0Reverse-flow smokers look like an offset smoker, except that the fire box and smoke stack are on the same side. \u00a0In a standard offset smoker, the fire box and smoke stack are on opposite sides of the main cooking chamber.<\/p>\n<p><strong>&#8211; Brinkmann&#8217;s &#8220;Smoke&#8217;N Grill&#8221;<\/strong>, a <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">vertical water smoker<\/span>, makes an <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">excellent starter smoker<\/span>:<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.brinkmann.net\/products\/details.aspx?item=810-5301-C\">http:\/\/www.brinkmann.net\/products\/details.aspx?item=810-5301-C<\/a><br \/>\nThese typically sell for about $60, and can be purchased at most hardware stores, department stores, and sporting goods stores.<\/p>\n<p><strong>\u00a0&#8211; Brinkmann&#8217;s &#8220;Smoke&#8217;N Pitt&#8221;<\/strong> is a decent entry-level offset smoker for occasional \/ light use:<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.brinkmann.net\/products\/outdoor_cooking\/charcoal_smokers_and_grills\/details.aspx?item=810-3045-S\">http:\/\/www.brinkmann.net\/products\/details.aspx?item=810-3045-S<\/a><br \/>\nHome Depot sells this for about $180. \u00a0This was my first offset smoker (a hand-me-down from my father-in-law), which I had for quite a few years before it finally rusted through.<\/p>\n<p><strong>&#8211; Oklahoma Joe&#8217;s &#8220;Longhorn&#8221; is what I have today.<\/strong> \u00a0This is sold under the Charbroil label, available at some retail stores for about $500, but worth every penny.<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.charbroil.com\/oklahoma-joe-s-longhorn-offset-smoker.html\">http:\/\/www.charbroil.com\/oklahoma-joe-s-longhorn-offset-smoker.html<\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>&#8211; We will be discussing both water (vertical) and offset smokers.<\/strong><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"setting-up-a-water-vertical-smoker\"><\/span>Setting Up a Water (Vertical) Smoker<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><em>If you are using an offset smoker, skip this section and see below.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>For this section, I&#8217;m assuming the use of a <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Brinkmann &#8220;Smoke&#8217;n Grill&#8221;<\/span> or similar, where there is a fire pan at the bottom, a water pan immediately above, followed by a cooking rack, a second cooking rack near the top, and a domed lid.<\/p>\n<p><strong>&#8211; Use mostly charcoal, with soaked wood chunks.<\/strong> \u00a0This type of smoker doesn&#8217;t have room for big wood logs. \u00a0Further, charcoal maintains a steady, even temperature. \u00a0The best approach is to cook with charcoal, and use water-soaked wood chunks for flavored smoke. \u00a0(See above, &#8220;Selecting the Wood&#8221;). \u00a0You&#8217;ll need one big (20 lb) bag of charcoal, but because your fuel consumption rate may vary, have a 2nd bag on standby. \u00a0I prefer Kingsford, but any standard charcoal will work. \u00a0Don&#8217;t get fancy, but don&#8217;t go cheap. \u00a0The store brand of charcoal is packed too dense, and won&#8217;t burn hot enough. \u00a0&#8220;Fancy&#8221; charcoal, such as flavored or &#8220;natural wood&#8221; charcoal, won&#8217;t add anything. \u00a0You can add all the flavors you want with a combination of wood chunks and a properly prepared water pan. \u00a0(See below, &#8220;Preparing the Water Pan&#8221;)<\/p>\n<p><strong>&#8211; Soak the wood chunks.<\/strong> \u00a0Soak wood chunks for about a day (24+ hours) prior to cooking. \u00a0The easiest way to do this is to use gallon freezer bags. \u00a0Every smoker is different, and other factors such as altitude, temperature, and humidity affect the total amount of fuel required (rate of fuel consumption), but 2 x 1 gallon bags of chunks should be more than sufficient.<\/p>\n<p><strong>&#8211; Plan ahead.<\/strong> \u00a0You will need to add water to the water pan, and charcoal \/ wood to the fire pan. \u00a0There is a small access door, which is wholly impractical for adding water due to the location, and only marginally practical for adding charcoal. \u00a0This means that you will need to completely disassemble and reassemble the smoker at least twice, maybe three times.<\/p>\n<p><strong>&#8211; You need a large, steady, clean, heat-resistant work surface<\/strong>, to set the cooking grid while you add water, or perhaps the grid and the water pan, while you add charcoal. \u00a0One approach is to set out some baking trays or multiple trivets on an outdoor table or folding table.<\/p>\n<p><strong>&#8211; \u00a0You need a fire poker, small fireplace shovel, or other tool<\/strong> for manipulating the charcoal and wood chunks. \u00a0The fire pan is really hot, and you need a way to move stuff around in there, without touching it directly. \u00a0I use a fireplace shovel, and an old pair of long-handled tongs.<\/p>\n<p><strong>&#8211; Pro tip: Remove the clips for the fire pan.<\/strong> \u00a0Remove the lid, cooking grids, water pan, and fire pan. \u00a0Remove the clips where the fire pan normally sits. \u00a0Measure the height from the bottom of your fire pan to the ground, and use a brick or paver stone to hold it at the correct height. \u00a0When cooking, this allows you to pick up the entire assembly by the side handles (minus the floating fire pan) and set it to the side, in order to add charcoal, stoke the fire, add wood, etc&#8230; \u00a0When done, simply pick up the entire assembly and set it back down on top of the fire pan (which is &#8220;floating&#8221; on a brick or paver stone). \u00a0This will save you a ton of time and grief, compared to either disassembling the smoker to add charcoal, or trying to add more charcoal through the narrow side door.<\/p>\n<p><strong>&#8211; Use lighter fluid.<\/strong> \u00a0&#8220;Purists&#8221; say that using lighter fluid makes your food taste like lighter fluid &#8212; if done properly, by the time you start cooking, the lighter fluid will be completely burned. \u00a0Also, remove all cooking surfaces and the lid, that might come in contact with lighter fluid fumes, until the lighter fluid burns off. \u00a0If done properly, YOU CAN NOT TASTE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN FOOD COOKED WITH, VERSUS WITHOUT LIGHTER FLUID. \u00a0Save yourself the hassle, and use it!<\/p>\n<p><strong>&#8211; Cook the turkey on the top rack.<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0The top rack, directly under the dome, is the best place to cook the bird. \u00a0This allows easy access, it&#8217;s easier to lift off of the smoker assembly (to access the water pan or fire pan), and has the best combination of smoke and steam.<\/p>\n<p><strong>&#8211; A smaller smoker<\/strong> like this is suited to cooking <strong>one turkey at a time<\/strong>.\u00a0 If you plan to cook two or more, consider finishing them in the oven in order to decrease end-to-end cook time (the 2nd bird can be smoking while the 1st bird is finishing in the oven).<\/p>\n<p><strong>&#8211; Consider using a drip pan.<\/strong>\u00a0 With this type of smoker, the drippings normally fall in to the water pan.\u00a0 A drip pan placed directly under the cooking grid can be used to catch the drippings, if you intend to use them for gravy or other dishes.\u00a0 In this type of smoker, a drip pan can be tricky.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">&#8212; If your smoker only has two positions for the cooking grid, the lower position rests directly on the water pan.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">&#8212; If your smoker has a 3rd position (half-way between the top of the water pan and the top of the body), use the mid-point position instead.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">&#8212; Place a 2nd grid either at the mid-point position, or directly above the water pan, and set a small drip pan on the lower grid.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">&#8212; Use a drip pan that is smaller than the water pan, to make sure that steam rising up from the water pan isn&#8217;t blocked.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">&#8212; Keep in mind, using a drip pan means you have the pan itself, plus an extra cooking grid to contend with, as you add water to the water pan, or make other adjustments.<\/p>\n<p><strong>&#8211; Start the water smoker.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">&#8212; Remove the lid, cooking grids, and water pan, so that the only parts left are the body and fire pan.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">&#8212; Spray the cooking grid with non-stick spray, or wipe lightly with olive oil.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">&#8212; Fill the fire pan with 1 layer of charcoal. \u00a0Soak with lighter fluid, then stack the charcoal in to a pyramid. \u00a0Light!<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">&#8212; (use the time in between steps to prepare the turkey)<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">&#8212; Once the coals are 50% white, with a red glow in the center of the pyramid, spread them back out in to a single layer, then add another layer of charcoal.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">&#8212; When the 2nd layer of charcoal is 50% white, add a 3rd layer (extra thick &#8212; add a layer-and-a-half), then replace the water pan (empty).\u00a0 If using a drip pan, replace the lower grid and drip pan.\u00a0 If not using a drip pan, just leave the lower grid off completely.\u00a0 Add the top (cooking) grid.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">&#8212; When the 3rd layer is white on the corners, you&#8217;re ready to cook! \u00a0At this point, the original bottom layer should be completely burned.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">&#8212; Fill the water pan (see above, &#8220;Preparing the Water Pan&#8221;) &#8212; be careful of steam. \u00a0This can be done by pouring directly through the cooking grid.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">&#8212; Make sure the cooking grid is at the highest notch &#8212; should be just below the level of the body.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">&#8212; Put the turkey on the top grid, breast-side down, and cover with domed lid.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">&#8212; While cooking, use the side door and the top airflow regulator to adjust the temperature. \u00a0More airflow equals hotter temperature.<\/p>\n<p><strong>&#8211; As you are cooking, expect to add charcoal about every hour to 2 hours.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">&#8212; If you unclipped the fire pan, simply lift the entire assembly by the side handles vertically, and set it to the side.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">&#8212; If not, prepare to disassemble!\u00a0 Remove the lid, set it aside.\u00a0 USE HOT PADS to remove the cooking grid, and set it (with turkey) on a baking tray.\u00a0 Be careful removing the water pan &#8212; the ideal time for a full refill of the fire pan is when the water pan is nearly empty.\u00a0 After adding charcoal, assemble in reverse order.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">&#8212; Small amounts of charcoal can be added through the side door.\u00a0 Either make the charcoal bag&#8217;s opening in to a funnel, or add a few lumps of charcoal at a time using tongs.\u00a0 Disassembly can be quicker and easier.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">&#8212; Don&#8217;t wait for the charcoal to burn completely.\u00a0 Restarting is a pain.\u00a0 Before the black charcoal disappears completely, add more charcoal.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">&#8212; Wood chunks (soaked) produce a lot of smoke and steam initially, and then as the water boils off, they burn and cause the temperature to increase.\u00a0 Never add more than 1 or 2 wood chunks at a time, as each wood chunk will significantly boost the temperature, as it burns after the water boils out of it.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"line-height: 1.5em;\">Congratulations! \u00a0You&#8217;re off and running. \u00a0 Be sure to stick to your timeline.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"setting-up-an-offset-smoker\"><\/span>Setting Up an Offset Smoker<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><em>If you are using a water (vertical) smoker, skip this section and see above.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>An offset smoker provides plenty of room for a turkey and a couple of side dishes, or two turkeys. \u00a0The most difficult part of using an offset smoker is maintaining the proper temperature, and adding wood at the right time.<\/p>\n<p><strong>&#8211; Use mostly wood, with a bed of charcoal.<\/strong> \u00a0Charcoal builds and maintains a steady temperature, while wood does the real work. \u00a0My preference is Kingsford charcoal, but any decent-quality charcoal will work. \u00a0Don&#8217;t buy fancy charcoal, but don&#8217;t go cheap. \u00a0Store-brand charcoal is too dense, and won&#8217;t burn hot enough. \u00a0Fancy flavored or natural charcoals don&#8217;t add anything, and are a waste of money. \u00a0Select the proper wood, and set up the water pan correctly, to add flavor.\u00a0 Expect to use a 20 lb bag of charcoal (so you might want a spare), plus a large bag of wood.\u00a0 If you use chunks, expect to use 3-4 bags, plus half a large bag (during the cooking phase).<\/p>\n<p><strong>&#8211; Airflow.<\/strong> \u00a0The biggest problem with maintaining the correct temperature in an offset smoker is airflow. \u00a0Make sure there is a grid in the fire box, allowing air to flow an inch or two beneath the charcoal \/ wood.<\/p>\n<p><strong>&#8211; Water pan.<\/strong> \u00a0Offset smokers don&#8217;t have a water pan.\u00a0 Temporarily move or remove one of the cooking grids, and place an aluminum pan directly on the bottom of the cooking chamber (below the cooking grids) six to eight inches from the aperture separating the fire box from the cooking chamber (then, replace the cooking grid).\u00a0 The half-size disposable aluminum steam table pan works perfectly, with the disposable aluminum meatloaf pan as a next best option.<\/p>\n<p><strong>&#8211; \u00a0You need a fire poker, small fireplace shovel, or other tool<\/strong>\u00a0for manipulating the charcoal and wood chunks. \u00a0The fire pan is really hot, and you need a way to move stuff around in there, without touching it directly. \u00a0I use a fireplace shovel, and an old pair of long-handled tongs.<\/p>\n<p><strong>&#8211; Use lighter fluid.<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0&#8220;Purists&#8221; say that using lighter fluid makes your food taste like lighter fluid &#8212; if done properly, by the time you start cooking, the lighter fluid will be completely burned. \u00a0Also, when starting an offset smoker, start with both lids open. \u00a0If done properly, YOU CAN NOT TASTE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN FOOD COOKED WITH, VERSUS WITHOUT LIGHTER FLUID. \u00a0Save yourself the hassle, and use it!<\/p>\n<p><strong>&#8211; Place the turkey<\/strong> centered on the cooking grid:\u00a0 If you are cooking two turkeys, place them side-by-side (same distance from the fire box) if possible.\u00a0 If not, place then touching, centered across the midpoint.\u00a0 Placement may not seem that important, but the temperature can vary by 10 degrees or more, over just a few inches, even in an expensive smoker.\u00a0 Lower quality smokers can vary by 200 degrees between the fire box and smoke stack!\u00a0 Placing anything too close to the fire box, even with a deflector, will result in BURNED FOOD COVERED IN SOOT.\u00a0 The first 8 to 10 inches in front of the fire box is a &#8220;no zone&#8221; for that reason.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">&#8212; If you are starting with a frozen turkey, point the neck toward the fire box, then rotate once half-defrosted.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">&#8212; If you are starting with a defrosted turkey, point the legs toward the fire box.<\/p>\n<p><strong>&#8211; Consider using a drip pan.\u00a0 <\/strong>A drip pan placed directly under the cooking grid can be used to catch the drippings, if you intend to use them for gravy or other dishes.<\/p>\n<p><strong>&#8211; Leave the smoke stack and fire box side door open.<\/strong>\u00a0 This is contrary to popular theory, so here is an attempt at a more complete explanation:<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong><em>Things that DON&#8217;T work:<\/em><\/strong><br \/>\n&#8212; DON&#8217;T:\u00a0 &#8220;hold in&#8221; the smoke by closing the smoke stack.\u00a0 Closing the smoke stack doesn&#8217;t hold in anything, and meanwhile, blocks airflow.\u00a0 You want air to flow smoothly through the firebox, through the cooking chamber, and out through the smoke stack.<br \/>\n&#8212; DON&#8217;T:\u00a0 fill the fire box full of wood right away.\u00a0 This can result in excessive heat, or without oxygen, bitter smoke.<br \/>\n&#8212; DON&#8217;T:\u00a0 control temperature by blocking airflow.\u00a0 This results in incomplete combustion, and produces bitter smoke.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><em><strong>Things that DO work:<\/strong><\/em><br \/>\n&#8212; DO:\u00a0 leave the smoke stack and fire box side door fully open.\u00a0 This allows good airflow from the fire box, resulting in complete combustion, producing lighter, sweeter smoke.<br \/>\n&#8212; DO:\u00a0 Add wood as you need it.\u00a0 As each log \/ chunk burns half way, add one to replace it.\u00a0 This keeps the temperature even.<br \/>\n&#8212; DO:\u00a0 Control temperature by adding more or less wood.<br \/>\n&#8212; DO:\u00a0 Control temperature by spreading out the coals to reduce temperature, or piling them up to increase temperature.<\/p>\n<p><strong>&#8211; Good smoke, bad smoke.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">&#8212; Dark smoke means something is wrong &#8212; you might be inadvertently burning oil or some other chemical from the inside of the smoker.\u00a0 Dark smoke can also occur when there isn&#8217;t enough oxygen in the fire box.\u00a0 DO NOT COOK OVER DARK SMOKE.\u00a0 Dark smoke can result in heavy soot on the food, and a very bitter taste.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">&#8212; White, thick smoke means that the wood isn&#8217;t burning completely.\u00a0 This can result in some soot on the food, and possibly a bitter taste.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">&#8212; White, wispy smoke is normal when the fire box is cold, or when you add a new log, and should have a sweet smell.\u00a0 This is &#8220;good&#8221; smoke, ideal for the &#8220;smoking&#8221; phase.\u00a0 Keep the coals cooler by spreading them out, as well as adding wood less frequently to maintain this type of smoke.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">&#8212; Wet wood (as with a water smoker) will produce steam, which is OK.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">&#8212; Little to no smoke means that the wood is burning hotter, and more completely.\u00a0 This will result in the meat absorbing sweeter, more diverse flavors from the burning wood, and is ideal for the &#8220;cooking&#8221; phase.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">&#8212; More smoke means the wood is colder, and not burning completely.\u00a0 Less smoke means the wood is hotter, and burning more completely.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">&#8212; To control temperature, use more or less wood, and \/ or keep the coals spread out or piled, rather than closing off airflow.<\/p>\n<p><strong>&#8211; Start the offset smoker.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">&#8212; Open both lids.\u00a0 Remove the water pan and drip pan, if applicable.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">&#8212; Spray the cooking grid with non-stick spray, or wipe lightly with olive oil.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">&#8212; Lay out one layer of charcoal on the grid in the fire box.\u00a0 Soak with lighter fluid, then stack in to a pyramid. \u00a0Light.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">&#8212; (use the time in between steps to prepare the turkey)<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">&#8212; Once the coals are 50% white, with a red glow in the center of the pyramid, spread them back out in to a single layer, then add another layer of charcoal.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">&#8212; When the 2nd layer of charcoal is 50% white, add a double layer of charcoal.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">&#8212; Place the water pan (empty) and drip pan if applicable, <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Close both lids, open the smoke stack&#8217;s vent, make sure the firebox side door is open.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">&#8212; When the corners of the 3rd layer start to turn white, add your first log (or 2 logs) of wood.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">&#8212; As each log burns half way, replace it with a new log (this keeps the temperature even)<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">&#8212; When the smoker reaches 300 degrees, you&#8217;re ready to cook!<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">&#8212; Add water and \/ or flavoring to the water pan by pouring down through the cooking grid.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">&#8212; Place the turkey or turkeys (see above) breast-side down.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">&#8212; Close both lids, but keep both the smoke stack and fire box side door fully open.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">&#8212; As you are cooking, replace each half-burned log with a new one.\u00a0 Add smaller or fewer logs to reduce temperature, or add larger or more logs to increase temperature.<\/p>\n<p>Congratulations! \u00a0You&#8217;re off and running. \u00a0 Be sure to stick to your timeline.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"stages-of-cooking-and-timeline\"><\/span>Stages of Cooking and Timeline<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Cooking on a smoker involves several stages at different temperatures.\u00a0 Planning and maintaining a timeline ensures that everything comes together, and that you don&#8217;t miss any steps.<\/p>\n<p><strong>&#8211; Absolute temperature.\u00a0 <\/strong>Remember that the cooking chamber&#8217;s temperature is relative to the ambient air temperature:\u00a0 If it&#8217;s 40 degrees outside, you&#8217;ll need to raise the cooking chamber 260 degrees in order to reach 300.\u00a0\u00a0 Conversely, if it&#8217;s a bright, sunny 90 degrees (don&#8217;t laugh, 90 degree Thanksgivings DO occur in Texas), you only need to raise the cooking chamber 210 to reach 300.<\/p>\n<p><strong>&#8211; Go by temperature &#8211; use a cooking thermometer.<\/strong>\u00a0 Don&#8217;t go by time, go by temperature.\u00a0 <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Shoot for an internal temperature of 175<\/span>, using a cooking thermometer inserted at the base of the thigh, as well as the end of the breast (near the wishbone).\u00a0 If one end is cooking faster, rotate.\u00a0 Once the bird is done, let it rest at 180 to 200 degrees, which should carry the <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">internal temperature to 180<\/span>.\u00a0 Cooking by feel is inexact, and could result in an under-cooked bird.\u00a0 A good pitmaster is not afraid to use a thermometer!\u00a0 Likewise, cooking by time is inexact due to ambient variables, as well as the size of the turkey.\u00a0 Plan for it to be done an hour early, and rest.\u00a0 If you need the extra time, you have an extra hour of cook time.<\/p>\n<p><strong>&#8211; Make sure your smoker&#8217;s thermometer works.<\/strong>\u00a0 A water smoker typically has one thermometer located on the dome lid.\u00a0 Offset smokers might have one or two thermometers on the lid of the cooking chamber.\u00a0 Two thermometers gives a better picture of the heat differential between the fire box and the smoke stack, but if you have just one, it should be located either above center of the cooking chamber, or above left of center (3\/4 toward the smoke stack).\u00a0 If your smoker&#8217;s thermometer is broken or missing, you can get a drop-in replacement at the hardware store for about $10.<\/p>\n<p><strong>&#8211; If using an offset smoker, rotate, rotate, rotate!<\/strong>\u00a0 Offset smokers can vary in temperature 50 to 200 degrees between the fire box and the smoke stack.\u00a0 This means that meat closer to the fire box will cook much quicker.\u00a0 Have a rotation plan, where you rotate the bird (pick up, spin 180 degrees right-to-left, put down) once every 2 hours.\u00a0 If you have 2 birds, rotate the birds individually, AND be sure to swap positions as well.<\/p>\n<p><strong>&#8211; Cooking Stages<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><em><strong>&#8212; Start.<\/strong><\/em>\u00a0 Start with the smoker empty at 300 degrees.\u00a0 This ensures that everything is nice and hot, and ready to cook.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><em><strong>&#8212; Defrost if frozen.<\/strong><\/em>\u00a0 Shoot for a temperature of 200 to 225 for 1 to 2 hours (note that this is HALF the defrost time, but you can start smoking as the bird is half-defrosted).<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><em><strong>&#8212; Smoke.<\/strong><\/em>\u00a0 Lower the temperature to 180 degrees for 4 to 6\u00a0 hours.\u00a0 This part is subject to preference, as a longer smoke time results in more smoke flavor.\u00a0 2 hours would result in a light hint of smoke.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><em><strong>&#8212; Cook.<\/strong><\/em>\u00a0 Raise the temperature to 300 degrees, and cook for 2-3 hours.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><em><strong>&#8212; Rest \/ Hold Warm.<\/strong><\/em>\u00a0 Reduce the temperature to 180 degrees, and let the bird rest for at least 1 hour.\u00a0 The turkey can be held at this temperature for 2-3 hours without worrying about over cooking.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<strong>&#8211; For best results, smoke uncovered, then cook in a roasting pan covered in foil.<\/strong>\u00a0 After smoking is complete, cooking with a pan and foil will create steam, resulting in faster cook times, and very tender meat.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">&#8212; Take an aluminum turkey pan, empty, and add a thin coat of olive oil to the bottom.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">&#8212; Carefully lift the turkey, and place it breast-side-down in the pan.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">&#8212; Drizzle some olive oil across the back, and cover with foil.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">&#8212; While cooking, the pan should start filling with juices that can later be used for gravy or other dishes.\u00a0 Monitor the level of liquid in the pan &#8212; if the pan is too dry, the breast skin and meat could burn.\u00a0 If the pan is sizzling, add some chicken broth or water (about 1\/2 inch), and re-cover with foil.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">&#8212; Measured where the thigh meets the body AND at the top end of the breast (near the wishbone), the bird is done once it has an internal temperature of 175 degrees to 180.\u00a0 At 175, if you plan to let it rest, the temperature should carry over to 180.<\/p>\n<p><strong>&#8211; Holding warm.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">&#8212; If you need to &#8220;hold warm&#8221; after fully cooking, if not already covered, put the bird in a pan and cover (to prevent soot) and move toward the smoke stack, away from the fire box (if using an offset smoker).<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">&#8212; Let the wood burn down to coals (there should be some black coals, no flame, but don&#8217;t let them burn out), spread the coals out with a small shovel, then add a bed of charcoal (1 to 2 layers).\u00a0 The new charcoal layer will burn slowly, maintaining an even temperature.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">&#8212; Shoot for about 180 degrees to &#8220;hold warm&#8221;.\u00a0 Add more charcoal as each layer burns 50%.\u00a0 Add less charcoal to reduce temperature, or more to increase temperature.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">&#8212; If in a pan covered with foil, the turkey can be held warm for 2 to 3 hours if needed.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">&#8212; If you have room, other sides can be be kept warm by covering, and placing on the cooking grid, on the side AWAY from the fire box, making the smoker a convenient alternative to using up oven space.<\/p>\n<p>&#8211; Sample timeline.\u00a0 Having a timeline with target temperatures ensures that you will stay on track, and won&#8217;t forget a step.\u00a0 Assuming one large (20 lb) turkey, starting completely frozen, here is a sample timeline:<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><em><strong>Time required:<\/strong><\/em><br \/>\n&#8212; Prep time: 30 minutes.\u00a0 Getting things ready<br \/>\n&#8212; Build the fire, warm up the smoker:\u00a0 2 hours\u00a0 (target<br \/>\n&#8212; Defrost:\u00a0 2 hours at 200<br \/>\n&#8212; Smoke:\u00a0 4 hours at 180<br \/>\n&#8212; Cook:\u00a0 3 hours at 300<br \/>\n&#8212; Rest:\u00a0 1 hour at 180<br \/>\n&#8212; Padding:\u00a0 1 hour<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><em><strong>Working backwards, if we want to eat at 5 PM, the timeline looks like this, with an extra hour of padding at the end:<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">3:00 AM:\u00a0 Get ready (gather materials, clean smoker)<br \/>\n4:00 AM:\u00a0 Light smoker.\u00a0 Doors and lids open (offset), or lid, grid, water pan removed (water)<br \/>\n5:00 AM:\u00a0 Begin heating smoker to 300.\u00a0 Close lids (offset), or replace water pan, grid, lid (water)<br \/>\n6:00 AM:\u00a0 Begin defrosting (pecan wood, target 200).\u00a0 Add water to water pan<br \/>\n7:00 AM:\u00a0 Rotate.\u00a0 Add flavoring to water pan.\u00a0 Switch to cherry wood (target 200)<br \/>\n8:00 AM:\u00a0 Begin smoking\u00a0 (cherry wood, target 180)<br \/>\n10:00 AM:\u00a0 Rotate<br \/>\n12:00 PM:\u00a0 Begin cooking.\u00a0 Put in pan, drizzle with oil, cover in foil.\u00a0 Rotate.\u00a0 (oak wood, target 300)<br \/>\n1:30 PM:\u00a0 Rotate.\u00a0 Check internal temperature &#8211; should be in the 120 to 130 range.<br \/>\n2:30 PM:\u00a0 Check internal temperature &#8211; should be in the 160 range<br \/>\n3:00 PM:\u00a0 Begin resting.\u00a0 Move to cool side.\u00a0 (charcoal, 180)\u00a0 Begin warming up sides.<br \/>\n5:00 PM:\u00a0 Done!<\/p>\n<p>Get ready for a long day!<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"summary\"><\/span>Summary<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>&#8211; Cook breast-side down<\/p>\n<p>&#8211; Use a water pan<\/p>\n<p>&#8211; Plan out a timeline<\/p>\n<p>&#8211; Use the proper wood<\/p>\n<p>&#8211; Build in some padding \/ rest time.<\/p>\n<p>&#8211; Good food comes from good quality &#8211; using good quality meat and ingredients, good wood, and carefully following a process rather than taking shortcuts.<\/p>\n<p>I hope you enjoy this, and have fun smoking a turkey!<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>I get asked about this all the time, so here are some instructions and tips<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[26,1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-250","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-food-and-cooking","category-other-stuff"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/justinparrtech.com\/JustinParr-Tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/250","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/justinparrtech.com\/JustinParr-Tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/justinparrtech.com\/JustinParr-Tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/justinparrtech.com\/JustinParr-Tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/justinparrtech.com\/JustinParr-Tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=250"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/justinparrtech.com\/JustinParr-Tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/250\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":669,"href":"https:\/\/justinparrtech.com\/JustinParr-Tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/250\/revisions\/669"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/justinparrtech.com\/JustinParr-Tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=250"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/justinparrtech.com\/JustinParr-Tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=250"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/justinparrtech.com\/JustinParr-Tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=250"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}