Do you smoke a turkey at 325 or 350?

You can use either of these temperatures when cooking a turkey. 325 degrees will yield more tender meat, while 350 degrees makes the turkey cook more quickly while imbuing it with a richer taste. If you’re using the smoker, it’s best to set the temperature lower to allow the smoke to do its work.

10. Calculate turkey cooking time and temperature. The simplest way to figure out turkey roasting times is to calculate 13 minutes per pound at 350F for an unstuffed turkey (that’s about 3 hours for a 12- to 14-lb. turkey), or 15 minutes per pound for a stuffed turkey.

How Long To Smoke a Turkey at 350 Degrees. Assuming that the smoker is maintaining a consistent temperature of 350 degrees, the turkey should cook at a rate of 13 minutes per pound. Therefore, if you’ve followed our advice and prepped a 12-pound turkey, it should finish cooking in just over 2-1/2 hours.

So why does smoked turkey turn out tough or dry? Cooking turkey at a high temperature for too long will cause the turkey to become tough and dry because the high heat will draw out all the moisture. Turkey is a white meat, so it’s already low in moisture, fat and collagen, which is why it becomes dry.

Turkeys should be brined overnight, coated with fat only initially, and minimally seasoned. Brining keeps the turkey from drying out during the smoking process. Basting the turkey only results in soggy skin. Overly seasoning the skin just makes inedible skin let the brine and aromatics add flavor.

At 275 F/135 C, your turkey will take 20 to 25 minutes per pound.

When the timer goes off, rotate the turkey on the rack to ensure it is cooking evenly on all sides. I never flip the turkey. It stays on the back, breast up, the entire cook. It takes about 3 hours to smoke a 10-12lb turkey but checking the internal temps is key.

Finishing in the Oven This is best done after about 4 hours in the smoker if it must happen. Simply set the oven on 240-250 and do not remove the turkey from the smoker until the oven is preheated and ready to minimize heat loss.

How long do I cook a turkey at 250 F? A turkey needs to cook about 30 minutes per pound at 250 F, and should reach a safe internal temperature of 165 F before serving. I recommend slow-roasting only small to medium birds.

Generally, though, you should allow for about 30-40 minutes of smoking per pound. So, if you have a 20-pound turkey, it’ll probably take 10-12 hours to completely smoke it. You should always determine doneness by internal temperature and not by time.

Hickory is a classic hard wood choice for smoking turkey for several reasons. It has a distinct flavor that is robust and very forward and is familiar to those who enjoy smoky flavors. Maple wood gives off a sweeter smoke and can add a lovely golden hue to anything you smoke with it.

He wraps the turkey in heavy duty aluminum foil and finishes the cooking in the smoker until the turkey’s internal temperature reaches 165 degrees. Once the turkey is cooked through, allow it to rest for five to 10 minutes before carving.

Using the water pan will prevent flareups, since it will catch the drips. However the pan of water will also cause the smoke chamber humidity to be high, which will give the turkey rubbery skin. To solve this problem in a vertical smoker, you can place the turkey on a raised rack, and place the rack in a baking pan.

It depends on the size of the bird, the consistency of temperature in your smoker, and what temperature you roast at. Plan for 11-13 minutes a pound for a 325 degree F smoke temp. The best way to get a great bird is to cook to 165 degrees, and to let the bird rest after cooking before cutting.

Low & Slow Smoked Turkey – Smoke your turkey at the low temperature of 225 degrees F for approximately 6-8 hours for a 22 pound turkey. Remove turkey from the brine and pat dry with paper towels (this is an important step, don’t skip it).