Texas Hunting Forum

Smoking Turkey on UDS! (Ugly Drum Smoker)

Posted By: Hogflyer

Smoking Turkey on UDS! (Ugly Drum Smoker) - 11/20/15 01:11 PM

Doing something different this year, small crowd at my sister in laws house for tnxgiving,
gonna try the ugly drum smoker this year, seems simple, have lplenty of time to play with it!
Question is do brine or not too? have plenty of marinades and spices, but really, is
soaking the bird worth it?
Turkey is about 14 lbs, not too big.... I figured about 4 to 5 hours on low heat should do
it, and yes we have a remote thermometer to check breast temps towards the end of
cooking.....

comments, tips... thanks in advance.....


hunt safe, hogflyer.....
Posted By: bill oxner

Re: Smoking Turkey on UDS! (Ugly Drum Smoker) - 11/20/15 01:45 PM

The breast will get it's juices from the backbone if you prop it up on the flat part of it's breast where the pulley bone is.
Posted By: wacorusty

Re: Smoking Turkey on UDS! (Ugly Drum Smoker) - 11/20/15 02:05 PM

I like to brine, but I really haven't been able to tell if it makes it worth the work. I'm cooking three turkeys. Between my wife and my family and friends that drop by there could be 40 people at my house. I'm smoking one on the BGE, one rotisserie on my new grill, and a Cajun one in the oil less fryer (no more messy oil).
Posted By: bill oxner

Re: Smoking Turkey on UDS! (Ugly Drum Smoker) - 11/20/15 02:42 PM

You can put liquid smoke in your brine then put them in an over bag to cook. They do fine that way.
Posted By: Huntmaster

Re: Smoking Turkey on UDS! (Ugly Drum Smoker) - 11/20/15 03:44 PM

A smoked turkey in the oven??
Posted By: BuckRage

Re: Smoking Turkey on UDS! (Ugly Drum Smoker) - 11/20/15 04:07 PM

There is no doubt brining makes a difference. Not even close. Do it and you won't regret it.
Posted By: bill oxner

Re: Smoking Turkey on UDS! (Ugly Drum Smoker) - 11/20/15 04:40 PM

Originally Posted By: Huntmaster
A smoked turkey in the oven??


Babyback ribs also.
Posted By: YellowDog

Re: Smoking Turkey on UDS! (Ugly Drum Smoker) - 11/20/15 04:53 PM

I'll second the brining over night. I smoke turkey for 4 hours out side then bring in house and finish. Makes the house smell like smoke
Posted By: Ringer1

Re: Smoking Turkey on UDS! (Ugly Drum Smoker) - 11/23/15 01:01 AM

I used to brine my turkeys. Most turkeys you buy at the store already have a salt water solution in the bird. I always inject mine and stuff butter under the skin. All of my turkeys are very juicy. My smoked turkeys are always more juicy the my fried.

Get on a BBQ forum and you'll find some easy and really good recipes.
Posted By: decook

Re: Smoking Turkey on UDS! (Ugly Drum Smoker) - 11/24/15 01:21 AM

Originally Posted By: YellowDog
I'll second the brining over night. I smoke turkey for 4 hours out side then bring in house and finish. Makes the house smell like smoke


Yep. Exactly what my plans are too.
Posted By: bill oxner

Re: Smoking Turkey on UDS! (Ugly Drum Smoker) - 11/24/15 02:03 AM

I promise you that you will come out with a better turkey if you bone it out first. It's not difficult to bone out a whole turkey and truss it back up.

I did a couple of big ones for two different field trial lunches, which fed 30. I served them as poboy sandwiches.
Posted By: pegasaurus

Re: Smoking Turkey on UDS! (Ugly Drum Smoker) - 11/25/15 01:06 AM

You want to brine for 45-60 min per pound. Smoking should be about 30 per pound but a temp of 150-160 in the breast is what you are looking for. Pull from smoker, cover and let rest for at least an hour. I like to cover in foil and wrap with towels in a cooler. The temp will continue to rise and reach at least 165.
Posted By: bill oxner

Re: Smoking Turkey on UDS! (Ugly Drum Smoker) - 11/25/15 01:57 PM

It's 165 for the breast and 180 degrees for the thigh, which means that you will always overcook the breast to get the thighs done.
Posted By: mattyg06

Re: Smoking Turkey on UDS! (Ugly Drum Smoker) - 12/01/15 04:53 PM

I used to brine but there is no point to it unless you are buying organic turkey without any pre-injection from the producer. Very few turkeys come without the injection these days.

The key to finishing up the thigh at the same time as the breast is to butterfly your turkey like below. By the time the breast hits 162 the thighs are usually finished at the same time if you spread the legs to keep them away from the body. I always finish wrapped in foil either on smoker or over depending on situation, this way when you un-wrap your turkey you will already have some amazing very thin gravy in the bottom of the pan you can just spoon over the meat.

© 2024 Texas Hunting Forum