Help with Akorn Kamado Grill

lakeman

I bought a 12 pound turkey to smoke. The cooking temperature from web BBQ web sites and the bird said to cook
@ 325-350 for around 4 hours. I used temp gauges for the cooking grate and near the upper vent and all were in the 325 range. I was using a heat deflector and I tried a water pan beneath the bird, less messy.
I opened the grill up at 2 hours and it was virtually done, pop out was out and temps raged from 170 in the wings to 160+-. I did find some colder spots in the great area and let it cook for another 30 just in case.

Why did it cook so fast, is smoking or a Kamado cooker different that a oven or a true smoker?

buddy d

Its a bit different
With most smokers in the low dollar range they don't near hold the heat of a ceramic cooker
I world have probably planned on 250 in the ceramic and keep an eye on the interior bird temp with a Thermapen
In future cooks plan to use a temperature probe
Especially with birds , a raw bird don't go down to well

lakeman

Strange, I did use a temp probe in the breast, after the two hour mark, where the bird was done. I also checked the temp with a instant read thermometer, that is why I let it cook for another 30 minutes. I still do not understand, and I'm not SMOKING it to have smoked turkey but just to have a little smoke in the bird.
If it says to cook at 325+- I just do not understand why it was done in half the time.
By the way the Akorn is very good at holding temps, NO it is not a ceramic cooker but close.

Flash

Well one never trust the pop out when smoking. Did you have a temp probe in the bird itself?

lakeman

flash, I have no problem with the temp of the bird, I have many ways to check temperature.
What, I'm asking is, if the BBQ forums say and the directions on the bird say a 12 pound turkey cooked around +- $325 degrees should take around 4 hours. Why did mine get done in about 2 hours.

reel stamas

Did you Spatchcock the Bird... That shortens the cook (& I do it every time now)

Flash

lakeman wrote: »

flash, I have no problem with the temp of the bird, I have many ways to check temperature.
What, I'm asking is, if the BBQ forums say and the directions on the bird say a 12 pound turkey cooked around +- $325 degrees should take around 4 hours. Why did mine get done in about 2 hours.

More efficient smokers will get foods done quicker. I have people telling me Brisket can take 14 to 18 hours, yet I get them done in 11 to 12 hours.

Flash

reel stamas wrote: »

Did you Spatchcock the Bird... That shortens the cook (& I do it every time now)

I can do that with chickens but not quite enough room for a turkey in my vertical. Too bad for me.

RexLan

lakeman wrote: »

flash, I have no problem with the temp of the bird, I have many ways to check temperature.
What, I'm asking is, if the BBQ forums say and the directions on the bird say a 12 pound turkey cooked around +- $325 degrees should take around 4 hours. Why did mine get done in about 2 hours.

That is about right - 2-2.5 hrs. for a 12# bird. Longer for an 18-20#
What you read on the other places is either BS or they are NOT cooking at 325° in an enclosed system.

I like to cook turkey and whole chicken at 300° to crisp the skin better and tender the fat from the skin.

2 hrs of smoke on a bird is perfect. 3 hours is too much, IMHO

Flash

I tend to like more smoke on my birds, but mainly do chickens. Lower temps give me more time in the smoke. Then we move the chicken to a hot grill to crisp up skin. Hard to do with a turkey though. What wood are you smoking with Rex?? I always use a Pecan/Cherry mix.

RexLan

My favorite is white Oak I get from the saw mill chipper. If pellets I use a Hickory/Cherry mix.

I like ~ 2 hrs smoke on chicken and if leg quarters I will cook at a lower temp (235°) and finish on the grill. Whole chicken/Turkey I like to cook hotter and get that at in the skin to render.

Flash

I tried Hickory again awhile back and did not like the color I got from it. Seemed "dirtier" for lack of a better word. More like a creosote issue. Oak to me is stronger and I only use it on beef.
Agree on the chicken quarters. Wife wants her chicken DONE, so I go to 165-170 on smoker, then up to 175-180 on the hot grill. She is happy then. As long as they are still moist, I am good with it.

RexLan

To me the Hickory is a little strong but the white Oak is actually pretty mild to me. They have to bark the logs at the mill and then the chip all the scraps to sell at the pulp plant. They are absolutely perfect and clean. Best part is all I can haul - FREE, anytime. I usually take 3 30 gallon cans and fill up twice a year! Occasionally they will have some wild Cherry and Sassafras I use.

Flash

RexLan wrote: »

To me the Hickory is a little strong but the white Oak is actually pretty mild to me. They have to bark the logs at the mill and then the chip all the scraps to sell at the pulp plant. They are absolutely perfect and clean. Best part is all I can haul - FREE, anytime. I usually take 3 30 gallon cans and fill up twice a year! Occasionally they will have some wild Cherry and Sassafras I use.

Well mine is free also, bar a little sweat. :grin







Some I use for fire wood.

RexLan

That will definitely make a fair amount of smoke!

seajay-1

lakeman wrote: »

I bought a 12 pound turkey to smoke. The cooking temperature from web BBQ web sites and the bird said to cook
@ 325-350 for around 4 hours. I used temp gauges for the cooking grate and near the upper vent and all were in the 325 range. I was using a heat deflector and I tried a water pan beneath the bird, less messy.
I opened the grill up at 2 hours and it was virtually done, pop out was out and temps raged from 170 in the wings to 160+-. I did find some colder spots in the great area and let it cook for another 30 just in case.

Why did it cook so fast, is smoking or a Kamado cooker different that a oven or a true smoker?

Sounds about right.
http://amazingribs.com/recipes/chicken_turkey_duck/ultimate_smoked_turkey.html