14.5 lb Butterball Turkey - Two Days Earlier Than Thanksgiving

 

I had to cook this 14.5 lb Butterball Turkey two days earlier than Thanksgiving Day because we had purchased the turkey too early and it was thawing out in the refrigerator before it should have.

The turkey was brined for a full day in the refrigerator with kosher salt and then dried with a paper towel and then put back into the refrigerator for an hour just to make sure it was dry enough to put oil on the skin and then the rub.  I used Weber's Kickin' Chicken on it.

I put the turkey on the 18.5" WSM to smoke at 350 degrees for 3 hours.  The smoker had the water pan in there but no water.  The charcoal was placed in the smoker without using the minion method to insure that the temperature of the smoker would remain hotter than normal smoking.  It did the trick.

I smoked the turkey until the internal temperature of both breasts were at least 157 degrees and then I took the turkey off the smoker.  The internal temperature continued to rise during the rest and went to 167 degrees... just 2 degrees higher than the ideal 165 degrees.

The turkey was really good.  I removed the skin as usual but it was crispy.  Too much salt in that rub, but I had hoped it would impart good flavor into the meat.  The turkey was moist throughout.  Probably one of the best turkeys I have smoked so far.