What Temp Is A Smoked Turkey Breast Done?

You will find a few smoked turkey tips and techniques that may be helpful in your search for the ideal Thanksgiving table centerpiece here, though there aren’t really more turkey smoking tips than you can shake a stick at.

Visit the first page of this series of tips for smoking turkey if you haven’t already. You’ll find a wealth of knowledge about:

How to Check Turkey Internal Temperature

Avoid touching the breast bone when inserting the thermometer probe into the deepest area of the flesh to measure the temperature of the breast.

The turkey’s thigh temperature is checked close to the joint where it connects to the body. Be sure that the probe tip doesnt touch bone.

More Turkey Smoking Tips and Techniques

The internal temperature of a safely done turkey, the ideal smoker temperature for turkeys, and the necessary smoking time are all covered. Additionally, resting a freshly cooked turkey, freezing leftover smoked turkey, and reheating it As you scroll further down the page, you will read more about those subjects.

How Long You Smoke a Turkey Depends On The Variables

Making plans based on the turkey being done at a specific time can go horribly wrong if you’ve never cooked a turkey in your smoker before.

Several factors can alter the anticipated smoking time. Examples include:

The temperature gauge on your smoker might be off, reading higher or lower than the actual temperature. Use a remote thermometer and position the probe next to the turkey to know the true smoker temperature. Better yet, get a quality smoker thermometer with dual probes. One probe measures meat temperature, the other monitors the smoker temperature.

Opening the smoker to add wood chips or charcoal, check the turkey temperature, baste the turkey, or “just looking” to see how the turkeys doing can add 15 minutes or more to the cooking time, each time you open the smoker.

The wind may pick up, wreaking havoc on your attempts to maintain a steady smoker temperature.

The bigger the turkey, the longer its gonna take!

When there are no time constraints, it is wise to test-smoke a turkey or two in the weeks leading up to Thanksgiving. You’ll have a much better idea of how long it takes to smoke a turkey in your smoker after a few test runs when the big day arrives.

FAQ

What temperature should a smoked turkey breast be?

Keep the temperature in the smoker between 225° and 250° while smoking the turkey for 3 1/2 to 4 hours, or until the thickest part registers 165° on a meat thermometer. Before slicing the turkey, remove it from the pan, cover loosely with aluminum foil, and let it stand for 10 to 15 minutes.

Is turkey done at 165 or 180?

Hold the thermometer still until the numbers stop to properly read the temperature. The turkey is cooked if it reaches a temperature of between 160 and 165 degrees F.

What temperature should a turkey be after smoking?

The internal temperature of the turkey should be 175° to 180° F in the thigh and 170° F in the breast. Your turkey may take up to 12 hours to cook. When the turkey is finished, remove it from the smoker, using washable mitts or towels to protect your hands, and let it stand for 15 minutes before carving.

How do you tell when a smoked turkey is done?

Regardless of the cut or cooking technique you select, your turkey is finished when the internal temperature reaches at least 165 °F. To ensure your turkey has reached the proper temperature, use a digital meat thermometer or the digital probe built into your device.