Smoked turkey questions

DaleB said:
I bought a turkey fryer a couple years ago. Fried turkey is great, but makes an incredible mess of one's patio. The times it's been used it's been at my son's place, I don't know if I'd use it here. I suppose the grease soaks in and disappears eventually. The turkey fryer did come in really handy, after lots and lots of scrubbing, for boiling down a few dozen gallons of maple sap to make syrup.

One of my wife's sisters and her husband own a meat market and deli. They sell a LOT of smoked turkeys every year. Two big trailer mounted rotisserie smokers loaded with dozens of dead birds. I've had some; it's pretty darned good. Having recently bought a pellet smoker, I'm undecided whether to try a turkey or not. As we'll likely end up at the in-laws for Thanksgiving yet again, I suspect not. Side note: The worst thing about it is driving 4-1/2 hours there, 4-1/2 hours back, and ending up with essentially no leftover turkey. IMHO, a couple days of cold turkey sandwiches on dinner rolls is one of the best parts of Thanksgiving.
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I have a Traeger at home, but we have Thanksgiving with my extended family at my Mom's a couple hours away. I think I might rent a trailer and tow the smoker down and do it there because it's so worth it.

Agree on brining. Absolutely critical.
 
Skin on or skin off for smoked turkey?

I've never smoked a turkey (obviously from the question) but I have 'smoked' whole chickens, e.g. indirect on the Weber. I've always left the skin on but despite being a couple hours of indirect, the heat is still higher in the Weber and the skin protects it and helps keep in moisture. Not sure if the same thing translates to smoking. I imagine the skin would help retain moisture, but maybe would block out some smoke from the meat.
 
Brine with kosher salt and sugar. I also add cumin to the brine. Skin on with buttered cheese cloth on the outside. Bradley smoker at 250.
 
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