Is it possible for a turkey to become stalled during the smoking process? This is a question that interests both novice and expert grillers.
In this piece, we solve the enigma surrounding the turkey stall and offer professional advice to improve your smoking experience.
In short, yes, a turkey can indeed stall during the smoking process. The turkey stalls when its internal temperature reaches a plateau, leaving you perplexed as to why your delectable creation appears to be at a standstill.
But worry not—we’ll explain why this occurs and offer advice on how to avoid it so your turkey comes out of the smoker perfectly cooked and flavorful.
But there’s still more to learn! We delve deeper into the science of the turkey stall in our extensive piece, examining the elements that lead to this phenomenon.
We’ll provide you with useful tips to improve your smoking technique so you can consistently produce mouthwatering results.
So, let’s embark on this flavorful journey together and unlock the secrets of smoking a turkey to perfection!
To begin with, stalling is a stage of smoking that typically happens when the meat begins to lose moisture.
important takeaway: low temperature, humidity, and an unreliable thermometer can cause smoked turkey to stall at 160 degrees Fahrenheit for 40 to 70 minutes.
Yes, turkey does have a stall when smoking, just like other meats such as brisket and pork butt The stall is a period of time during the smoking process when the internal temperature of the meat plateaus, seemingly refusing to rise any further This can be frustrating for pitmasters, as it can add significant time to the cook.
The stall typically occurs when the internal temperature of the turkey reaches between 145°F and 155°F. At this point, the moisture in the meat begins to evaporate, which cools the surface of the turkey and slows down the cooking process.
There are a few things you can do to try to prevent or shorten the stall:
- Use a water pan: Adding a water pan to your smoker will help to keep the humidity level high, which can help to prevent the stall.
- Wrap the turkey in foil: Wrapping the turkey in foil will help to trap in moisture and heat, which can also help to prevent the stall.
- Increase the smoker temperature: Increasing the smoker temperature can help to speed up the cooking process, but be careful not to overcook the turkey.
Here’s a breakdown of the conversation on the Smoking Meat Forums thread “Is there a stall with Turkey?”:
- hawkeye brando, a newbie smoker, is concerned that his 22-pound turkey is cooking too quickly and may finish before dinnertime. He asks if he should expect a stall.
- mdboatbum, a Master of the Pit, assures him that the turkey will not stall but may slow down a bit. He also questions the accuracy of hawkeye brando’s probe readings.
- hawkeye brando switches to a different probe and confirms that the readings are more reasonable.
- oldschoolbbq, a Legendary Pitmaster, jokingly scolds hawkeye brando for not using a Q-view (a device that helps monitor the temperature of the meat) and wishes him good luck.
Additional Tips for Smoking Turkey:
- Brine the turkey before smoking it. This will help to keep the meat moist and flavorful.
- Use a good quality rub or marinade.
- Smoke the turkey at a low temperature (around 225°F) until it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
- Let the turkey rest for at least 15 minutes before carving.
While the stall can be a frustrating part of smoking turkey, it’s important to remember that it’s a normal part of the process. By following the tips above, you can help to prevent or shorten the stall and ensure that your turkey turns out juicy and delicious.
Tips to avoid turkey stalls
- To begin with, you want to think about smoking your turkey at a higher temperature in order to prevent evaporative cooling from occurring. Generally speaking, you should smoke your spatchcock turkey between 250°F and 300°F if it is stalling.
- Another piece of advice is to always use a reliable thermometer when smoking anything, including gobblers. Shooting arrows in the dark while smoking with an unreliable thermometer or without one will not yield any meaningful results.
- Prior to making any final decisions or changes, you should periodically probe your gobbler. Do not place your temperature probe in an air pocket or close to the bone.
- Finally, you should consider controlling the moisture in the smoker. Ideally, take out the water pan and don’t spritz the turkey again unless there’s a chance it might dry out.
now that we have cleared the main misconception, let’s discuss some common FAQs that you might have.
Does turkey stall when smoking?
A stall is a plateau of temperature while cooking meat with a hard texture and high moisture content.
It is most commonly seen while smoking brisket.
The evaporation of moisture hinders the increase in temperature.
In the case of Turkey, the conditions are different.
Turkey is a type of poultry.
Poultry is lean meat that contains a small amount of moisture.
This moisture doesn’t have enough effect on the temperature of the brisket.
Stall usually occurs in red meat that contains higher moisture, e.g., brisket or pulled pork.
But poultry contains a small amount of moisture, so there is no significant effect of stall on turkey.
Poultry is a type of lean meat.
Lean meat has a lower amount of fat and moisture.
Stall usually occurs when the evaporation results in cooling.
Turkey will not stall for more than a few minutes due to the low moisture content.
In addition to having low moisture, turkey is smoked for a shorter time to prevent overcooking.
So, it can stall for 30 minutes to 4 hours.
| Smoking Time (hours) | Internal Temperature (°F) | Turkey Progress |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | 40 | Start |
| 1 | 90 | Slow |
| 2 | 120 | Stall |
| 3 | 140 | Stall |
| 4 | 160 | Stall |
| 5 | 180 | Stall |
| 6 | 200 | Finish |
Several factors determine whether a turkey breast will hit a stall or not during smoking.
They are discussed below.
What is “The Stall” & What to Do
FAQ
Do turkeys hit a stall when smoking?
What if smoked turkey is done too early?
How much will turkey temp rise while resting?
What happens if you smoke a turkey too long?