Doing a 12.25lb smoked turkey ...roasting pan or no roasting pan?

[SpottedCow]

Following divot's recipe for smoked turkey. Brined the bird for 48 hours and plan on stuffing with carrots, celery, onions, and apple. Using 3oz of apple and alder. My family loves gravy and we're going mashed potatoes as well. I foolishly tossed out the giblets and neck so I can only get my gravy from drippings (how we always do it).

Many people set the bird right on the rack saying that it ensures even cooking time ....but then you have no way of making gravy. Some have used a roasting pan and it looks like they've had good results.

Should I skip the pan? Put the bird in the pan? .....OR put the pan on a lower rack ?

Need some feedback from people who have done this before.

Thank you.

Kevin.

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[gregbooras]

Kevin,

You want to put the turkey in the pan, you will be amazed how much juice you catch. Also put your bird towards to top of your smoker.

Here is a link to a turkey I did in the smoker recently.

http://smokinitforums.com/index.php?topic=4072.0

Greg

[DivotMaker]

Make the gravy out of simmered giblets, and keep the turkey on the shelf, by itself.

[SconnieQ]

Make the gravy out of simmered giblets, and keep the turkey on the shelf, by itself.

+1 on the gravy! but alas, Tony, he tossed out the giblets, see post above. For me, very scrap, trimming, including the carcass and bones after smoking, gets made into stock for the next turkey gravy, soup, etc. So for this smoke, maybe a drip pan if you really need drippings for gravy. But for next time, make stock from your carcass and scraps, and put the turkey in without the drip pan.

[SuperDave]

I don't think either of you 2 have had smoked gravy.  Add another vote for a pan. 

[SpottedCow]

So I ended up going with the pan underneath the bird on a lower rack as Greg had done in the pictures of the bird he did. Here it is before going in. Little bit of rub on the outside. I guess it's instinct to toss the giblets but Ill try it out one of these times. Will post pics of finished bird.  Thanks for the replies everyone.

[SconnieQ]

Gonna be delicious.

[SpottedCow]

So let me apoligize first off because I never got a picture of the finished bird. All I can say though is WOW, WOW, WOW. Best Turkey Ive ever had hands down. I doubled Tony's (Divotmaker) brine and added 1/2 tablespoon of dried thyme along with 1/2 cup white sugar. Smoked with a mix of alder and apple (3oz). It sat in the brine for a full 48 hours and even the center of the breast was unbelievably tender. Smoked gravy was out of this world. There was almost a fight between relatives over leftovers. I can't recommend this enough.

This will now be my go-to Thanksgiving recipe.

[DivotMaker]

Congrats, Kevin!  Nice job!!