Why are my turkeys done so fast?

[LarryD]

I've done at least 6 turkeys at this point and every time they get done much faster than any of the estimates I read on here or elsewhere.  Someone just posted they allow 40 minutes per pound to get to 165 IT at the breast.  I'm getting done in 10 minutes per pound to the same target or even slightly above.  I'm using a #2 and setting it on 250.  I always brine, usually for 12-24 hours, but I'm hardly alone on that.

I'm getting no signs that anything is wrong with my turkey.  Nothing looks bad when I carve it up.  Taste is excellent.  Nobody is getting sick.  Nobody complains about it in any way.  I double probe (one in each breast) and I've even verified with a separate pen probe before so I'm sure I'm getting the correct temps.  I had these results last season with 2-3 turkeys and I've had these results twice in the past week.

The only other variables I can come up with are that I trim the skin around the front and rear body cavities so that it's open, I don't put anything inside, and I use the SI turkey rack.

So, why are my turkeys getting done so quickly?

 

[Tightywhitey]

In 7 hours, mine was almost 200 degrees.  I had a 15# turkey.  I let it rest covered for about an hour.  It was pretty dry, but salvageable.  I pulled all the meat and shredded it.  Then poured some chicken stock over it.  This is the first time doing a Turkey in the #2.  I have always used a brinkman bullet smoker.  The #2 is way more efficient.  I think next time I will set the temp to 225 rather than 250 and check the temp around 4.5 hours.  I need to get an internal temp probe thing.  The kids enjoyed it. 

 

[LarryD]

In 7 hours, mine was almost 200 degrees. 

Yeah, the target temp for turkey is only 165...

 

[Cook_in_Colorado]

I've noticed the same thing.  Beef estimates here are closer to what I see, but poultry is still not dialed in.

One thing I've noticed is when my IT breast probe measures 165 (turkey/chicken), it still seems under cooked to me - with red blood? near the bones.  I smoked 2 turkeys on Thursday, one intact and one spatchcocked, and both needed to be finished in the oven; even after the IT breast of the spatchcocked bird read 168, 165 in the intact.  I gave one carcass/extra meat to a friend and yesterday removed the excess meat from the spatchcocked bird to make soup.  The meat at the larger bones was mushy.  I have no idea what that means, but I will cook to a more cooked bird in the future.  I wet brined for a nearly a week and poked holes in the skin.  The spatchcocked turkey skin got beat up in that process and was mostly no longer clinging prior to cooking.         

My friends/family do love the experimenting!!