Smoked Turkey - Rubbery Skin

peterwells

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Original poster

Apr 28, 2015

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• Nov 8, 2015

• #1

We have decided to smoke a turkey for Thanksgiving - in preparation last night I did a test smoke with at 12+ turkey. Smoked at around 240 for 4 hours with apple wood

The meat is great but the skin is rubbery - Should I expect this or is there an alternative

 

noboundaries

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Sep 7, 2013

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Roseville, CA, a suburb of Sacramento

• Nov 8, 2015

• #2

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• noboundaries
• Nov 8, 2015

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• noboundaries
• Nov 8, 2015

Higher smoking temp is needed, at least for the finish.  To get bite through or crispy skin you have to render the fat out from under the skin and caramelize the proteins in the skin.  You have a couple of options:

1. Smoke at a higher chamber temp.  Smoking poultry at 300F, 325F, 350F or higher will give you a moist bird and crispy skin.  If you are going to put butter or oil on the skin make sure you have a good burn going (TBS - thin blue smoke) before you add the bird or it will come out kind of black (the voice of experience talking).  I just put rub only on my skin to get that great color. 

2.  Smoke at a lower temp like you did then finish in the oven at 425F to crisp the skin.  I've not done it but I understand it works.

Above are two turkeys I smoked in the WSM last TG.  The first one had nothing on the skin but rub.  The second had butter and herbs applied on the skin but I loaded it a little too soon.  The skin was delicious on both but not very pretty on the herb butter coated skin.

 

Last edited: Nov 8, 2015

dirtsailor2003

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Oct 4, 2012

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Bend Oregon

• Nov 8, 2015

• #3

As mentioned above higher temp smoke or finish in the oven.

Another option, which is my wife's favorite I to remove the skin all together and smoke the bird naked.

Save the skin for making schmaltz.

 

peterwells

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Apr 28, 2015

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• Nov 8, 2015

• #4

Thanks - helpful - did you put any butter under the skin

 

peterwells

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Original poster

Thread starter

Apr 28, 2015

3

10

• Nov 8, 2015

• #5

thanks very helpful - cic you put any butter under the skin

 

chef jimmyj

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• Nov 8, 2015

• #6

These guys have you covered. Only thing to add is, if you are finishing in a 425°F Oven, pull the bird from the smoker when the breast IT is 145-150° and let the Oven finish the cook to an IT of 165...JJ

 

fished

Smoking Fanatic

Jan 3, 2012

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Cedar Park, Texas. 78613

• Nov 12, 2015

• #7

Good information.  Is that 165 temp taken at the thigh or breast?

Thanks

 

chef jimmyj

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• Nov 12, 2015

• #8

Fished said:

 
Good information.  Is that 165 temp taken at the thigh or breast?

Thanks

Click to expand...

Breast...If you don't Truss the Turkey or Spatchcock the Thighs should end up around 175° as the Breast hits 165. You want the Thighs cooked thoroughly and to the bone, so if the Breast goes over a few degrees. don't sweat it...JJ 

 

novasbc

Smoke Blower

Nov 13, 2014

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Austin, TX

• Nov 14, 2015

• #9

I was coming to this board today to ask the OPs question.

The same thing happens when I smoke chicken.  On the chickens, I take them off, turn my barbecue pit up to it's max, and it crisps up the skin real nice.

I was wondering if this would translate to a bigger turkey.

The next time I do a turkey, I'm going to separate the breast when it's done, so that would make it easier to get the temperatures right.