Golden brown turkey

[boudreaux123]

Hi Guys, I'm new to this smoking world. About a month ago I bought an electric smoker and so far it works well. I've smoked spare ribs, baby back ribs, a briskit, and 2 turkeys. I'm having a problem with the skin on my turkeys. I soak the birds in brine and the meat comes out tender and juicy and tasteing great. But the skin is black. Not burnt black, but soft and kinda rubbery. I know I'm doing something wrong but I don't know what. Can anybody give me a heads up on where I'm messing up?

                                                                                  Thanks, Boudreaux123

 

[eman]

Most electric smokers don't get hot enough to crisp up the skin.

 After you finish the smoke run it through a hot oven 350 -375 to crisp up the skin.

 

[JckDanls 07]

Most electric smokers don't get hot enough to crisp up the skin.
 After you finish the smoke run it through a hot oven 350 -375 to crisp up the skin.

First off... welcome to SMF.. why don't you stop over by roll call and introduce yourself so we can all give you the warm welcome you deserve... tell us a little about yourself and your equipment... I would have to agree with eman... the electrics don't get hot enough to crisp the skins on turkeys or chickens... run em threw the oven to crisp the skin...

 

[roller]

x3

 

[SmokinAl]

Welcome to SMF! 

What they said!

 

[ptcruiserguy]

Yep, they are all right.

 

[boudreaux123]

Eman, I totally agree with that LSU thing on Jan 9th. And thanks for the comeback. But how do I keep the skin from getting black instead of golden brown?

 

[eman]

What if anything  are you putting on the skin before smoking?

I have smoked turkeys and chickens in my MES and never had the skin get real black???

 I smoke at around 235 -250 and cook to 160 interal temps at the thickest part of the breast and at the thigh /leg joint.

  I have heard of others wraping the leg and wing w/ foil part way thru the smoke to keep them from getting to dark ,but i have never tried it.

 

[boudreaux123]

I rubbed the skin with butter with canola oil in it then add Tony"s all over it. Would it be better to leave it "naked" with just some Tony"s or margarin with Tony's. As you can see I grew up with that little green shaker box. Like I said, I'm new to this and maybe putting butter on it may have turned it black. I dunno.

 

[eman]

If you look at most of the smoked turkey post w/ pics the skin on the birds is dark and almost black.

I think it's just the nature of the beast. I smofry them and it does come out more brown than black.

 

[owlcreeksmoker4]

everyone already helped lol

 

[raptor700]

I'm not sure what the problem is Boudreaux, I have a stick burner and they don't come out black.

I use butter also 

 

[boudreaux123]

E-man, again thanks for your help on that turkey skin problem that I had. I smoked that turkey and about 2 hours before it was done I checked on it and the skin was still brown. So I put some aluminum foil over the top and let it go. That skin came out golden brown with a slight crisp to it. Hopefully that was my problem. Again, thanks.

 

[raptor700]

Glad it worked out well for ya Boudreaux  

 

[boudreaux123]

Thanks Raptor. I really like the way it came out. Thanks again.