Hey everybody... I scored an MES 30" electric smoker from my job thru some Corporate perk rewards program... best thing that ever came out of that place!
I've had it around 4 weeks and I've smoked twice on it. The first time I just did some chicken legs, thighs and bone-in breasts with mesquite wood and SPOG. The bone in breasts were the steroid type, so they got kinda tough and overcooked. However, the legs and thighs were GREAT! The second smoke went much better... I did two beer-butt chickens (5lbs each) with some random rub I found online at another site (it was good, just gotta locate the link again). I used hickory wood this time with a PBR up the butt. I let it smoke pretty much the whole 2hrs or so and never opened the doors (just prayed everything was okay inside). These chickens were GREAT! I'm so pumped up now I can't wait to learn more.
I'm currently starting my 3rd smoke tomorrow, so I have a 10lb turkey in the Slaughterhouse brine (first time brining) right now. Tomorrow I'll do the Slaughterhouse injection before I start cooking. I just had a few questions if someone doesn't mind to answer them. Sorry for asking so many things in one thread, but I learn quickly, so I'll only have to be told once (hopefully)!
Heygreene
PS: Trying to QVIEW some pics... misc chicken parts is the 1st smoke, 2 birds standin' up is the 2nd smoke

I'm currently starting my 3rd smoke tomorrow, so I have a 10lb turkey in the Slaughterhouse brine (first time brining) right now. Tomorrow I'll do the Slaughterhouse injection before I start cooking. I just had a few questions if someone doesn't mind to answer them. Sorry for asking so many things in one thread, but I learn quickly, so I'll only have to be told once (hopefully)!
- Should the breast temperature be 170 or 180? I see many different opinions. I did 167 on the chickens and they were nice and tender, but around the bone there was more red than the wife wanted to see. I am still clueless as to how to hit the thigh with the thermometer without hitting a bone, so I pretty much need to go off of the breast.
- I think it's possible to "beer can" a turkey this size, but is it suggested to do so? If not, I'd assume I just smoke it breast-side up on the rack?
- Should I apply any type of rub since I've already brined and I plan on injecting it also? If so I may just do EVOO and a SPOG of sorts that mimics the brine.
- I made too much brine, but it never touched the bird. Is it okay to freeze? I probably wont' use it again for at least 2-3 weeks (right around turkey day).
- How much water or other type of liquid do you suggest putting in the pan? When I did the first smoke, I had only about 1 cup of H2O and the bottom items got way too done too quickly. The second smoke went better with 1/2 pan full of water.
- What kind of wood do you recommend for a turkey? The mesquite and hickory were both very good, but they make the meat resemble barbeque somewhat. I have a dead apple tree and some wood from it, along with a live pecan tree that I'm eyein' to limb soon.
Heygreene
PS: Trying to QVIEW some pics... misc chicken parts is the 1st smoke, 2 birds standin' up is the 2nd smoke
Last edited: