Smoked a couple birds.

[johnman6996]

36 hour brine.  Used a recipe I found here... can't remember the specifics.  Added more salt and some extra spices, probably shouldn't have added more salt, but they were STILL the BEST turkeys I've EVER had.  Added the hole for my chimney before hand.  Had a hard time keeping temps down.  That is a good thing compared to what I've normally had to deal with.  Mounting the chimney this week, then just have to get the firebox.

One thing, is the skin always so tough when smoking a turkey or is it because my temp would skyrocket to 400 every so often?

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• johnman6996
• Oct 23, 2016

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• johnman6996
• Oct 23, 2016

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• johnman6996
• Oct 23, 2016

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• johnman6996
• Oct 23, 2016

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• johnman6996
• Oct 23, 2016

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• johnman6996
• Oct 23, 2016

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• johnman6996
• Oct 23, 2016

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• johnman6996
• Oct 23, 2016

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• johnman6996
• Oct 23, 2016

 

[crankybuzzard]

Good looking birds! Once you start brining these critters, you'll always do it.

As for the skin, on smoked birds it's really tough to get a good skin.

 

[mike5051]

Great looking turkeys!  

Mike

 

[SmokinAl]

Man those turkeys look good!

Nice color!

Al

 

[tropics]

Nice looking birds I don't think the heat would do that,dirtsailor has posted about using corn starch or baking soda to crisp the skin.

Richie

 

[crazymoon]

J6996, Nice looking birds !

 

[johnman6996]

 
Nice looking birds I don't think the heat would do that,dirtsailor has posted about using corn starch or baking soda to crisp the skin.

Richie

​I tried looking for that post and couldn't find it.  Link please?

 

[tropics]

John I couldn't find it PM Dirtsailor. It looks like you would have to dry the bird after Marinating them

Richie

 

[ricer2231]

Dirtsailor just recently told me to add 1/4 t. baking powder to the rub that I'm going to do a chicken with to crisp the skin up.

 

[dirtsailor2003]

Looks tasty. Nice smoke.

Higher temps will not make the skin tough. In fact higher temp smokes are preferable in order to get the skin to crisp. Most brined birds especially if you didn't take time to air dry the skin prior to cooking will have tough or rubbery skin. So here are a few tips to get better skin.

1. Air dry the poultry. It is best to do this overnight if you have the time. Place the bird on a rack and place over a pan or lipped tray. pat dry the bird with paper towels. Season the bird if you want at this time. If not at least rub the bird with salt and 1/4 teaspoon of baking powder. place the bird in the fridge uncovered. Best to do this overnight or minimum of 8 hours. If you are pressed for time use a hair dryer on low right before putting in the smoker to dry the skin.

2. Higher pit temps. 325°-350°. Think about temps that cook books recommend for cooking poultry in the oven. Your smoker is just a big smokey oven so temps for certain meats benefit by  using those recommended for cooking in the oven.

3. Spatchcock or halve the bird. This will allow the bird to cook evenly and you will have better results.

4.Don't wet brine. Wet brining changes the texture of the skin. Try a dry brine (can be as basic as salt and baking powder as mentioned in 1.) rub. 

 

[johnman6996]

 
Looks tasty. Nice smoke.

Higher temps will not make the skin tough. In fact higher temp smokes are preferable in order to get the skin to crisp. Most brined birds especially if you didn't take time to air dry the skin prior to cooking will have tough or rubbery skin. So here are a few tips to get better skin.

1. Air dry the poultry. It is best to do this overnight if you have the time. Place the bird on a rack and place over a pan or lipped tray. pat dry the bird with paper towels. Season the bird if you want at this time. If not at least rub the bird with salt and 1/4 teaspoon of baking powder. place the bird in the fridge uncovered. Best to do this overnight or minimum of 8 hours. If you are pressed for time use a hair dryer on low right before putting in the smoker to dry the skin.

2. Higher pit temps. 325°-350°. Think about temps that cook books recommend for cooking poultry in the oven. Your smoker is just a big smokey oven so temps for certain meats benefit by  using those recommended for cooking in the oven.

3. Spatchcock or halve the bird. This will allow the bird to cook evenly and you will have better results.

4.Don't wet brine. Wet brining changes the texture of the skin. Try a dry brine (can be as basic as salt and baking powder as mentioned in 1.) rub. 

​Thanks Dirtsailor!

I have to wet brine them.  I already told the people that I'm cooking for that they would be wet brined.  The drying is going to be tricky.  I'm going to have at LEAST 12 birds (shooting for 20) and no fridge space (I can get 50 slabs of ribs in my fridge, but the birds are too bulky).  That is why the wet brining made more sense:  Get food safe 5 gallon buckets (local bakeries have tons of them), make brine, brine 2-3 birds per bucket, put on the lid,  and then stick them in the garage for two days.

How long would it take to dry the skin?  A couple of hours is doable.  But if it is overnight I'm going to have issues.

What about adding a light rub?  Will that help the skin? I don't want to take away from the flavor that the brine gave them, but adding some Old Bay to the skin would probably taste great.

Spatchcocking the birds looks like a good idea.  The only issue is that I only have two racks in my smoker and if I do that I won't be able to get all the birds in.  I am making a third rack, I just need to get more angle and flat stock.

A question on Spatchcoking the birds:  Can you get them back to the original shape?  I want people to be able to have a centerpiece for their table.

Thanks again!  This is the first time I've ever smoked a bird before.  Looking forward to taking this smoker to the max!

 

[dirtsailor2003]

You need at least 8 hours to get the skin dried without any other devices being used. If your garage is cold enough (42°f or less) to keep your brine birds in then it would be cold enough to air dry the birds. A fan would help more than a light bulb.

Salt and baking powder would dry the skin. Old bay not so much.

Once a bird is spatched there's not going back. However they present themselves well. Yes its different but its not ugly. There's more than one way to skin a cat!

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• dirtsailor2003
• Oct 27, 2016

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• dirtsailor2003
• Oct 27, 2016

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• dirtsailor2003
• Oct 27, 2016

 

[ricer2231]

So basically pat the bird down with paper towels, apply rub, and place on a rack over a shallow pan to air dry in the fridge over night. Is it okay to leave the rubbed drying bird for say,15 hours in the fridge?

 

[mike5051]

Great pics Case!  That last one is what I'm hoping my Thanksgiving bird looks like!  

Mike

 

[disco]

Beautiful birds, Bro! Wish I'd been there!

Disco

 

[johnman6996]

The local grocery stores are starting to sell turkeys under $1.00 a pound... bought two today (limit is 2).  Going to shoot for 20 by Thanksgiving.

 

[gearjammer]

Good looking birds.

Points to you.

  Ed

 

[johnman6996]

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• johnman6996
• Nov 14, 2016

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• johnman6996
• Nov 14, 2016

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• johnman6996
• Nov 14, 2016

I did two more this past weekend for my daughter's baptism. Dry brined them this time. Still got tough skin. Dry brined for 13 hours. Then let the rub sit for 6 hours.

 

[SmokinAl]

They sure look good from here!

I don't eat the skin, so it really doesn't matter if it's not bite thru.

But if you want at least bite thru skin you need to run your smoker around 300+.

Or pull the bird at 150 & finish it in the oven or on a grill.

Al

 

[jakester]

 
You need at least 8 hours to get the skin dried without any other devices being used. If your garage is cold enough (42°f or less) to keep your brine birds in then it would be cold enough to air dry the birds. A fan would help more than a light bulb.

Salt and baking powder would dry the skin. Old bay not so much.

Once a bird is spatched there's not going back. However they present themselves well. Yes its different but its not ugly. There's more than one way to skin a cat!

30381810631_3c0ac3013b_k.jpg

• dirtsailor2003
• Oct 27, 2016

How do i get skin like this on a turkey? This is perfect!