The OFFICIAL meat smoking thread

[33anda3rd]

I think I'd reconsider leaving out the wet brine. I think not using a wet brine in the oven is a good idea. A dry rub means you get more flavor and crispy skin. A rub IMO is > a wet brine when using the oven. But smoking the bird we're not really going for crispy skin and we're going to get great smoke flavor throughout the bird so the wet brine isn't a roadblock to our goals.

[Tim]

For the Turkey, Cherry or Applewood chips

[redbirdjazzz]

For the Turkey, Cherry or Applewood chips

Either or both. I like a mix of the two, actually. One really interesting one that I can get around here is grape vine. I haven't tried it with turkey, but it's really good with pork and chicken.

[cardinalkarp]

For the Turkey, Cherry or Applewood chips

Just keep in mind that the cherry wood chips are going to make the skin a really dark color. Of course you're probably not going to eat the skin after smoking, but just keep in mind that it's not burning.

[Tim]

For the Turkey, Cherry or Applewood chips

Just keep in mind that the cherry wood chips are going to make the skin a really dark color. Of course you're probably not going to eat the skin after smoking, but just keep in mind that it's not burning.

Oh yeah absolutely. Used cherry last year. Was wonderful.

[33anda3rd]

I always pull off the skin before I smoke turkey. I'd rather get the rub on the meat that people are going to eat, let it season the meat and also let the black pepper grab on to the smoke.

[haltz]

One of the biggest problems here is that turkey [expletive] sucks and there is only so much you can do to make that big stupid bird taste like anything.

I would suggest to cook it however you want and break it down immediately into tupperware containers. While it's cooling down in the fridge, roast some duck and sear some scallops for your loved ones and thank your higher power of choice that you didn't have to eat hot turkey.

Once the turkey is cold I would suggest putting it on a good bagel or croissant with some Durkee's and Gouda to make it palatable.

[cardinalkarp]

I always pull off the skin before I smoke turkey. I'd rather get the rub on the meat that people are going to eat, let it season the meat and also let the black pepper grab on to the smoke.

You can lift the skin and put your rub on the meat sealing the rub in...but doesn't pulling the skin completely off turn the outside turkey meat into leather?

[Fat Strat]

One of the biggest problems here is that turkey [expletive] sucks and there is only so much you can do to make that big stupid bird taste like anything.

I've had great success smoking turkey breasts.

[33anda3rd]

I always pull off the skin before I smoke turkey. I'd rather get the rub on the meat that people are going to eat, let it season the meat and also let the black pepper grab on to the smoke.

You can lift the skin and put your rub on the meat sealing the rub in...but doesn't pulling the skin completely off turn the outside turkey meat into leather?

It never has for me. It turns into a nice black bark*, like with a brisket. So you have the juicy white meat with a ring of black smoky bark on the outside.

*Edit to add/elaborate: I use a LOT of rub, and it's a real simple one: 2 parts coarsely ground black pepper to 1 part kosher salt. I just kind of keep that around for smoking in general and use it on everything. I get a big tupperware, put it on a digital scale, pour in the pepper, pour in the salt. I just eyeball it when I'm rubbing, I don't do like X grams of rub per Y pounds of meat. When it looks right, I stop adding it, and "looks right" for me is usually "is freaking covered in salt and pepper." I rub the heck out of the breasts and thighs, after spatchcocking the bird (removing the backbone and flattening it), then go a little easier on the legs so that there's not too much pepper-to-meat. It's the only way I end up eating a turkey where I prefer the white meat, because a good quarter-inch thick slice of the breast with a thick bark is pretty great.