Food Smokers and Smoking Tips/Tricks/Techniques

Yes, job #1

 

I’ve had our two turkeys in the spare fridge since Friday, they should they be unthawed all the way through shouldn’t they?

 

If I recall correctly, it's about 10 minutes per pound, at 325, to get to breast temp of 165 and/or leg temp of 180. Good luck!

 

first and foremost, NEVER smoke something from frozen. It hovers in the danger zone for bacteria and that’s a no no. Also it doesn’t cook good. But more important, it’s dangerous.


I have never done a breast on rib cage in the smoker. I always smoke boneless turkey breast. I would say do a seasoned brine, then into the smoker for probably 3 to 4 hours. However, since that’s my timeframe for boneless breast, it might take longer.

normally you take off turkey about 5 to 10 degrees before 165, as it cooks a bit while resting. I haven’t seen that in the smoker, typically you’ll want to leave it to temp. At least I usually do.

subjectively, that skin will be shoe leather once it’s done. Leave it on for the smoke, but don’t expect a good crunchy and crispy skin like out of the oven. I do chicken drums and thighs time to time and those come out like leather, but the meat is spot on.

Any wood will do. Hickory is fine. Some people are very particular about their wood selection, but if you don’t do it on a regular basis you’ll probably not be able to tell the difference.

I do 225 on the barrel grill as an offset smoker. Good luck!

Edit: I forgot the rest! Rest it for at least an hour before you hack into it.

 

Yes, you can quick thaw in sink with water
I drain about half and refill/move it every 30 min.

 

I brine large bone in turkey breasts for about 12-16 hours. Make sure you get the outside nice and dry. I then use whatever poultry or custom rub I like at the moment and smoke it at 225 until it hits 150 i.t. Then I finish it of at 275 until 160-165 i.t. I like to use cherry wood

 

i would think so. Are you brining? A bribe will help ensure fully thawed too.

 

No.

 

They most likely will be. If not, the internal temp should be very close to 32f. They will finish thawing as you wash/prepare them. It's the same with any meat.Time depends on meat mass and frig temp.

I'm going to season as I used to, if iirc, wash, dry, rub in and out with softened butter, and rub in and out with seasoned salt. 150f for an hour, then 225f til 160 IT. Wrap in foil and rest for at least an hour. I'm pretty sure this is how I used to do a whole bird on a different smoker.

Thanks for the advice fellas. Have a great Thanksgiving, and don't get any of them chinese cooties.

 

Mix some cornstarch in with whatever rub or seasoning you are putting on the skin, and let it sit uncovered in the fridge for several hours before cooking. Then crank the heat up at the end of your cook and the skin will crisp up much better.

 

Yeah, I did not plan on putting frozen meat on the smoker. I was just talking about what the instructions on the package stated

 

you’re probably fine. I have a breast I moved into the fridge on Sunday afternoon/evening and it’s fully thawed now. I’m brining later today though.

I’ll give that a whirl next time I do chicken. Thanks!

ah fair enough. Yeah, you can do frozen in the oven and instant pots/pressure cookers, since it blasts it through the no go zone quickly. Bacteria doesn’t get a chance to grow. Not so with low and slow where it hangs out there for a while.

 

Baking powder, (not baking soda), will do the same thing.

 

Okay guys, thought I’d share one of my go-to rubs. It’s an easy one and works well on tri-tips, Prime Ribs, etc. If anyone tries it out I’d love to hear some feedback. What you liked and what you didn’t like. Maybe some critiques on improving it as well?

Equal parts of:
Course ground pepper
Course ground salt
Dried parsley
Dehydrated onion flakes
Red pepper flakes (by taste)

I generally mix this up using 3 TBSP of each ingredient, but only 2TBSP of Red Pepper Flakes (they can overpower the flavor pretty quickly).

Key verbiage here is “COURSE GROUND” as it keeps the meat from getting too salty.

throw the rub on pretty liberally and let it set a couple hours or overnight. Just let the flavors get to know each other.

Easy as that, let me know whatcha think!

 

Butter and seasoned salt only? I’ve got to figure out what to put on ours!

 

Does the smoke still get to the entire thing well when using a pan underneath like that?? Sure would make my clean up a lot easier

 

So kinda like Waterboardin’ then. Aggressive cook.

 

Yup. Unless you have fans going pulling air, the smoke wanders a lot. You won’t be missing any side as long as you have it on a grate above the pan like this. You want air/grates underneath. As long as you do that, you’ll be fine.

 

Well no, change of plans lol. Butter, even tho I patted dry and then air dried didn't stick very well. Next time melted butter. The seasoned salt was best by... 06. Nope, prolly still ok but the spices were that old. So Tony Chacheres Creole seasoning, about the same thing with a little more kick. IT at 156f, will be coming into rest soon.