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The Manhattan Project, Smoked Turkey version.

  • Thread starter Av8tor1
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  • #21
Hmmm, that was part of my logic for avoided a brine and doing the salt rub both under and over the skin....
(and use of baking powder, both as a drying agent and its effect on the Mailard Reaction)
Good ideas Warren, I will experiment till I find what works for me...

If my smoker would go higher than 275f I would bump up the temps for the last hour. Some people take them out of the smoker and toss em in the oven at 350 for the last hour.
I was hoping to avoid that though, the low temps make for some amazing meat quality.
I think my next effort will be using 275 and not soaking my Pecan chips (the small amount of steam from that may had a negative effect)
If both of those don't result in crispy skin, I will try your suggestion :)
 
  • #22
Look at you! Each bird keeps getting purtier and purtier.
The only time I really brine when I am smoking is when I use alcohol (usually bourbon) I find the evaporation of the alcohol to limit the rubber nature that most salt water brines give. I also try to never brine anything... to inundate a piece of meat with salt water is just to leech out the natural flavors.
Now for the baking powder... Yes it does work but I find that the baking soda in the powder to give a mild astringency to the back end of the tasting process. Using straight corn starch will limit the the alkalinity or almost washing powder taste from it. I could go on and on about the benefits of corn starch but will save that for the "What Can Conley Chicken Fry?" thread
And I have never understood the idea of soaking wood chips and have vehemently protested the idea... it is the antithesis of of the dry cooking method of smoking.
Really fun on my end to watch your progress in this art... Manhattan Project maybe but I bet it disappeared like the Philadelphia Experiment.
 
  • #23
Conley,

It was indeed the best turkey I've ate.
The texture and taste of the meat was excellent.... the skin was the only area that I wasn't really happy with and felt needed improved on.

It wasn't really rubbery, but hmmm,.... it wasn't crispy neither. It was close to being spot on.

I do like the Pecan smoke, wonderful stuff... very delicate. Don't think I would use it on pork butt or ribs though.
I want to try oak for brisket when I do my first brisket.

Next time, Ill swap out cornstarch for the baking powder, increase temps to 275f (most my smoker will do) and not soak the chips.
In fact I will get a bag of Pecan pellets for my pellet burner... that way I can maintain the thin blue smoke.

It is fun, and omg the quality of home smoked food is so much better than anything you typically find in a restaurant.
I think this turkey would have been good enough for any family holiday, what a starting point woohoo.

thanks to everyone for their guidance, I'm learning from you all :)

bird is the word :)
 
  • #24
NOOoooooo!!! You balded, smoked, and ate my cute fluffy!!! Butchie, how could you? I thought we were friends.......
 
  • #25
muuuwwwwwaaaahhhhhhaaaaaa

come here my pretty :p
 
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