Smoked Chicken/Turkey Question

Honestly, at least to me, even grilled turkey tastes like ham. Which is a good thing for me since I like ham a good bit more than turkey....but anyway.

In my opinion, the biggest culprit in making things taste like ham or bacon is using hickory as your main or flavor wood. That's awesome if you're wanting that, but not so much if you see it as taking away from the natural flavor of the bird. I use maple with all my poultry smokes and am happy. Other mild woods such as apple, peach, apricot would work as well.


Oops! Almost forgot cherry. And that would be dumb since I dig cherry wood with turkey.

If you brine or cure the turkey you will get a ham taste. If you just rub (or not) the bird then smoke,I think you will get the taste that you want.

quote:

Originally posted by joe b:
If you brine or cure the turkey you will get a ham taste.

I have to disagree with that. We brine all poultry and have been doing so for over 15 years. We cook them conventional ovens, grills and smokers with all sorts of different wood and never had a "ham taste".
I think maybe the post about trying different woods might help. I also have to wonder if pat3332 is somehow associating anything smoked smoke to a ham taste when it's really not there.

The word cure,above,often has a lot to do with it.

TQ/Prague,etc, can cause pinkness and hammy taste in poultry.

I've never had a hickory problem,but do prefer a fruitwood,and not much of it.

Brining isn't a necessity,but certainly can improve a good bird,and maybe save some that would be less than good.

As that ol' sage Smokin'Okie says"now is the prime time for a practice bird"-before the whole,extended family lands for the holiday and we want to "show off" the new cooker.

We can take our notes,ask the questions,and make the adjustments.

Lots of uses for a bird now,and they are cheap enough to practice.

They seem to be more appreciated than when served with the plethora of foods at the holiday meal.

Good sandwiches,some turkey salad with the dark meat,and some fine gumbo with the carcass and scraps-now that the weather is changing.

We like to do at least an extra breast,to cook,split and freeze for sandwiches.

Also, goes well with the leftovers of the PR at christmas.

Just a thought.

I hit enter and more replies come in...

quote:

Originally posted by pat3332:
Does the poultry you smoke yourself taste different than the store bought?

Thanks

Pat

Absolutely.

Think of it like this. What do you bbq? Brisket, ribs, etc. How does the taste of what you make compare with the store?

No comparison.

Same with poultry, make it yourself, you control the quality and recipe and make something of your own flavors.

quote:

Originally posted by joe b:
If you brine or cure the turkey you will get a ham taste.

I would not agree with that statement. Unless you overcure or add to much of something, the simple process of brining won't make everything taste like him.

That's too general a statement.

The problem is that MANY of the commercial injections have too much salt or inject so much solution that the item sits in the liquid (and you pay for their salt water).

I've been brining poultry for 15+ years and not once had someone tell me it was hammy. I think it's the product you start with.

Use fresh

quote:

Originally posted by cronyism sucks:
In my opinion, the biggest culprit in making things taste like ham or bacon is using hickory as your main or flavor wood.

Wow, another first, haven't heard that one either. Hickory making something taste like ham? How about my hickory smoked brisket? Not sure what's causing the poultry to taste like him, but I don't see the connection?

Color me confused. But it wouldn't be the first time.

Thanks for the replies.

It's true that chickens are inexpensive enough to practice on. I just hate to waste meat if I end up not liking it, but I can always cut it up for the dogs. They don't care what it tastes like. I'll get a couple of chickens and try them out. I've always liked chicken and I've been doing them on my grills rotisserie all summer and I've never had one come out tasting like ham. Since I got my Smokette, I've been doing about everything in it, except for my ribeye steaks. I don't remember ever trying a smoked brisket from the store and after making my own, I probably won't. I hadn't thought about it until Smokin' mentioned it, but maybe it's the solution they're injected with. I wonder if they use liquid smoke. I hate that stuff.

I have to work the the next 2 nights, but I'll try a couple of chickens on Thursday and let you know how they come out. I don't like a strong smoke flavor that overpowers the meat, just enough to tell it was smoked. I've been using apple and cherry on about everything and really like the flavor they give the meat.

Thanks

Pat

The "one" challenge in doing poultry in a smokette...

Well, actually two

Humidity and High temp.

You can smoke it great in the smokette, the challenge will be the skin. Some just throw it away after cooking as they don't eat it.

IF you want to eat it, you need to work on the issue. I smoke it at the max temp (250) and I open the door ever 30 min to let the humidity out (it extends the cooking time, but gets a better product).

OR just finish the chicken on a grill to crisp up the chicken.

And yes, it's pretty check to buy a tray of 15 thighs for $3 bucks and work on them.

Thanks for the info. I love crispy chicken skin, but because of a problem with my cholesterol, I've had to pretty much eliminate it from my diet anyway. I have a Nesco roaster that is the same way. The chicken comes out great. Tender and moist, but the skin never gets crisp. The chicken is so good that I don't miss the skin that much though.

My family is divided on the chicken. My son and I love the dark meat and my wife won't eat anything but the breast, so I usually fix a whole chicken and we split it up.

Thanks

Pat