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Introduce Yourself / Re: Newbie to Smoking, Hi from Eugene Oregon
« Last post by Habanero Smoker on November 26, 2023, 04:04:17 am »Glad you enjoyed your first cook. Congratulations!!! Contact Bradley to have them replace your tube.
Tough/leather skin on poultry is common when you smoke at lower temperatures. At least, during the beginning of your cook, keep the top vent 3/4 to fully open, to help the moisture to escape. It may sound counter intuitive for maintaining heat in the Bradley, but if too much moisture builds up inside the smoker, it hinders with maintaining you desired temperature, and the moisture may also hinder the rendering of fat from the skin.
Not enough fat renders out for the skin to get crisp, so you end up with tough skin. I and many members use a two stage cooking method. We will smoke the turkey or chicken until it reaches a certain internal temperature, then finish in a hot oven; around 400 - 450F, until the skin crisp, and you reach the proper internal temperature. Some members will remove the turkey from the smoker as soon as the smoke has been applied, and finish in 350F oven, or grill. Air drying the turkey uncovered in the refrigerator for a longer period of time; 12 - 24 hours help with the final texture of the skin. You will not get crispy skin, but the skin will be bite through. On the barbecue circuit, some competitors use one of those meat tenderizers with the needles, and prick the skin all over the poultry, to help the rendered fat escape from under the skin. Do not penetrate too deep. Those that use this method, say you don't loose any extra moisture from the meat. I've never tried that.
Lack of drippings is a result of tough skin. The reason you didn't get much drippings is because not much fat rendered out, but I would expect more drippings than a few tablespoons from the size of the turkey portion you smoked.
Tough/leather skin on poultry is common when you smoke at lower temperatures. At least, during the beginning of your cook, keep the top vent 3/4 to fully open, to help the moisture to escape. It may sound counter intuitive for maintaining heat in the Bradley, but if too much moisture builds up inside the smoker, it hinders with maintaining you desired temperature, and the moisture may also hinder the rendering of fat from the skin.
Not enough fat renders out for the skin to get crisp, so you end up with tough skin. I and many members use a two stage cooking method. We will smoke the turkey or chicken until it reaches a certain internal temperature, then finish in a hot oven; around 400 - 450F, until the skin crisp, and you reach the proper internal temperature. Some members will remove the turkey from the smoker as soon as the smoke has been applied, and finish in 350F oven, or grill. Air drying the turkey uncovered in the refrigerator for a longer period of time; 12 - 24 hours help with the final texture of the skin. You will not get crispy skin, but the skin will be bite through. On the barbecue circuit, some competitors use one of those meat tenderizers with the needles, and prick the skin all over the poultry, to help the rendered fat escape from under the skin. Do not penetrate too deep. Those that use this method, say you don't loose any extra moisture from the meat. I've never tried that.
Lack of drippings is a result of tough skin. The reason you didn't get much drippings is because not much fat rendered out, but I would expect more drippings than a few tablespoons from the size of the turkey portion you smoked.
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