Smoking a whole chicken/turkey

vw addict · BBQ Fan Joined: 04 Jul 2007 Posts: 209

I have only tried once to do a whole bird. I did an 8 lb whole chicken. Cooked it at 250�, pulled at 165�, it came out really strange. The texture of the meat was really watery and "jellylike", almost like it wasn't done. I want to do a whole turkey this time. Should I try to cook it to a higher internal temp, or cook it at 350� instead?

scotsmn30 · Joined: 14 Oct 2009 Posts: 11

I did 2 15 lbs. Turkeys for Thanksgiving and they turned out great. I did a lot of research before doing them and found out that if you cook them at a low temp you will get a rubbery skin. I cooked mine at 275 till the breast temp was 150 then bumped it up to 325 till it got to 165. I didn't brine mine, though plan to do that next time, but I did inject them both. The meat was Awesome and the skin was supper crisp.

Good luck with your Turkey, I am sure it will turn out great.

BigAL · Posted: Dec 06 2009 Post subject:

Any more info on the "jelly" bird? Did you brine? was it in a solution? Never heard of it turn'n "jelly like".

I've smoked at 250 and all was fine, but the skin is rubber. If ya want crisp skin you need to finish at a higher temp or smoke at 300-325.

165 is a good temp to pull. 350 sounds a bit too high to me. Consider brine'n the bird if it is not in a solution already.

Good luck VW.
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vw addict · BBQ Fan Joined: 04 Jul 2007 Posts: 209

The "jelly" bird was just defrosted and rubbed. The texture of the meat was just all wrong, not sure what happened.

Jarhead · Posted: Dec 06 2009 Post subject:

I had one like that, too. I think it was the brand and the amount of enhancement (%) that they put in them. I brined mine for about 8 hours, so that probably didn't help matters any. It was one that I bought a WalMart during their special for $5.00. Dog didn't complain, though.
I have always bought Best Choice, and never had the mushy texture out of them. They are 8%. I run a little hotter than you do, between 275-300. Internal to 175 in the thigh.
I put Alien's, I think, herb rub between the meat and the skin and EVOO on the skin about once per hour. I also foil the breast the last hour or so, (about 155 in the breast) to keep it from drying out.
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Hell Fire Grill · Posted: Dec 06 2009 Post subject:

V dubb

That 8 lb. chicken may well have been a rooster. Most fryers that you'll get at the grocery store should be around 6 lb. There are a few breeds that will average more than that, in the rearing time aloted for meat birds, but its not likely you'll find one in a store.

Did the bird come from a home farm, grocery store or a farmers market etc.?

Jarhead · Posted: Dec 06 2009 Post subject:

OOPS, I thought we were talking about turkeys, for future smoke. My bad Embarassed

The only chickens that are close to that size in a grocery store are not fryers but roasters. But I don't think I've ever seen one that size.
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vw addict · BBQ Fan Joined: 04 Jul 2007 Posts: 209

The chicken was probably smaller, I am trying to recall from last summer. This time I am attempting the turkey, I just don't want it to fail like the chicken did.

Jarhead · Posted: Dec 06 2009 Post subject:

Here are a bunch more tips and tricks for you:
http://www.thesmokering.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4588
http://www.cookshack.com/barbeque_guide/101/Brining101.htm
These are great posts for the holidays.

Thanks to: Alien BBQ and Smokin'Okie for the above posts.
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