pre-preparing

  • Some of the links on this forum allow SMF, at no cost to you, to earn a small commission when you click through and make a purchase. Let me know if you have any questions about this.
SMF is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

rons

Smoking Fanatic
Original poster
Mar 15, 2009
549
51
OK, nervous here, this Saturday I'm going to do a beercan chicken and a whole skin on turkey breast on the brinkman. Check me here on my preps..

1) Did more mods on the brinkman charcoal pan. I was only able to maintain 225 so far, so I bought an extra grate to go crossways so the coals won't fall through as easy, cut the bottom totally out of the inner smoker bowl and add more vents underneath for better air flow. I think I should be running at least 275 up to 325 for poultry right?

2) I'm gonna brine both in a big pot with water, sea salts, molasis, garlic and some other seasonings. Then a spice rub

3) Got a beer can chicken holder doo-hickey for the chicken and the turkey on a small baking pan or foil?

Anything else I should do or do differernt?

Thanks dudes!
Ron
 
Ron not sure about your mods as I don't use that type smoker. That being said 225 will work for a smoker temp the skin just won't crisp unless you have a turkey over about 12 lbs
Brine sounds like it'll work
I personally place my chickens and turkeys right on the grate breast up
 
Ok, cool, thanks for the advice. I was thinking I needed higher temps, when I've done pork roasts they never got done, even after 6.5 hours at 225. I think I'll be safe for sure then. I would like a crisp skin on the chicken though, so this might be better. I'll just put the turkey on the lower grill then. The chicken I'm curious how the beer can thing works so gonna give it a go.
 
Ron I do my poultry at around 300-325 because we like the crispy skin. I'm saying at 225 you should be "safe" the skin will not be great unless you crisp it up in a grill or oven. You would get more smoke penetration at the lower temp but I find 325 still gives a decent smoke flavor
 
Hey Ron, Try this brine i got this brine a while ago b 4 the crash,

1 1/2 gallon water
1/2 c salt
1/2 c brown sugar
2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp onion powder
2 tsp cajun spice
2 tsp celery salt

The brown sugar helps to crisp the skin nicely. Dont forget to empty half of the beer out b 4 you slip her in. In the beer i use some soy sauce, teriyaki and cajun spice.

like piney said try to do poultry at 300 to 325
 
points.gif
Why haven't i thought of that???
 
Well Ron, the advice on raising your temp is a good idea if you plan on eating the skin. I never do so I don't worry about the temp being higher than normal.
Also (as previously said) you don't need to put the bird in a pan or on foil, it will cook just fine on the grate, just make sure to oil the grate first.
When brining make sure you are bring is a safe bucket. Don't make a brine in a stock pot and just toss the poultry in, you need to make sure it is a non-reactive pan which is why most people use food grade 5 gallon buckets.
If doing more than just salt and sugar in your brine make sure to heat it to a boil and then cool. Many ingredients like garlic, pepper and most dried herbs need heat to activate their essential flavors, otherwise they may not impart very much flavor throughout the brine. If you are going to rub your bird or birds then try to pull the skin back as much as you can without ripping and rub underneath.
Oh, and after you take the birds out of the brine rinse well, pat dry and then set in the fridge for around half an hour (preferably in front of the fridges fan). This gives any residual moisture a chance to absorb back into the bird so you have a nice dry skin.
If your skin is wet when you put it in the smoker creosote will cling easier to the moisture on the meat.
Nothing else I can think of that you should do except save me a slice of that bird...
And good luck.
 
Hey fire, do you always put your fare from the fridge right on the smoker? I like to let it sit out a bit to come up in temp some b 4 i put it on the smoker. That sitting time allows for drying also.
 
whoa cool, thanks for all the advice, this forum rules
points.gif
to all!

OK cool. My wife likes the skin, I don't, I like smoke she kinda does,.. 300 it is lol

oh cool, that sounds good! I'll try that!!! Thanks!!!

cool!!!, you know, I was thinking of getting a small square almost like a rain gutter pipe with a 90 degree elbow. So it would point up at the bottom of the intake vents, then putting a 12v high power computer fan at the far cool end to make a 'forced air smoker' for more heat. Like an electric bellow system. Great minds think alike heh heh

good info! Wait, we have a big stock soup pot thing, it's that shiney nice metal, it was expensive. It makes soup good with it cooking all day, and soup is salty, that would work wouldn't it?

Great tips on patting it dry, and sitting before the rub and q, thanks!
 
I actually thought about mentioning that but forgot while I was typing it. Yes, I always let any meat I am smoking sit out for a little while before I throw it on to come up to, or close to, room temp.
Good call.
 
So if I'm going from brine to smoker, I could just let em sit on the counter and dry and warm at the same time in between?
 
Ron rinse the birds well after they come out of the brine then pat them dry. After that you can set them in front of a fan or put them in the fridge uncovered for a bit or just rub them and put them in the smoker. One thing tho is that the general rule of 40-140 in less than 4 hours kicks in from the time you rinse the birds pretty much.
 
oh man thanks,I wouldn't have rinsed, you guys have helped a lot!!!
OK 40 to 140 in 4 hours, .... a race...a challange.. ok I can do this!!!
 
SmokingMeatForums.com is reader supported and as an Amazon Associate, we may earn commissions from qualifying purchases.

Latest posts

Hot Threads

Clicky