# at what temp does chicken/turkey stop taking on smoke flavor?



## omahasmoker (Mar 27, 2010)

i am looking at going with a PID control/higher wattage heater and forced air in my fridge conversion. i can do 20 pounds of wings or 45 pounds of chicken at once but with only a 1200 watt heating element, it takes a long time. 

i know that at a certain point, the chicken stops taking on any more smoke flavor. does anybody know what temperature that might be? i think i should be able to go with a  lower temperature to begin with and then ramp it up to 250-300 degrees in the last hour or so to finish them off. 

anybody have any ideas?


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## TulsaJeff (Mar 27, 2010)

I would not say that any meat ever truly stops taking on flavor it's just that the pores are supposedly more open when meat is uncooked and therefore the greatest intensity of smoke flavor is achieved at the beginning of the cook than at the end.

Even when the pores are supposedly tightly closed as in bologna, already-cooked ham, etc. the meat can still be flavored with smoke.

My recommendation on almost anything when using a non-stickburner is to try and add smoke for at least half of the estimated cook time for best results.


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## omahasmoker (Mar 27, 2010)

thanks for the advice. i always add smoke for the entire duration. if i can, i will even throw the meat in the electric smoker and then put the smoke to it for an hour or so before i turn the electric heater on.


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## rbranstner (Mar 27, 2010)

From what I gather the meat can always keep taking on a smoky flavor maybe more at certain times of the meat temp but it will keep getting a smoky flavor but there is a certain temp where the smoke ring will no longer penetrate any further that is usually around 160.


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## omahasmoker (Mar 27, 2010)

it looks like i might have to go no higher than 150 for the first two hours and then ramp the temperature up to 325-350 or so to get the skin nice and crispy. 

i am looking forward to getting the heating elements moved to outside the fridge proper and putting in new racks to get my capacity up to 60 or more pounds of chicken. i have several events coming up that will be over a hundred pieces of chicken each.


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## bbally (Mar 28, 2010)

Transport stops at 145 F as the protien start to tighten up and squeeze down to the point the penatration is nill.  Outside continues to take smoke, but the inside... nada!

Number one way most people ruin their first brisket is to let the firebox get out of control and over heat the meat.  Once you close the protiens to a tightened mass it is over.


You can make it tender with time, but the smoke ring will not grow.


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## fireguydrew (Mar 28, 2010)

I have to agree with bbally and Omaha.
my exerience and also what I have read is that meat can only really take about 3-4 hours of smoke. 
witch is usually around 140 ish
with poultry I find that a brine really helps as well


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## mballi3011 (Mar 28, 2010)

Now you cann't get any better advice then you have just gotten. With Jeff and Bbally those are two of the most smoking professors here I think.


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## flash (Mar 28, 2010)

I agree with the 140* but figure the surface of the meat will take on smoke thru the cook.


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