How can I be 100% sure my smoked turkey won't taste like ham?

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BecknCO

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Hey guys and gals,

I'm pretty new to smoking, and sometimes my spatched chickens turn out tasting a little hammy with just rub and oversmoking them (usually hickory and sometimes a mix of hickory and applewood). Definitely my fault, as I'm still learning. I'm planning on doing the turkey on the OTS this year, and I just want to be 100% sure I am not going to screw this up and have it taste like ham.

My chica does not like the smoke profile of anything but hickory on poultry, and I think this in particular is what is making the birds a little hammy tasting ( I would prefer to just use applewood, but she thinks THAT is what makes it taste like him). Good grief :drama:

I'm scared of trying brining thinking that will exacerbate the problem with the salt/curing effect of the brine, so I just want to inject and use some kind of spicy rub/injection combo.

What can you masters of the thin blue suggest? :becky:
 
Ben sometimes less is more...in this case meaning less smoke and less time in the smoke.

Try i simple rub, smoke at 325-350 as poultry doesn't need much time in smoke. Try dropping the hickory and just use a little apple... it's a mild smoke.

If it's enhanced just try smoking it and if it isn't then go ahead and brine. Hopefully the less is more approach will give you better results. :becky:
 
First off, start of with something other than a leg of pork... :p

Seriously, Cut way back on the wood, poultry requires very little smoke, it takes it in just fine. Brineing is fine, use a proven brine recipe and go with that. Now, that being said, if the turkey has been enhanced, or injected, then you don't have to brine, it won't hurt it, but, it is a waste.

I also suggest a simple seasoning program. It is most likely the fact that you are going to heavy on the smoke. Also, I like to cook all poultry at or above 300F, 350°F is a good place to be.
 
Thanks guys - I think I'm just going to use a SINGLE fist size chunk of hickory and bury it in the coals. I'll definitely get an unenhanced bird, and want to inject. I'm also definitely plannng on the 325-350 range .

I was thinking of just melted butter with a little cayenne and old bay for the injection. What do you think about that, or will the salt from the old bay make it hammy?
 
Ben it was probably the smoke and amount of time in the smoke that gave you that taste...no problems with the old bay imo....The butter sounds real good ))

What temps were you cooking at?
 
Okie Sawbones said:
Yes honey, I used hickory... (as I hide the apple wood chunks) :twisted:
Click to expand...

:pound:

she would seriously beat my azz lol.

I think I'll shoot for 350 temp in the OTS, and if the skin somehow comes up rubbery due to my idiocy, I'll try and make some cracklins a la meathead :clap2::clap2:
 
Back way out on th wood, try using only lump charcoal on your next cook, then add very small amounts after you see what that tastes like.
 
That's a good call with just some good lump - plenty of smoke from that as is. I usually use RO lump for grilling and I think I might have enough. I was planning on doing a mix of that and stubbs briqs but maybe I will just do lump and see what happens.

It seems the general consensus is that it's the damn oversmoking that's causing the ham taste and not the spices in the rub or injection - do I have that right?
 
Start out low like 180 for two hrs with 1 chunk of hickory then dump a 1/2 chimney of lump and a 1/2 chimney of lit lump open the intake and let it finish.
 
J'ville Grill said:
Well I wouldn't use hickory but it's sounds like your between a rock and a hard place.
Click to expand...

I just use apple wood for everything--it all tastes good no matter I cook with it and it keeps things simple. Got two 10lb bags of apple wood for $7.99 a bag at Ace Hardware today :) Sale is going on to late December I believe.
 
While I would use Apple or Cherry wood, I think you should use hickory, but only a title. If your lady likes it, you wanna please her, huh? The above advice to cook hot and fast with little smoke is your best bet. If you brine, DON't OVER-BRINE. Relax and enjoy your Q. Post pics if you can.
 
No brining (if already enhanced) or injecting. Cook hot and fast so that it takes on as little smoke as possible. White oak for the wood. Try to find a charcoal that does not overpower the meat. No ham profile when cooking with just splits IMO, but that is not an option.
 
BecknCO said:
It seems the general consensus is that it's the damn oversmoking that's causing the ham taste and not the spices in the rub or injection - do I have that right?
Click to expand...
That seems to be the consensus. Faced with this issue I would start with a blank slate and add parts to see what you like or don't like. IOW start with an unseasoned bird (simple brine should be OK) or seasoned lightly with S&P. Smoke with no extra wood and see what you get. I think you will be surprised by how good it tastes. Then run additional trials adding (one at a time) smoke wood, rubs, aromatics in the cavity, injection and such. Then you can decide which you and SWMBO prefer and go with that.

I'm sure it will be a fun learning experience.
 
Bludawg said:
Start out low like 180 for two hrs with 1 chunk of hickory then dump a 1/2 chimney of lump and a 1/2 chimney of lit lump open the intake and let it finish.
Click to expand...
I did a similar thing this weekend, started at 200* for 2 hours then bumped it up to 300-350. I like pecan on my birds though.
 
I just bbq'd a turkey the other day in my kettle. I used a handful of wood pellets at the start and another handful after a bit. It was nice and smoky but definitely not overdone.
 
1 part hickory to 3 parts apple (or 1 pt hickory, 1 pt apple, 1 pt pecan). You can still say you used hickory and won't be dishonest. Some of the best q I've ever made was done by mixing woods. And I agree on keeping the smoke wood to a minimum. 3 small chunks that equal a single large man's fist should be plenty for poultry.
 
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