Turkey with bark

[Shawn W]

I smoked a whole turkey with all the skin removed this past weekend. It was rubbed down with Stogie's Couzan Billy's Cajun Dust mixed with sugar 3 seasoning / 1 sugar and smoked with cherry chips.

It was about 14 pounds in the package. I smoked it to a breast temp of 174ºF (avg lid temp around 280ºF for about 5 hours unstuffed). I was planning on injecting it but didn't get around to it.

It got a thin bark on it that I enjoyed and was a bit dry on the outside but still somewhat moist inside. I think it would have done even better if I had watched it a little more closely and pulled it a bit sooner.

To be honest I was skeptical but it turned out quite good. The company was all raving about it. I'll be doing it again.

 

[K Kruger]

Cool. Did you oil the flesh first or apply the rub alone, directly?

 

[Paul H]

Shawn, neat idea. What do you think about if you brined it first, pulled the skin off then applied rub?

 

[Shawn W]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by K Kruger:
Cool. Did you oil the flesh first or apply the rub alone, directly? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>I thought about using some oil but decided against it and just went with the rub this time. I will try using oil on skinless thighs or breast sometime and see what happens.

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by paul h:
Shawn, neat idea. What do you think about if you brined it first, pulled the skin off then applied rub? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>Ya, I think that would be a good way to go, either plain or flavoured.

One other thing, it was a frozen utility turkey that was still a little frosty the morning of the cook. It got soaked in cold water for two hours before being skinned, patted with paper towel and rubbed.

I ended up serving the turkey after jambalya since it wasn't quite done yet. I managed to get some of it carved but the rest of the turkey ended up as finger food for 17 people and the outside was the first to go. I didn't get a chance to serve it on plates. lol