Fowl Mouth

Let’s talk turkey…and poultry in general. When you think of barbecue, you may think of brisket, ribs, pork shoulder, and sausage. I would bet if you ask pitmasters they would tell you those cuts move the most. These meats have been shelved by health conscience diners as they can be fairly fatty. Side note, good ‘cue needs to be at least a little fatty. As folks look for leaner meats they start moving towards poultry. Around the country you’ll see chicken and turkey making moves on barbecue menus. Let’s get into what makes great fowl, so you and your crew can gobble up the goods. 

If you are picking one of these birds up from a grocery store there is some prep to consider. Something you can do to get the most out of chicken or turkey is brining. What is a brine? A brine is a mixture of salt and water. How does it work? Voodoo…nah, a brine works my osmosis. That word you probably heard for the first time in grade school science class. The dissolved salt works it’s way into the cells of the meat. You can add spices and flavors to your brine and those flavors will work their way in too. This means that your poultry will be flavored from the inside. That’s insane. There will be a recipe for a basic brine that you can start off with. Feel free to alter, adjust, and add to this recipe. 

Most meats you see in a barbecue spot dont have the skin on. Poultry however, typically does. As a kid this was my favorite part. A great crispy skin from a piece of smoked chicken can be life changing. The opposite is also true. The texture of the skin is all about heat. If the temperature in your smoker is too low you will get gummy chewy chicken skin. When cooking bird, I don’t let my rig get down lower than 275°F. This way I make sure I get the skin hot enough to be golden brown and crispy. 

Here’s a little bit of a history lesson. Indigenous birds in the US are numerous, and these would have been cooked with similar results to modern barbecue. Chickens are not native to the Americas or the western hemisphere. What is native though is turkey, duck, quail, and geese. All of these have unique flavors, so seasonings may change. Also, whether wild or domestic they may need special attention when cooking. Some of these birds can have delicate flavors so using a mild wood like oak is my suggestion. Then if you're feelin’ fresh, adding wood from a fruit tree can really set your ‘cue apart.

I hope this information can help you take your poultry from pretty good to profound. I have other things cookin’, but here is more to come about this and other topics. Feel free to email me at Info@seasonedsmoker.com and your question may be featured in my next post! 

To better barbecue,

The Seasoned Smoker