Smoking question?

[The Nailer]

I've smoke a number of turkeys and other thing including my first and only wild turkey. My question is how do you keep the skin from turning so dark. It really doesn't look appealing at all. The meat tastes and looks great but, the dark brown to black skin looks terrible.I usually use apple wood for poultry. Am I overdoing it w/ the smoke?

[Salmonsmoker]

Nailer,

First suggestion is to baist the skin with olive oil before smoking. This will keep it from drying out and also let it brown more than blacken.

2nd, what temperature are you using? It sounds like you may be smoking longer (to get a good smoked flavor) than the temperature will allow. Try damping down the smoker (closing the air intake and outflow) to reduce the internal temperature. FOR SURE, monitor the temperature. If you are following a recipe, do not exceed the time/temp combination recommended.

3rd. Check the posting "What Kind Of Wood" last updated on 8/24. About the 4th reply down in that chain explains reduction smoke vs oxidation smoke. If you are using an electric smoker and have dampened it down so much that characoal would go out, you have a reduction environment where smoke will become darker and heavier tasting.

With all of that, I still feel that - if the meat is good, then it is probably a matter of the skin drying out and scorching. Olive Oil will cure the problem.

Let me know how it works out.

ss

[This message has been edited by Salmonsmoker (edited 09-06-2000).]