"Cliff" > wrote in message
news:9fS8f.499492$_o.378290@attbi_s71...
> Just finished up a practice turkey on the smoker. I usually fry em for the
> holidays but this year I want to smoke about 6 for the family gathering
> next month.
> 12lb bird, 225 degrees, apple/hickory combo on the wood, for 4 hours was
> just about right. Also used a pan of water/mango wine cooler underneath
> the bird.. A pint of Evan Williams for me.
> Damm thing nearly fell apart as I carefully pulled it off the grate. lol
> Rubbed and injected it with my secret sauce (a mixtuire of creol butter
> liquid, a raspberry bq sauce) last night and stuffed a couple of goodsize
> chicken/apple sausages inside it for good measure. Anyway, the meat was
> juicy and unbelieveably tasty.
> (6 teenagers are napping with full bellies on my basement floor for proof
> lol) BUT the skin was tough and unedible but at least pulled away from the
> meat easily. Looks as though I neglected that part.
> Any suggestions as to do a better job on the skin? What, when and how
> often would you suggest?
>
> Cliff
>

The vulcanized skin is the trade-off for smoking it. You might get away
with ramping up the temp at the end of the cook, but it's still not that
same as cooking the bird at roasting temperature, say 350.

Jack