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[Starkman]

Because heat rises, the top of the oven is actually quite a bit hotter than the bottom.

Ah!

[Homecook]

@Finn,

Smoked turkey doesn't develop a deep bark for a couple of reasons -- there's not a significant amount of fat and connective tissue in a turkey like there is on a boston butt or a brisket. Also, because it's considered a lean, tender meat there's no reason to smoke it for the extended period like you would do with a large hunk of pork or beef. 

When smoking any poultry the skin of the bird will hold the juices in and sort of act like a bark. By BBQ standards though, this is NOT bark. Getting crispy skin on the bird depends on your smoker's temp and how much moisture you have in your smoking chamber.

My smoker is quite moist in the smoking chamber even with all of the vents open. The result is that the bird's skin isn't crispy.  With poultry -- you can always crisp the skin up on a hot flame (grill) if it is soggy.  That's what I do.

[Finntheirish]

Is it best to smoke a Turkey at the same temp as a Butt or brisket? or does poultry need to be smoked at a higher temperature. When you roast a turkey It is usually done around 300-350 obviously smoking is different but i'm learning turkey is different than what I used to working with (lamb, beef, pork). Is Turkey best smoked at 225-235ish? Or is the shorter cooking time aided with a hotter temperature?

I want to thank you all for lending your knowledge! I love this site! Dummy cooks like me get to discuss these things with people who at least seem to know what they are talking about!

[Wisconsin Limey]

@FINN
By definition, smoking is done at a low temp.  At higher temps, you are roasting. 

The classic smoker has a firebox off to one side and a large chamber next to that which holds the meat.  Smoke is the only thing that passes through the food chamber and the temp is usually 200-250 with 225 being the usual goal. 


If you are smoking on a traditional grill or on a vertical smoker then careful adjustment of air vents is used to control the temp.  You can also smoke on a gas grill with a foil pack of wood chips over one burner on low and the food over the unlit burners.

[Starkman]

Because heat rises, the top of the oven is actually quite a bit hotter than the bottom.

Ah!

Okay, so let's talk about this for a second (without interrupting the "smoking" portion of this thread).

So, usually, recipes say to put, say, a roast (large portions of meat) on the bottom rack. I assume, then, that it wouldn't be a good idea to put roasts on the upper section of the oven because the heat could get too hot, and we all know that some meats have to cook at lower temps in order to slowly break down the connective tissue and what have you. Is this on track?

Starkman

[Wisconsin Limey]

@STARKMAN

Not exactly.  A recipe will instruct you to put a large roast on a bottom rack because it wouldn't fit on an upper rack due to it's largeness.  Temperature is controlled by that big knob on the front of the oven.

Having said that, there is a temperature differential between top and bottom of the oven, as much as 25F.  Your oven may vary, depending on size, age and presence of a convection fan.  Use two thermometers and test it for yourself in your oven.   (2 thermometers are required to get accurate simultaneous measurements of top and bottom.)

So if you are cooking two items (breasts and thighs or a roast and vegetables) in separate pans place the one you want cooked more gently on the bottom.  If it is all in one pan then it doesn't matter, use the knob to control temp.


Another example would be panko coated chicken breasts on the middle or lower shelf and a pan of steak fries on the top shelf.  The higher heat at the top encourages crisping and browning of the fries and the lower temp on the lower shelf helps keep the chicken moist.

It is a good idea to know your oven though.  When you set it to 350F what do you really get?  Is it 330-bottom, 350-middle & 370-top or is it 325-bottom and 350-top?  The only way to know is to test it.   Also, what is the cycle rate of your oven.  The temp fluctuates around the average temp (which is supposed to be what you set on the knob, but often isn't) and the better ovens maintain a closer temp to the goal temp and cycle in a shorter time.  This is a bit harder to test without a data logger but can be done by taking readings every 60 secs for 30 mins.

[mommycook]

Hey guys - I keep seeing the subject lines of this thread in my reader and I keep thinking it's saying "butchering a turkey PEACOCK" and EVERY time I'm like, what, peacock??      What the heck are those boys doing?

[labradors]

That would certainly be a colourful meal!

[Finntheirish]

@mommycook
You mean you haven't eaten turkey peacock? Its all the rage in Atlantis! Haha, but now since you have mentioned it every time I see it I now think that too, and I was the one who made the title! LOL