So I built a vertical drum smoker and wanted to test it out for the first time today. Stopped by wally world for some Royal Oak lump charcoal and hickory chunks, fired up the smoker and let it settle in at 250 degrees. Took some pork tenderloins from the nasty boar i killed 2 weeks ago and rubbed them down with Everglades seasoning and threw them on the smoker. 2 hrs later they were done and man were they good!
Anyone else every used Everglades seasoning? I've had it on burgers and steaks, but never smoked pork. Good stuff!
Next up for the smoker is either a whole chicken or small turkey.
Any suggestions on how to prepare either a chicken or turkey for the smoker? Rub suggestions? smoker temperature? what meat temp should I cook poultry?
Everglades seasoning is great. I would put in on the chicken or turkey when you smoke it.
my smoker @ 225 will cook a small fryer chicken in +/- 4 hours. I have tried a # of ways. Rubbed the outside down with olive oil and seasoned accordingly then stuff the inside with cut onion and apple. Lately I have been injecting with creole butter or mixing real butter with herbs like rosemary, thyme and garlic and putting a layer of the mixture on between the skin and meat being careful not to rip the skin.
I hear that everglades and butter is the trick on freshly cooked corn still in the husk.
If you like that, try the Everglades heat! Good stuff right there...
Everglades is great! Try the Everglades Cactus Dust. It is Awesome as well
For chicken/turkey I do things a bit different. That is one meat I actually like to brine before hand. Just a simple brine of water/sea salt/ brown sugar/paprika for a few hours. You either have to do it in a container in the fridge, or do it in a cooler with some frozen jugs
I use one of the beer can holders and set the chicken up straight on it, and place a small onion at the top opening to sotra seal it in. A good rub down with seasoning of your choice
I cook chicken at a little higher temp than I do beef or pork. Usually 250-275. I use a digital meat thermometer religiously when smoking meat. You need 165 on the breast or 175 on the thigh meat.
Before you get to those temps....
Crank the smoker up and get the temp hot as heck for a few minutes to crisp up the skin some. Smoked chicken can have a rubbery skin. If you crank the heat up it will crisp it up. I like to be able to pull meat off the smoker just before I get to desired temp, and wrap in foil for a bit. The temp will continue to rise and you will eliminate dried out/over cooked meat
