According To Smoky

Welcome to According to Smoky. Here you will find the latest and greatest from C. Clark "Smoky" Hale notable 'baster', author, publisher, television star in both the barbecue and 'the real' world. And yes, he is a real person and not the webmaster

Smoky will be offering his talents, techniques and secrets discovered over the last 150 years, or so. He will be to the point, pull no punches and if you suffer through the process, you will become a much better outdoor cook, turning out masterpiece meals for friends and family alike.

In this column, Smoky gets down to the nitty-gritty about our fine feathered friends the turkey. Hope this helps you folks! . . . . . take notes!

So, with no further adieu, we turn the mike to Smoky. You're on Smoky . . . . .

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Thanks PC,

 

OUTDOOR COOKING WITH SMOKY HALE

By: Smoky Hale

Turkey Facts!

The domesticated turkey is a large North American bird with white plumage and a bare, wattled head and neck and fewer brain cells than a cockroach. Its name is the result of about as much intelligence. The native American bird was so called because observers mistakenly thought that it resembled the South African guinea fowl, which they also thought came from Turkey; thence, turkey.

Although sharing a distinct deficit in brain power, the Turkey is unrelated to the guinea fowl. This dum-dumb, domestic fowl has been bred for bigger breasts, lighter plumage and smaller brains, (does that seem somehow familiar?) from the wily, wild fowl.

Turkeys are fed a diet of mainly corn and soybean meal along with a supplement of vitamins and minerals. They grow to full maturity in about 16 to 9 weeks, depending on the desired market weight. Antibiotics use in raising turkeys is controlled as in chicken. No hormones are allowed.

Per Capita Consumption of Turkey in Pounds:

Year	Carcass Weight	Boneless Weight
1985	11.6	9.1
1990	17.5	13.8
1991	17.8	14.1
1992	17.9	14.1
1993	17.7	14.0
1994	17.8	14.1
1995	17.8	14.1
1996*	18.4	14.6

Turkeys which have been injected or marinated with a solution containing butter or other edible fat, broth, stock or water plus spices, flavor enhancers and other approved substances must be labeled as "basted" or "self-basted." The maximum added weight of approximately 3% solution before processing is included in the net weight on the label. The label must include a statement identifying the total quantity and common or usual name of all ingredients in the solution, e.g., "Injected with approximately 3% of a solution of _______ (list of ingredients)."

The USDA's new rules for labeling raw poultry products as to their storage temperature became effective in December 1997. The term "fresh" may only be placed on raw poultry that has never been below 26 F. Poultry held at 0 or below must be labeled "frozen" or "previously frozen." No specific labeling is required on poultry between 0 and 26 F.

According to the USDA, this rule addresses a truth-in-labeling issue, not food safety, because most pathogenic bacteria do not multiply or multiply very slowly at normal refrigerator temperatures. The Agency concluded that the term "fresh" should not be used on the labeling of raw poultry products that have been chilled to the point they are hard to the touch.

SEX!

The sex designation of "hen"or "tom" (male) turkey is optional (it figures) on the label, and is an indication of size. Toms are larger but both toms and hens of the same age and size should be equally tender. Turkeys of either sex that are less than 8 months of age according to present regulations are considered "young" turkeys.

Producers must demonstrate to the USDA's food safety agency (FSIS) that the poultry has been allowed access to the outside in order to be labeled "Free Range" or "Free Roaming." Free range turkeys will be much tastier and a little tougher.

Storage

Put turkey products in a refrigerator that maintains 40 F, or freeze at 0 F. Freezer storage times are for best quality. If frozen continuously, turkey products will be safe indefinitely.

Turkey Item	Refrigerator Storage	Freezer Storage
Fresh whole turkey	1 to 2 days	12 months
Fresh turkey parts	1 to 2 days	9 months
Ground turkey, giblets	1 to 2 days	3 to 4 months
Cooked turkey	3 to 4 days	4 months
Cooked turkey dishes	3 to 4 days	4 to 6 months
Turkey broth, gravy	1 to 2 days	2 to 3 months

Safe Defrosting

The USDA recommends three ways to defrost turkeys: in the refrigerator, in cold water and in the microwave. Never defrost turkey on the counter or in other locations. It's best to plan ahead for slow, safe thawing in the refrigerator. Allow about 1 day for every 5 pounds of turkey to thaw in the refrigerator.

Turkey may be defrosted in cold water in its airtight packaging or in a leak-proof bag. Submerge the bird or cut-up parts in cold water, changing the water every 30 minutes to be sure it stays cold.

Turkey defrosted in the microwave should be cooked immediately after thawing because some areas of the food may become warm and begin to cook during microwaving. Holding partially cooked food is not recommended because any bacteria present wouldn't have been destroyed.

Color of Turkey

Raw turkey skin color is off white to cream-colored. Under the skin the color ranges from a pink to a lavender blue depending on the amount of fat just under the skin. When testing for doneness of cooked turkey, rubbery pink meat and pink juices are a sign that the turkey needs additional cooking.

If the turkey has reached an internal temperature of 160 F, the juices have no pink color and the meat is tender but has a pink color, it should be safe to eat. The pink color in safely cooked turkey is due to the hemoglobin in tissues which can form a heat-stable color. This can also happen when smoking, grilling or oven cooking a turkey.

SAFE COOKING

The USDA recommends the internal temperature, as registered on a meat thermometer must reach a minimum of 180 F in the innermost part of the thigh before removing from the oven. However, all bacteria are killed at 160. Let your palate be the judge. Once past 160, when the juices run clear, the bird is safe to eat. I asked the FDA how they came to recommend cooking to 185 degrees when they state clearly that all bacteria known to be in the turkey is killed at 160 degrees. Their spokesperson said that "it tasted better." I said, "Says who?" She said, "A committee." That figures.

The USDA and I both recommend that stuffing be cooked outside the bird. If it is stuffed, the center of the stuffing must reach 165 degrees. I recommend that you heat any dressing up to at least 200 degrees before stuffing the turkey. This gives a little boost in warming up the inside and helps the turkey to cook quicker.

ROASTING TURKEY

Timetables for cooking are, at best, estimates. The goal is to reach a certain temperature in the center of the meat. This is a function of cooking temperature, begin temperature of the food, size and shape of the food. The only reliable method of testing for doneness is a probe thermometer that has just been tested for accuracy. Nevertheless, here are some ball park times based on a fresh or thawed turkey starting out at about 40 degrees F in a in preheated 325-350 F grill. If the temperature inside the grill or the weather outside the grill drops substantially, or it begins to rain, extend the time or take the turkey to the oven.

These times are approximate and should always be used in conjunction with a properly placed thermometer. Times for cooking at lower temperatures, as when hot smoking or barbecuing increase substantially. Click on "Turkey" in the center of the opening page of the website (www.barbecuen.com) for recipes on smoking and roasting.

The USDA and turkey producers recommend 185 degrees— taken in the thigh— which is way too high and is likely to cause the breast to be dry and tough. Also the little button that is supposed to pop out when the turkey is done is set too high. When the temperature in the center of the thigh reaches 160 degrees, I take the bird out and let it sit for 10-15 minutes before carving..

Product	Weight	Unstuffed Timing	Suffed Timing
Breast, Half	2 to 3 pounds	50 to 60 minutes	Not applicable
Breast, Whole	4 to 6 pounds	1 1/2 to 2 1/4 hours	Not applicable
Breast, Whole	6 to 8 pounds	2 1/4 to 3 1/4 hours	3 to 3 1/2 hours
Whole turkey	8 to 12 pounds	2 3/4 to 3 hours	3 to 3 1/2 hours
	12 to 14 pounds	3 to 3 3/4 hours	3 1/2 to 4 hours
	14 to 18 pounds	3 3/4 to 4 1/4 hours	4 to 4 1/4 hours
	18 to 20 pounds	1/4 to 4 1/2 hours	4 1/4 to 4 3/4 hours
	20 to 24 pounds	4 1/2 to 5 hours	4 3/4 to 5 1/4 hours
Drumsticks	3/4 to 1 pound each	2 to 2 1/4 hours	Not applicable
Thighs	3/4 to 1 pound each	1 3/4 to 2 hours	Not applicable
Wings, wing drumettes	6 to 8 ounces each	1 3/4 to 2 1/4 hours	Not applicable

Is Pink Turkey Meat Safe?

The color pink in cooked turkey meat raises a "red flag" to many diners and cooks. Conditioned to be wary of pink in fresh pork, they question the safety of cooked poultry and other meats that have a rosy blush. The color of cooked meat and poultry is not always a sure sign of its degree of doneness. Only by using a meat thermometer can one accurately determine that a meat has reached a safe temperature. Turkey, fresh pork, ground beef or veal can remain pink even after cooking to temperatures of 160 F and higher. The meat of smoked turkey is always pink.

To understand some of the causes of "pinking" or "pinkening" in fresh turkey, it's important to know first what gives meat its natural color. The protein myoglobin is the major pigment found in all vertebrates and can exist in various forms which determine the resulting meat color. The major reason that poultry meat is much lighter in color than beef is that it is dramatically lower in myoglobin. Also, as an animal becomes older, its myoglobin content usually increases. Turkeys today are young -- 14 to 18 weeks old at the time of slaughter.

The pink, red or white coloration of meat is due primarily to oxygen-storing myoglobin which is located in the muscle cells and retains the oxygen brought by the blood until the cells need it. To some extent, oxygen use can be related to the bird's general level of activity: muscles that are exercised frequently and strenuously -- such as the legs -- need more oxygen, and they have a greater storage capacity than muscles needing little oxygen. Turkeys do a lot of standing around, but little if any flying, so their wing and breast muscles are white; their legs, dark.

Scientists have found that pinkness occurs when gases in the atmosphere of a charcoal/wood fueled grill, heated gas or electric oven react chemically with hemoglobin in the meat tissues to give poultry a pink tinge. They are the same substances that give red color to smoked hams and other cured meats. The presence of high levels of myoglobin, or some of its redder forms, due to incomplete denaturation during heat processing can account for poultry having a pink to red color similar to that of an undercooked product.

A component of hemo-protein in the turkey meat, cytochrome c requires a much higher temperature (above 212 F) to lose its pink color than myoglobin. Because turkey is tender and done at 180 to 185 F, heating it to above 212 F to change the pink color of cytochrome c would make it so dry and tough, it would be almost inedible.

Nitrites are commonly used to produce a desired pink color in traditionally cured meats such as ham or bologna. So it follows that the natural presence of nitrates and nitrites either in the feed or water supply used in the production of poultry are a factor in nitrite levels in the birds. One study found that during 40 hours of storage at 40 F., naturally occurring microorganisms converted nitrate to nitrite. It also found that the local water supply had nitrate and thus it could serve as a nitrate source during processing.

Often meat of younger birds shows the most pink because their thinner skins permit cooking gases to reach the flesh. The amount of fat in the skin also affects the amount of pink color. Young birds or animals also lack the shield of a fat covering.

Meat and poultry grilled or smoked outdoors can also look pink, even when well done. There may be a pink-colored rim about one-half inch wide around the outside of the cooked meat. The meat of commercially smoked turkeys is usually pink because they are prepared with natural smoke and liquid smoke flavor.

Absent a meat thermometer, visual signs of doneness include checking the color of the juices which run when the turkey is pierced with a fork. Juices should be clear, not pink. The meat should be fork tender, and the leg should move easily in the joint.

The main thing is to relax and have fun.

(Exerpted from The Great American Barbecue & Grilling Manual

Smoky Has A New Book The Great American Barbecue & Grilling Manual 416 pages of great information and wonderful recipes. @ The Barbecue Store

Smoky
C. Clark Hale
8168 Hwy 98 E.
McComb, MS 39648

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