Dirty Smoke? Please HELP

slick_rick

Hi All - We're having a friendsgiving part this afternoon. With my medium can only fit an 11 lb bird on so got a few extra turkey pieces to supplement. When I opened the egg to check them they have what looks to be a layer of some dark "smoke" on them?

Here's what my process was:

Brined the turkey overnight in sugar/salt mix. Poured a melted butter and herb mixture over the meat and cooked at 325 indirect. I had aluminum foil over the platesetter (I do this all the time). Done this method multiple times in the past and always came out great. The brine was something new though.

Yesterday I smoked beef ribs, could that be possibly to blame? I loaded up with fresh charcoal this morning. Since I planned on cooking around 325 I did not use any wood chunks.

Mine main concern is what should I do with this full turkey? Should I play it safe and just use my oven? Please let me know what you think.

Foghorn

Questions:  How was the smoke before you put the meat on?  How long did you let the egg stabilize at your cooking temp and burn of the volatile organic compounds of the freshly added charcoal - as that is what gives you "bad smoke"?

Foghorn

And just to be clear - are you mostly talking about the thigh/leg toward the back that looks darker than the other two breasts toward the front?

slick_rick

I let it come to temp for 25/30 mins before I put it on. I will say I noticed a lot of grey smoke while it was cooking. I just took a look at the plate setter with the foil on it and it was much worse than normal. I real nasty black liquid. Is it possible that the fat rendered onto the plate setter and burned? When I've done full turkeys i always have an aluminum tray underneath. I do spatchcocks this way and never have had a problem.

The leg is worst but the breasts are bad as well. 

slick_rick

I just opened up all the vents to burn off any remaining gunk. My concern is putting the full turkey on and having the same problem. 

Foghorn

"Is it possible that the fat rendered onto the plate setter and burned?"  Yes that is very possible.  It is less likely when slow smoking at 250 or whatever and very possible when cooking at 325 like you are.

Prior to putting on the full turkey, I would add a drip pan that is spaced (foil balls to create and air gap) off of the platesetter.  And let the smoke burn clean before you put the turkey on.

slick_rick

Yea and Im guessing the turkey leg is much fattier than a spatchcock chicken so it probably is less noticeable when I do it for chicken.

slick_rick

I cut into the one of the breast and the meat seems ok. The skin and outer layer was kind of nasty - so I pulled off the skin a cut of some of the pieces that were exposed. 

Foghorn

Sounds like you'll have plenty of good meat.  I've found that most people overcook turkey in their ovens so when you serve them one off the egg where the white meat was cooked to 155-160 and the dark meat was cooked to 175-180 it's always the best turkey they've ever eaten.

Foghorn

When you get a chance, let us know how it turned out.

Teefus

I agree it looks like the residue from burned fat. DAMHIKT.

slick_rick

So it definitely was the residue from the burnt fat. When I inspected the foil on the plate setter it was beyond nasty. It seemed like some of that had dripped onto the coals and was giving off a funky smell. Unfortunately I had to go with the oven for the full bird. Came out pretty good, but not nearly as juicy as the ones I did on the egg. Live and you learn.

Thanks everyone for the help! Will always go with the drip pan next time!

Hansm

I change the foil on my Conveggtor each use.  I only use BGE Maple and FOGO premium now. I bring it up to desired temp, wait 20 minutes. No more bad taste