Food Safety and Smoked Turkey

two_MN_kids · Post by **two_MN_kids** » Mon Oct 21, 2013 18:36

I find myself in a bit of a pickle. It's been cold here in Minnesota; we've been getting some snow flurries, and we're just above freezing now, at 36°F.

This morning I started up the smoker to preheat to 220°F. I had a 10 lb. turkey that's been brined but not cured. I preheated the smoker for ¾ of hour, and placed the turkey. I gave it a good five hours of drying time, and went out to add some cherry wood smoke.

That's when I noticed the problem; the smoker temp. was set to 220°F but the chamber was only at 157°F.

How long a time is too long when uncured meat is present in the danger zone. I realize that the chamber needed to be maintained at or above 200°F for food safety. The smoker control temperature has been increased to 240°F, but the chamber is still only at 197°F.

Would any of you still continue smoking it, or is it best to consider it fox food? I sure don't want to make anyone sick. I don't mind tossing it away, if that's the best choice, as I would rather be safe than sorry!

I would appreciate any thoughts on this matter.

Thanks,
Jim

YYCButcher · Post by **YYCButcher** » Mon Oct 21, 2013 19:29

Five hours in the "danger zone" is too long if your following the rules to the letter.
But because it was brined the salt will help.
If it was me I would smoke and eat it if I was sure everything was good and clean during the prep, it gets cooked through to 167 F, if its not stuffed (some people try it), and it seemed ok.
That being said that would be just for me.
From a professional side I would never feed it to other people even if in real life it's probably fine.

Post by **redzed** » Mon Oct 21, 2013 19:40

I would have used nitrite if I was planning to smoke it, but I guess that is a moot point at this time. Not sure what others would advise, especially CW who is our resident expert on these microscopic toxins, but I would not toss it. Crank up the temp and cook it to 170 IT or even 180. Might be a bit dry, but probably safe to eat.

two_MN_kids · Post by **two_MN_kids** » Mon Oct 21, 2013 23:18

Thanks for your comments, guys. This was a turkey given to me by my brother-in-law to smoke for him. He's not going to get this one, and I don't have time to do another one before the weekend. Guess he'll have to wait.

Chris: I had the salt, sugar, and cure #1 all measured out when I read on the bird's packaging that "up to 8% solution added for tenderness and flavor". I guessed that this was a pre-brined bird, and as I wasn't clear on how else to approach it, I decided to smoke it "as is" to safe temperatures.

I will be sure to watch the labels from now on!

Jim

Post by **redzed** » Tue Oct 22, 2013 01:31

Well those preseasoned birds probably also have a shot of preservatives, so your gobbler should be OK.

Chuckwagon · Post by **Chuckwagon** » Tue Oct 22, 2013 02:21

Hi Jim,
As you know, the "danger zone" is between 40° and 140° Fahrenheit. Pathogenic bacteria are destroyed at 160°. Whereas you kept the bird five hours at 157°F, I would venture to say that it is fine. Pathogenic bacteria do not generally affect the taste, smell, or appearance of your turkey. Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus, and Clostridium botulinum are the culprits that can affect us within mere hours if sustained below 140° for any substantial amount of time. Salmonella and Excherichia coli are two others we are concerned with if present in sufficient numbers. These pathogenic bacteria may grow exponentially between the temperatures of 70°F. and 120°F. Had you left the turkey on your kitchen table five hours, it would definitely be in question. However, you had it in a smoker at 157° - the lower limit of acceptability. I would say it is probably fine and encourage you to finish the smoking process.
If I may ask a question, why haven`t you included sodium nitrite in your brining step? It`s surefire insurance and it is cheap. It will give the meat a slight pink hue but wow, what a flavor and texture it produces with added salt! If you really want to make a hit, just add a couple of cans of 7-Up soft drink to the brine. Good luck Jim n Jean. Hope your turkey turns out wonderfully.

Best Wishes,
Chuckwagon

two_MN_kids · Post by **two_MN_kids** » Tue Oct 22, 2013 02:38

Thanks for commenting, CW. As I explained to Chris, I had planned to use Cure #1, but after reading that the bird had already received some factory injections, I didn't really know how much more I could give it before it was too much.

I finished the smoking this afternoon, and pulled it at exactly 170°F. Then, I turned off the heat and let it hang in the smoker, in the cool night air until the IMT reached 100°F.

I have one more turkey of the same type in the freezer. Can I use additional cure and brine in addition to the factory injections of 8%?

Jim

Chuckwagon · Post by **Chuckwagon** » Tue Oct 22, 2013 03:07

Jim, the unofficial official word on adding nitrites to meat that has been injected with anything at the factory is... don`t do it. Many packers or processors add ascorbates to speed up curing and erythobates to cure it at lower temperatures - very common in commercial operations. Who knows what else they`ve injected?
I don`t even buy a turkey with a "pop-up" timer in it. A turkey is done at 170°. Those timers have epoxy in them that fail at 175° and allow a little spring to pop up the red indicator. So, by the time it finally pops up, your turkey is already 5 degrees over the "done" temp. With the "carry over effect", it will be served dry at about 185°.
Shucks pal, I`ve never trusted anyone injecting my turkey. I purchase birds without any bells and whistles then brine and inject my own with some good ol` Tidal Wave Turkey Fluid at this link: http://wedlinydomowe.pl/en/viewtopic.php?t=4837 (Be sure to scroll down and see Ray`s photos).

Best Wishes,
Chuckwagon

el Ducko · Post by **el Ducko** » Tue Oct 22, 2013 16:06

I guess this raises the question(s)- - if the supplier injects the turkey with cure, are they required to list the cure? Are`they required to inject it with cure at all? If the stuff is present at the couple-of-hundred ppm level, is it below some threshold amount where the rules say you don't have to report it?

Your phrase,

ascorbates to speed up curing and erythobates to cure it at lower temperatures

implies that there's already cure #1 involved, right? But wouldn't that give the characteristic pink color to the meat, especially the dark meat?

Maybe this is a new Hollywood promotion scare tactic for Halloween- -
"Night of the Living Dead Turkeys," now showing at a supermarket near you. They can do some incredible special effects, these days. (How DOES Meryl Streep manage to play all those characters?) (...especially headless turkeys?) ...amazing prosthetics and makeup. [cheesy joke about big-breasted starlets deleted.]

ssorllih · Post by **ssorllih** » Tue Oct 22, 2013 19:49

My objection to buying anything injected before sale is the water is free and I can get some at home.8% in a 12 pound turkey is a pound of water at whatever the sale price happens to be.