Poultry You Can Cajun Smoke
You can Cajun smoke about 9 kinds of poultry. For most Cajun smokers, chicken is the favorite bird to smoke. Let’s see why these others are just as delectable and should be Cajun smoked also.
Poultry includes domesticated birds that people keep for eggs, meat, and feathers as well as other birds that are a sport or game. Its name is derived from the Latin word pullus, meaning small animal. For those of you that are in favor of white meat rather than beef or pork, poultry is a flavorful option for Cajun smoking. Not only is it economical, smoking this delectable meat may increase its shelf life by a couple of days.
350 million tons of meat is consumed globally per year. Poultry meat is widely eaten globally, providing over 127 million tons.
9 Poultries to Cajun Smoke
- Chicken
- Turkey
- Duck
- Geese
- Pheasant
- Emu
- Ostrich
- Quail
- Squab (young pigeons)
Chicken
Chickens are chunky birds that are medium in size. They best part about them is that they can be domesticated by being raised in small areas. They are an excellent source for a self-sustained farm because they provide eggs, meat, and feathers. While there are hundreds of different breeds of chickens, the American Poultry Association only recognizes 65 of these breeds. The breeds that are commercially breed for egg-producers are also not recognized by the APA.
Chickens called Broilers serve a dual purpose. They grow faster and produce eggs, more so than any other chicken breed. If you are into raising your own meat, this is a great choice for a self-sustaining lifestyle.
Chickens have six cuts of meat. They are the neck, breast, wing, back, thigh and leg. Most every part of the chicken is used including their feet. Chicken feet make the richest stock or broth for soups. However, if you can’t buy them already skinned, you’ll want to make sure and do this before you cook with them.
Within the six cuts of meat, you get breast fillets, forequarter which includes the wing, mid-joint wing and the drumette; the drumstick (whole hindquarters) which includes the ham and thigh; gizzard, liver, and heart. One wonderful aspect of a chicken is that it gives you a white meat and a dark meat. The white meat comes mainly from the breast. They thigh and drumstick are the dark meat. The chicken’s white meat is leaner and is a dryer meat. Whereas, the darker mean is juicier and has more fat content.
Chickens may be Cajun smoked whole or cut up into individual pieces. When Cajun smoking your chicken, you will want to check for internal doneness. Unlike beef, chicken must be cooked thoroughly. The ‘doneness’ or internal cooking temperature between the white meat and the dark meat differs slightly. The dark meat is 175 to 180 °F (79.4 to 82.2 °C) and the white meat is 145 to 150 °F (62.7 to 65.5 °C).
Turkey
Turkeys are native to America. There is a domestic turkey or wild turkey which lives in the forest or weeks of North America. Then, there is an ocellated turkey that lives in the forest of Mexico.
Turkey is remarkably like chicken. Due to the fact they do not produce as many eggs, they cost more to raise. Turkey’s produce the same cuts as chickens, giving six cuts of meat. Unlike chicken feet, turkey feet are not used for soup stock or broth. They have dark meat and white meat. They are generally much larger than chickens. Therefore. They yield a larger amount of meat making them popular for meals such as Thanksgiving where there’s going to be a larger number of people.
Turkeys may be Cajun smoked whole or cut up into individual pieces. When Cajun smoking your turkey, you will want to check for internal doneness much like the chicken. Most store-bought turkeys come with a built-in pop up thermometer that indicates when the meat is done. If you buy one without this thermometer or choose to hunt your own turkey then the internal temperature should register a steady 165 °F (73.8 °C).
Duck
Duck is a common name for the waterfowl family. They are divided into several subfamilies. However, we commonly refer to the males as drakes and the females as hens. Most people recognize the green head and yellow billed duck of the mallard. The mallard is thought to be the most abundant and wide-ranging of all the duck families according to the National Geographic.
Ducks have predominately dark meat because they fly unlike most other fowl. Its red meat or dark meat is much like that of liver.
Ducks may also be raised for their eggs, meat, and feathers. Duck is also hard to purchase in a supermarket, therefore you may have to hunt for this fowl or special order it.
Ducks do produce the same cuts as chickens or turkeys. However, ducks may be Cajun smoked whole or most of the time you will only cook just the breast meat. The duck meat should cook to a perfectly pink color with the internal doneness of 135 to 140 °F (57 to 60 °C). Because the duck meat is so dark, you can always cook it just a tad longer.
Duck meat does tend to be drier than other fowl meats. If you want to tenderize your dark duck meat, then cook it no longer than when the leg joint’s internal heat reaches 175 °F (79 °C). Or wrapping it in bacon is genius. When Cajun smoking, you may also want to wrap your duck in aluminum foil about half-way through its cooking time to help preserve its moistness.
Geese
Geese were originated in the European area. Their name is rooted from Old English. A geese or goose if singular, is a waterfowl, much like the duck. They are grey, black, and white. The word goose is more associated with the female bird and the gander is referred to as the male. An idiom that’s been around for quite some time is, “What’s good for the goose is good for the gander.” Meaning a girls’ night out may lead into a guys’ night out. Of course, now we have a she-shed and a man-cave.
Geese may also be raised on a self-sustaining farm for their eggs, meat, and feathers. Their feathers are well known for their goose-down traits when it comes to quilts and outer clothing options for keeping warm.
Geese, like the duck, is also hard to purchase in a supermarket, therefore you may have to hunt for this fowl or special order it. You can find it for sell mainly around Christmas or the winter season.
Geese do produce the same cuts as chickens or turkeys. However, they are generally cooked comparable to ducks, either whole or just the breast. Like the meat of the duck, goose meat is also a dark meat. When Cajun smoking your goose, it is recommended that you cook it low and slow, like a brisket, to let the fat render out. Its internal doneness much reach a temperature of 165 °F (73.9 °C). If Cajun smoking just the breast, you’ll want it to be somewhere between 135 to 145 °F (57.2 to 62.7 °C).
Pheasant
Pheasants are birds and were native to Asia. They have since been introduced to America as a hunting sport and raised on farms. Like chickens, pheasants have a long line of breeds, but mainly referred to as just pheasants.
Pheasants are raised on farms. However, when raised in captivity they likely die. So, unless you’re willing to babysit them and show them the location of their food, they probably are not the best to raise on a self-sustaining farm.
Pheasants also have the same six cuts of meat as a chicken and turkey. It also provides a lean, white meat. The flavor of the meat is considered gamier. Like the duck and geese, pheasants do not have much meat anywhere except their breast area. You may Cajun smoke a pheasant the same as you would a duck, either whole or just the breast.
When Cajun smoking a pheasant, you will want to cook it low and slow to keep it moist. The internal doneness should register at a temperature of 160 to 165 °F (71.1 to 73.9 °C). Wrapping your pheasant before it’s entirely done is a good idea.
Emu
Emu are the second largest and tallest living birds and were native to Australia. Even though they are considered a bird, they are a flightless bird.
Emu’s being raised on farms make better pets when they are younger. Otherwise, as they become adults they can become dangerous. They need a lot of exercise. They need to run around for at least 30 minutes each day and you need at least two for companionship. If raising on self-sustaining farm, you will want to eat their eggs, meat, oil, leather, and their feathers. Their eggs are large weighing about two ounces and are an unusual green color. Their eggs are not only delicious but have tough, durable shell.
Emu also have the same six cuts of meat as a chicken and turkey. It also provides a lean but tender, red meat like beef. The flavor of the meat is considered gamier and is comparable to kangaroo. You may Cajun smoke an emu the same as you would a turkey, either whole or just the breast.
When Cajun smoking an emu, you will want to cook it low and slow. In order to keep it moist, you want to cook it a medium rare and marinate it for a couple of hours before cooking. A longer cooking time will cause the lean meat to dry out; cook it at least two hours but no more than six hours. It is especially good when it’s cold, letting it chill after smoking. The internal doneness should register at a temperature of 150 to 160 °F (65.5 to 71.1 °C).
Ostrich
Ostriches are found natively in the wild in Africa. They are considered the largest bird on Earth and are three times the size of an emu. They are also flightless birds. The emu is also considered more docile towards humans than an ostrich.
If raising an ostrich will want to eat their eggs. Their eggs are large weighing about the same as an emu egg.
Ostrich cuts would be the breast and thighs. It provides a healthy red meat that is rich in protein and iron. The flavor of the meat isn’t like any other bird; as a matter of fact, it tastes more like venison or veal. You may Cajun smoke an ostrich whole or just the thighs or breast the same as you would a turkey.
When Cajun smoking an ostrich, you will want to cook it low and slow. In order to keep it moist, you may want to soak it in a brine or marinate it for at least twelve hours or over night. A longer cooking time will cause the lean meat to dry out; cook it at least two hours. It is especially good when it’s Cajun smoked over cherry wood giving you a nice sweet flavor. The internal doneness should register at a temperature of 160 °F (71.1 °C).
Quail
Quail are birds and were native to North America. They are known as one of the favorite birds for hunters.
Quails are growing in popularity for being raised on farms. Because of their compact size, they can be raised like a domestic bird in the city or in the country. Quail are part of the pheasant family. Their tiny eggs leaving you with a bite size portion. They come in a variety of colors and are gorgeously dappled with specks and flecks of red and brown.
Quails do not have any cuts and produce less than a pound of meat. You can eat their breast and that’s about it.
When Cajun smoking a quail, you will want to cook it low. They will cook rather fast just because they are so small. I’d recommend that you remove them, cover them, and let them rest a few minutes before serving. The internal doneness should register at a temperature of 160 °F (71.1 °C).
Squab
Squab are known as young domestic pigeons; typically, under four weeks old. These birds were native to several locations but may have come from North Africa. They were regarded as exotic and were more likely to have been owned and eaten by the wealthy.
Squabs are like doves when it comes to the quantity of meat. Because of their size, squabs are a delicacy remarkably like quail. You will only get breast meat. They provide a tender, moist, dark meat tasting much like the dark meat from a duck. This meat is much richer than any other poultry meat. Like the duck and quail, squab do not have much meat anywhere except their breast area. You may Cajun smoke a squab the same as you would a duck.
When Cajun smoking a squab, you will want to cook it hot and hasty. You’ll want to undercook it slightly then let it rest for about fifteen minutes before serving. The internal doneness should register at a temperature of 180 °F (82.2 °C).
Wood Flavor
Most poultry meat will taste better when you use a sweet, fruity flavored wood. For the smaller portions of poultry meat like quail, squab or duck, it is recommended to use apple, cherry, peach, or pecan.
For the larger portions like chicken, turkey, or emu, it is recommended that you use mesquite, hickory, apple, pecan, cherry, and oak.
Apple and cherry wood have a mild, sweet, and fruity smoky flavor. Peach and pecan wood have a medium, slightly sweet smoky flavor. Oak wood also has a medium, traditional smoky flavor but not sweet like the others.
Mesquite and hickory wood have a strong, earthy smoke flavor. Hickory wood has a slight sweetness to it but also has a heavy bacon flavor. Both of these woods can be very pungent. I recommend using them sparingly when smoking poultry. Try using them in the form of wood chunks or chips.
Mesquite, hickory, pecan, and oak wood are the most predominant woods used for Cajun smoking, especially in the south because of all these trees grow abundantly.
Cajun Smoker
You can use several types of smokers when smoking poultry. With the smaller cuts of meat such as the quail, squab or duck, I’d use an electric smoker or a gas smoker. These are the easiest to control temperature wise and can be turned off and on quite easily. You’re not going to have them on the smoker for a long period of time, so these two smokers make more sense when cooking for a shorter period of time. I’d supplement my fuel with wood chips and chunks strictly to add a sweet, smoky flavor as described above.
With the larger cuts like chicken, turkey, or emu, I’d use the horizontal, vertical or kettle smoker. These larger cuts require longer cooking time, therefore, justify burning the smoky flavored wood described above.