jim, what results are you trying to achieve......are you looking to make things a little bit safer or are you looking for a hammy flavor in your chicken? if your looking to make things a little bit safer you really don't need it if you smoke even as low as 250 deg. i prefer to smoke my birds around 275-300 for anice skin. TQ will affect the flavor a well as the texture of the meat. if yer looking for a hammy product you can use TQ but make sure you adjust or omit the salt.