Smoked Turkey Breast

[NS Gearhead]

http://bbqpitboys.com/recipes/turkey-breast/

So, the recipe was for two 8lb turkey breasts... the one I found was 5lbs, so I 1/4d the brine recipe.



Fit perfect (meat side down), and fit in the fridge, so no messing with ice


Brought it to 160deg internal, and took 3 hours @ 225


Wrapped it in tinfoil, towel, and put it in a cooler for 30min. Still steaming hot when taken out.


It was enough for 4 adults, and one child...and still enough for my lunch the next day. Best turkey I've ever had. Moist and flavorful.

 

[dickfoster]

http://bbqpitboys.com/recipes/turkey-breast/

So, the recipe was for two 8lb turkey breasts... the one I found was 5lbs, so I 1/4d the brine recipe.



Fit perfect (meat side down), and fit in the fridge, so no messing with ice


Brought it to 160deg internal, and took 3 hours @ 225


Wrapped it in tinfoil, towel, and put it in a cooler for 30min. Still steaming hot when taken out.


It was enough for 4 adults, and one child...and still enough for my lunch the next day. Best turkey I've ever had. Moist and flavorful.

For a change I might do that for Thanksgiving this year. I usually do up a whole turkey in the Weber but completely foiled so the wife can have the oven for everything else.
I smoked up a rack of ribs in the smoker for dinner last night. I'm starting to get a hankering to do up another pork butt. We can't get real southern style BBQ pulled pork out here so I have to do it myself. I don't think many people out here even know what hush puppies are. It's getting hard to even find American food out here. Any kind of Asian fine, Italian you're covered, Mexican of course, there just isn't much American anymore, even steak houses are getting rare.

 

[Bird]

I used to do just fine smoking fish and oysters, but never got the smoke to penetrate deep enough on whole turkeys or turkey breasts to suit me. They were pretty good, but just not as good as some I could buy already smoked.

 

[Gunny]

I love turkey breast smoked over apple wood, but yours looks delicious

 

[dickfoster]

I used to do just fine smoking fish and oysters, but never got the smoke to penetrate deep enough on whole turkeys or turkey breasts to suit me. They were pretty good, but just not as good as some I could buy already smoked.

Maybe your smoker is running too hot. Good smoking takes time and low temps. I'm normally run mine at 225 F for most stuff. Proper choice of wood for smoking is important too. Like paring wine with food you have to pair different meat with different wood, hickory with pork for example or say apple with salmon or mesquite with beef.

 

[teejk]

Maybe your smoker is running too hot. Good smoking takes time and low temps. I'm normally run mine at 225 F for most stuff. Proper choice of wood for smoking is important too. Like paring wine with food you have to pair different meat with different wood, hickory with pork for example or say apple with salmon or mesquite with beef.

You figured it out..."low and slow" is the catch phrase. My "experts" say that meat will stop accepting smoke when the internal temp gets to 140F. I guess I agree...the proof is what they call the "smoke ring" that develops on the outside of the meat. Cooked too fast the smoke will not permeate far. And I agree with your wood choice...any fruit wood (apple/cherry/plum) mixed with hickory works on anything I cook. I reserve mesquite for thick cuts of beef. Fish...guess "alder" is preferred there but I don't have a source for that.

 

[dickfoster]

You figured it out..."low and slow" is the catch phrase. My "experts" say that meat will stop accepting smoke when the internal temp gets to 140F. I guess I agree...the proof is what they call the "smoke ring" that develops on the outside of the meat. Cooked too fast the smoke will not permeate far. And I agree with your wood choice...any fruit wood (apple/cherry/plum) mixed with hickory works on anything I cook. I reserve mesquite for thick cuts of beef. Fish...guess "alder" is preferred there but I don't have a source for that.

We just cut down a maple tree out front and I was sure to save the trunk for smoking. BACON!! Maybe a pork butt or something would be good with maple wood too.

 

[teejk]

We just cut down a maple tree out front and I was sure to save the trunk for smoking. BACON!! Maybe a pork butt or something would be good with maple wood too.

I forgot about maple! That works with anything you need to smoke. A decent sized tree will have you set for years.

 

[Bird]

I know you guys are right, but I even got rid of my smokers; just don't do that anymore. I did cook a fine ribeye on the grill this afternoon, but only have smoked meats and cheese when I buy them already smoked.:laughing:

 

[dickfoster]

I forgot about maple! That works with anything you need to smoke. A decent sized tree will have you set for years.

It was only an 8" or so truck but that is still a lot of wood for smoking since I use mostly lump charcoal for fuel and only enough fist sized chunks of wood, when I can get it, for flavor. Cherry is good too. Don't have alder around here so I use apple for salmon.