Crisp & Tasty Turkey Breast

DanBono said:

 
Hi All I'm thinking of smoking a 6-8 lbs Turkey breast.Have a few questions.I will be smoking on a COS.

1. what is the best way to get the skin crispy & tasty.

325 degree cooking temp should get you some nice skin, after drying it to form a pecille before rubbing with olive oil just before throw on the pit. 

2. any thoughts on wood.I have apple/cherry/pecan/hickory.

I like pecan but a pecan with cherry mix gives a lovely color and aroma.

3. time & temp. finished temp 170*

I would brine the breast first for 24 hours, dry uncovered for 24 hours in the reefer, and finish to 163 IT. it will travel the last two after pulling and 165 is safe and juicy.  

Here are my thoughts start at 250* then raise to 325/350 to crisp up the skin.

Thanks Dan

PS I will be binning the breast

Click to expand...

Just my thoughts, don't forget to dry after brining. Its mega important to a crisp skin.

I'm not much of a skin eater so crispy skin isn't as important to me.  More important to me is flavor on the meat itself.  I make a compound butter using my rub and get it under the skin.  That way the meat is flavored as well as having that smokey flavor.  When I do a lot of poultry it's usually so I can make chicken/turkey salad for sammies.  

You could also smoke it to done then crisp up the skin on the grill.....makes a nice skin for consumption

Scott

To get a more profound onion/garlic taste you can either add liquid onion/garlic to the brine and brine a bit longer or inject the onion/garlic in a butter medium into the breast meat. The injection is obviously a more guaranteed flavor but it takes a while to learn to do it without pooling the liquid in the meat.

I am thinking maybe best to just forget the crisp meat till you get your flavor profile the way you want it.

Cook fowl to 165 IT for a juicy meat with guaranteed government safety. The longer you cook the meat (trying to crisp the skin), the drier it will become.

The bride said it was good, so you can do it again. That's good. Remember we are all our worst critics, I know I am. Smoking is not math, there is no absolutes. You smoke you learn, but you get to enjoy the time smoking as well as the fruits of all your endeavors. Its like golf, its that one hole that makes us play the other 17 holes....LOL

Sounds to me like it was a good smoke. Next time watch our temps and if you'll pull a bit sooner you'll probably be a lot happier. But now ya know.

Looks to me like a great smoke.