Turkey breasts in the smoke.

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tom 178

Meat Mopper
Original poster
Jul 12, 2014
226
24
Vegas
Me and my lovely wife are smoking a couple of turkey breasts today. She made a brine last night and they spent the night in the frig soaking it up. We got the smoker going and put them in a 7:30 this morning. More to come.

 
Tom , and the little Lady , howdy and nice Turkey Breast .

When finished , give us a narration of your smoke . . .

Love the
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 of a good post.

Meanwhile , have fun and . . .
 
Here are the done birds.

 

My wife made the brine last night

640z apple cider

3/4 cup kosher salt

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

3 (4inch) fresh thyme sprigs

2 (4inch) fresh rosemary

10 fresh sage leaves (I use only a couple)

1 garlic bulb, cut in half crosswise

4 cups ice cubes

1 (5 3/4- to 6- lb.) bone in turkey breast

4 hickory wood chunks

Preparation

1. Bring cider and the next 7 ingredients to a boil in a large stockpot or 8-qt. dutch oven over medium-high heat; reduce heat to medium and simmer, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes Remove from heat. Stir in ice. Cool completely (1 hour).

2. Place turkey in brine; cover and chill 5 to 12 hours.

3.Prepare smoker according to manufacturer's directions, bring internal temp. to 225* to 250*; maintain temperature 15 to 20 minutes. Place wood chunks on coals.

4. Remove turkey from brine, pat dry with paper towels. Smoke turkey, maintaining temperature inside smoker between 225* and 250*, for 3 1/2 to 4 hours or until IT is 165* in the thickest portion.

5. Remove turkey, cover loosely with foil, and let stand 10 to 15 minutes before slicing.

I do mine in a MES with a AMNPTS I brine the chickens in the same brine recipe as used for the turkey. It took quite a while to get to 167* IT. They are real tasty this time. My Mother-in-law is going to make some smoked turkey pot pies out of some of this.
 
Looks like a good meal! If you like crust,I do, we like to make them in muffin pans.
 
Oh a shepherd's pie sounds awesome, that will have to go on my to smoke list.
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Here are the done birds.



 











My wife made the brine last night



640z apple cider



3/4 cup kosher salt



1/4 cup apple cider vinegar



3 (4inch) fresh thyme sprigs



2 (4inch) fresh rosemary



10 fresh sage leaves (I use only a couple)



1 garlic bulb, cut in half crosswise



4 cups ice cubes



1 (5 3/4- to 6- lb.) bone in turkey breast



4 hickory wood chunks



 



Preparation



1. Bring cider and the next 7 ingredients to a boil in a large stockpot or 8-qt. dutch oven over medium-high heat; reduce heat to medium and simmer, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes Remove from heat. Stir in ice. Cool completely (1 hour).



2. Place turkey in brine; cover and chill 5 to 12 hours.



3.Prepare smoker according to manufacturer's directions, bring internal temp. to 225* to 250*; maintain temperature 15 to 20 minutes. Place wood chunks on coals.



4. Remove turkey from brine, pat dry with paper towels. Smoke turkey, maintaining temperature inside smoker between 225* and 250*, for 3 1/2 to 4 hours or until IT is 165* in the thickest portion.



5. Remove turkey, cover loosely with foil, and let stand 10 to 15 minutes before slicing.



 



I do mine in a MES with a AMNPTS I brine the chickens in the same brine recipe as used for the turkey. It took quite a while to get to 167* IT. They are real tasty this time. My Mother-in-law is going to make some smoked turkey pot pies out of some of this.
I'm about to use your recipe tomorrow, wish me luck! My first smoked turkey (trying to perfect before thanksgiving!)
 
I am going to try a whole turkey also for Thanksgiving. I will probably do a trial run in a week or so. I have a breast that if it ever finishes thawing will go in to the smoker tomorrow. Good luck with yours NCinFlorida. I love the flavor the brine gives it.
 
The birds are in a tray the whole time which does probably limit the smoke. I do like how moist they stay though because of the trays. I let them get smoke the whole time and they are smoky enough for me. Gets me thinking that maybe I should put one on each of the middle and top shelf with a pan below to catch the juices. Then I could divide up the juice for another tray and put them both in a tray for getting some of that moisture back. I'll probably have to add some chicken broth to the trays. I do put a little broth in the tray to start so the good drippings from the bird does not burn. The gravy made from the liquid is a good smoked gravy. I'm sure there are many ways to do them, I'm pretty new to this so there are probably many better ways. This works great for me though.

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