Turkey Breast.

[kandl]

We are planning to smoke some turkey for thanks giving.  I'm a little nervous about doing a WHOLE turkey because I've never cooked one before at all, but thought we would try out some breast.  Now what I've seen pictures of was a large hunk of meat almost like a pork loin.  So I went to the store and bought a Honey Suckle White Boneless Breast. said it was 3lbs.  When I opened it up I was shocked to see it was two hunks of breast meat tied together.  One dark meat piece and one white meat piece.  So I melted some butter and mixed some of my favorite poultry seasoning in with it and injected the hunks of meat then rubbed them with more of the seasoning and tossed them on the UDS.  They smoked up fine with hickory and and cherry.  Tasted great the dark meat was WAY more tender and juicy.  Sorry no Q-View on this one.

The point of this is actually to find out, what everyone else uses?  I did see a package there that said it was a Breast Roast but it was pre-seasoned and I did not want that.  But I really expected one large hunk of meat to smoke and then slice.  Maybe I should just put on my big boy pants and buy a whole turkey and go for it?

 

[webowabo]

Ive never done anything other than a whole turkey.. (or than legs).. and ive done 3 total. The first two where HUGE.. and it became a food safety thing cause it never got to a quick enough temp in the slow and low format. So I had to move to an oven The 3rd time was 2 smaller turks about 8lbs each.. and I just let them go til about 150* it and crisped up in the oven high heat to crisp up the skin.. turned out great

Go get a large whole chicken..and smoke it.... learn from the cheap bird. ... atleast then youll know your smoker vs poultry ratio.. (times temps..etc.)

 

[bama bbq]

I've done whole turkey and breasts but not like you described.  Don't worry about it -- it's just cooking.  Think of your pit as an outdoor oven.  If it can cook inside in the oven it can cook outside in the pit.  But it'll taste 10X better from the pit... and it won't heat up the house.

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/150517/first-turkey-smoke-need-advice#post_1072118

 

[mbogo]

Hi KandL-

I've done quite a few whole turkey breasts, the ones we get up here are Jennie-O, I believe. They are as described, the whole breast section with breastbone intact.

I always brine them overnight in a simple salt/sugar brine, with some poultry seasoning mixed in.

The last couple times I injected them. First time I made my own with non-salt butter, apple cider, and Tony Chachares creole seasoning.

Gave them a wet rub with EVOO & Jeffs rub, and a few fresh sprigs of rosemary.

Into the smker @225 for about 4 hours (This was probably about a 4-5 lb. breast, sorry, should have made a note of it), and pulled at an IT of 160.

Hands down best gobbler I've ever eaten, even got a "please make again!!" from the spousal unit. 

I tried another one using the store bought creole/butter injection stuff, but it came out way too salty.

Good luck on your next smoke, it's all good!!

Mbogo

 

[s2k9k]

KandL, you have to look at those boneless breast close, they will say on the package "white and dark meat" or "white meat or breast roast", I have bought the white/dark before and it wasn't what I expected either so now I read the package real close. Just picked up one last night.
Anyway I'm glad it still came out tasting good for you!
Don't be scared of the whole turkey, one of the first things I ever smoked was a turkey and it came out great! Just do some reading up on here and you will nail it!

 

[kandl]

Thanks for the help guys, I will do some shopping and see what I can find.  I might just pick up a whole chicken and smoke that up this weekend as a test also.  I guess right now my largest fear with the whole turkey is I don't have the Weber lid for the UDS and the only way to fit the turkey in would be move the rack down and put in some heat deflector which is not hard at all since i have shelf brackets from top to bottom, but I'm a little concerned about it being too close to the heat.  

I still like the idea of just doing the breasts since my Brother-in-law is going to fry a whole turkey also (we have a large family to feed).  I will have to go to a larger store and see what they have in stock.  The local Wal-Mart here is worthless and the closest large store is 45-min away.

 

[bama bbq]

I recommend a pizza stone for a heat deflector.

Sounds like us: I fry and smoke a turkey each year.

IMG_0249.JPG

• bama bbq
• Oct 23, 2013

 

[kandl]

Wow! That looks darn tasty right there! Like the pizza stone idea!Do u have a dedicated stone or just steal the one u cook pizza on?

 

[bama bbq]

I use a terra cotta flower pot saucer in my WSM but my son has a UDS and uses a pizza stone.  If I needed to I'd use the one I use to cook pizza though.  :)