Smoking turkey breasts

[Sip94]

Any hints to keep it moist? How about a rub?
I'm gonna brine it first. My thought is to smoke it for a while, then foil it. How long does it take at 250 degees? I'm doing ribs and sausage too, so I don't want to smoke at higher temps, like I would normally do with poultry.

 

[Traffic]

Legends of Texas Barbecue (p.101 - Barbecued Turkey)
"Set up your smoker for indirect heat with a water pan. Use wood chips, chunk, or logs, and keep up a good level of smoke. Maintain a temperature between 275* and 300*F. Place the turkey in the smoker breast-side down, as far away from the fire as possible. Put a pan full of water with half an onion in it between the fire and the turkey, and keep it full.

Turn the turkey over after 2 hours and place it breast-side up with the drumsticks pointing toward the fire. Baste it with... (they say Italian dressing in this recipe). After 2 more hours, turn the turkey around so that the drumsticks point away from the fire. Baste is with Italian dressing, leaving some in the cavity.

Continue cooking and basting. With a meat thermometer, check the internal temperature regularly after 4 hours, and continue cooking until it reaches 160*F."

 

[Traffic]

I didn't really answer your question, though. Try the water pan to keep it moist, and baste as well.

I suppose you can cook at 250*F until the internal temperature says it is cooked. The foil will help keep the skin from getting too dark.

 

[axle hongsnort]

count me as another vote for a smoking / bbq forum. i bet it would get more hits than manor downs, but only at 3:1 odds.

 

[TxStHorn]

In reply to:

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[flaco]

I would inject the bird with some chicken broth and butter before smoking.

 

[Woland]

I think brining causes the bird to cook faster, so be careful.

 

[TheTresLeches]

I really like the smoked turkey at Pokejo's and asked the manager how they kept the turkey breast moist.

He said they coated the breast in mayonaisse before sticking it in the smoker. He said the mayo allows the smoke to penetrate the turkey breast but acts as a seal to keep the breast from drying out.

 

[free=good]

virtualweberbullet.com/ has a smoked turkey recipe that is the best I've ever had. Lots of other good stuff there too.

 

[hullabelew]

The link to the virtual weber is great.

I always smoke 4 of the bone-in turkey breasts at a time. One very important step you SHOULD NOT LEAVE OUT when you brine the breastesses. After it sets in the brine, take it out and let it sit in the fridge for 8 -12 hours. This lets the outside dry off slowly. Without doing this, the outside will not be as crispy and will get very black. If you let it rest in the fridge, the skin will be the perfect color and will be very crispy.

I have tried all of the different brine recipes on this site and the simply brine works as well as any. I also one time tried to smoke one of the turkey breast loafs. Don't waste your time. The bone-in breast is the way to go.