Turkey Breast

I'm planning on cooking a couple of 5lb turkey breast Friday. I'm planning on soaking them in brine overnight then smoking them at around 300 deg using either wild cherry or maple for the smoke, then using a meat slicer slicing it thin like deli meat for sandwiches. These breast have the skin on them and since it doesn't really matter what the skin turns out like should I cook them at a lower temp for a longer time. How long do you think it will take at 220 or at 300 deg. Do I need to spray them with apple juice since the skin will kind of baste the meat. Thanks for all the help from everyone on this site, what might be common knowledge to some is a totally new idea to others that's why I try to read and learn from each post, it's really helped. Used to I couldn't even spell WSM now I'm turning out edible stuff off of one.

Since our brining you can cook at the higher
temps and not worry about drying it out.
At 275-300? should take aprox 4 hours, 160?
internal. You could spray if you want, it will leave a flavor print.
Jim

Sometimes when I leave the skin on and it doesn't turn out very edible and I remove the skin, I also lose much of the flavor of the rub. That's why I usually go skinless when doing turkey breasts. They should stay nice and moist due to the brining.

Regards,
Chris

[This message has been edited by Chris Allingham (edited 03-21-2001).]

Jim,

Question concerning the 160* internal temp. I went looking thru cook books and checked meat thermometer settings and the recommended internal temp for poultry is 180* to 185*. But that is when one is cooking a whole bird and temp measured at the thickest part of the thigh. The thickest part of the thigh is typically the last section to be fully cooked.

If one is cooking the breast section only then the 160* is adequate?
==================================

Chris, I definitely agree with you on the skin. The skin is basically a throw away. There might be a few pieces of the skin at the edge that are almost crispy but 99% of the skin is soggy.

I don't want to pay the price for boneless turkey breasts so I am thinking that the next time I cook one of those breast sections only that I will pull the skin off.

My concern isn't that the overall breast section will dry out but that the surface of the breast meat will dry out and be somewhat tough.

Brian

Brian,

160-165*F is OK for breast only. According to USDA standards, salmonella and Campylobacter are killed in meat at 160*F.

Regarding skinless turkey breast, I've never gotten tough outside meat, just cook "low and slow" for about 4 hours to 160-165*F internal, baste occasionally, and all should be fine.

Regards,
Chris

If you want to only have some turkey, ask the butcher to saw the bird in half so you get two half birds. Freeze one and smoke the other.

Bryan