My First Smoked Turykey - Aint Never Looking Back!


 
T

Tony Hunter

TVWBB Pro
When I got home yesterday I saw that my sweetie had defrosted a whole breast of turkey and It was fairly large, though I did not check the weight. Anyhoo, I asked what she was going to do with it and she said bake it in the oven and have sammiches for tomorrow. I immediately took it upon myself to offer to smoke it in my very busy WSM and she agreed - yipppeee!

I went to my charcoal bin and noticed it was very low, so I dumped all but about 20 coal into the charcoal ring and it came to just over half full! I was worried that I did not have enough fuel, but what the heck - I am in learning mode anyway. I fired it up MM style, injected an apple juice and honey mixture into the whole breast, rubbed in some of my custom rub and put it on the WSM. I threw in some hickory chunks and let'er rip!

I let it cook to 170 degrees before I took it off. I basted it in apple juice and honey and foiled up and put it in the cooler.

This morning my wife and I cut it into slices and basted and wrapped it again and put it away for sammiches later. Let me tell you, though, that was absolutely the best turkey we have ever had!!!! We had to stop ourselves from eating all for breakfast!
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I aint never putting another turkey in the oven again!
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Tony,

The last turkey I smoked got the same response from my wife. She said it was the best she had ever eaten.

BTW, I saved the wings and put them in freezer and later used them to add flavor to some collard greens. Yummy!

Good luck to you in your new endeavors!

Ray
 
Tony ... sounds like you didn't brine the breast.

Can you share more about how you sliced, basted, and rewrapped the meat? Was this to increase moisture?
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Dennis T.:
Tony ... sounds like you didn't brine the breast.

Can you share more about how you sliced, basted, and rewrapped the meat? Was this to increase moisture? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

No, I did not brine this time. When I took it out of the cooler I sliced it up into some fairly thin slices. There were some wing pieces there that I just chopped up. I put it all in aluminum foil spray basted all of in my apple-juice and honey mixture and then sealed the foil. I put it in the fridge because we wont be eating until this evening. But I plan to put the oven on about 200 and let it warm in there. the basting juices should keep it moist.

Tony
 
I really want to do a turkey breast but I haven't bitten yet. Still stuck on pork butts and doing my first brisket this weekend.

But this thread jazzes me to look towards a turkey breast smoke real soon!!!
 
Now if you want to add a new twist to your turkey. Take an 8 oz chunk of Philadelphia Creme Cheese warm it up in the micro wave. Use a food processer and run some turkey thru it. Mis\x the 2 add what ever seasons you like. A great cracker dip to go with it.
 
This sounds great! I have an open grate on my WSM this weekend and I'm thinking I might sill it with a turkey breast.

Can you elaborate on your apple/honey mix (proportions) and the basic contents or your rub?

Thanks,
Jim
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Jim N:
This sounds great! I have an open grate on my WSM this weekend and I'm thinking I might sill it with a turkey breast.

Can you elaborate on your apple/honey mix (proportions) and the basic contents or your rub?

Thanks,
Jim </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Hi Jim,

There are lots of rubs you can buy that are great. I make my own with the following:

Brown Sugar
White Sugar
Paprika
Chili Powder
Onion Powder
Garlic Powder
Black Pepper
Kosher Salt
Italian Seasoning
Cayenne Pepper

Dont ask me the measurements because I just mix them all to taste and I always come up with a sweet-n-heat mixture that drives me family and friends completely nuts over my Q. I do make the brown sugar more the base ingredient, after that I just shoot from the hip!

I used about a 70/30 mix of apple juice and honey (respectively) and then mixed in a little brown sugar to get a nice injection for the turkey.

It all came out fabulous for me. I am sure there are other ideas on this too.

Tony
 
I smoked my first turkey the day after Thanksgiving last year. (Whole turkey, brined overnight) It was by far the best turkey I have ever had (and I even over cooked it a bit).

It really makes you wonder what they do to 'smoked turkey' you buy at the store/deli, they are worlds apart.

I can't wait for Friday night! When r2d2 and I start our dance.
 
Gary, that reminds me of a sammitch that's in Raichlen's indoor grilling book. Turkey with cranberry sauce and cream cheese on some kind o'bread pressed in a sandwich press (or grilled on a skillet, I suppose, or toasted in a toaster oven).

It's a version of some Cuban socialite's sandwich (from the 40's or 50's).
 
Tony,

Susan's comments reminded me of what I sometimes do with leftover turkey that I have frozen. I take it from the freezer, throw it is a sauce pan and add one can of cream of mushroom soup, 2/3 rds can of milk, and heat it until just simmering, and then serve over toast. Makes a great breakfast or lunch.

Ray
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Ray Crick:
Tony,

Susan's comments reminded me of what I sometimes do with leftover turkey that I have frozen. I take it from the freezer, throw it is a sauce pan and add one can of cream of mushroom soup, 2/3 rds can of milk, and heat it until just simmering, and then serve over toast. Makes a great breakfast or lunch.

Ray </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Mmmm... that sounds great! I'm not real big on mushrooms but I could sustitute another creamy soup - probably cream of chicken, because I do the same thing with meatloaf, very tasty!

Tony
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">but I could sustitute another creamy soup - probably cream of chicken </div></BLOCKQUOTE>


Yeah Tony , cream of chix would work fine.

Ray
 
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