Questions about smoking a turkey breast


 
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David Games

TVWBB Member
Bought a 8 1/2 lb turkey breast today to smoke in a couple days. Was wondering, why is it recommended to brine vs injecting. I have never brined anything, but have had really good success using chris lilly's injection on pork butt and brisket. Was wondering if this would work well on the turkey breast.

Also, is there any problem smoking a brisket at the same time as the turkey (turkey on bottom, brisket on top)?
 
David, both methods will work just fine, and speaking of Chris Lilly recipes, someone was saying recently how good the turkey breast recipe in the BBG book was.

I wouldn't put the breast on until I foiled the brisket to avoid too much smoke and beef drippings on the turkey.
 
Your turkey breast may well already be "enhanced" or otherwise pumped full of a salty solution. For those, I don't bother to brine. For other poultry, I often do.

Here is a Harold McGee article on why he does not brine turkey. And a lengthy Chowhound bulletin board discussion full of comments from folks who have different opinions and experiences.

I tend to cook bone-in turkey breast at higher heat, dry pan, and roast it for 2 or 3 hours. My neighbor does them more low and slow. In the end, both taste great.
 
David - brining will uniformly work through the meat (assuming enough time) but injecting only really works in certain areas. I don't know that I would worry about getting smoke on the turkey, but I would worry about getting uncooked turkey juices on a brisket that's coming off the smoker. That's something to think about with your timing if they aren't going on together.
 
That was why I was planning on the brisket on top. I would put the turkey breast on when I foil the brisket. Would the turkey cooking on the bottom rack somehow contaminate the brisket in foil on the top rack?
 
How big of a brisket and what temps are u talking? I would do the brisket until time to foil( if ur planning to foil?) then move the brisky down and add the turkey! Keep a close eye on your brisket so it doesn't completely turn to mush and you will have it made!
 
I recently did turkey breasts as part of a very large cook, using a Chris Lilly method:

http://tvwbb.com/showthread.php?35894-99-pounds-of-meat-(63-lbs-brisket-21-lbs-beef-ribs-15-lbs-turkey)-life-is-good&highlight=99+pounds

I don't brine my turkey because it is Kosher and is already salted. I also use a boneless.

It needs more heat than brisket, and a shorter cook. I agree with the other posts that you shouldn't put the turkey on until you foil the brisket. Also, since by then the smoke wood for the brisket should be all burnt down, you can put on any wood (a fruit wood is great with poultry) you prefer when you put on the turkey. Monitor the temperature of the brisket and the tenderness, since if you get the heat up for the turkey you may be better off just putting the brisket in a cooler, wrapped in foil and maybe a towel. A brisket can be kept hot this way for at least 3 hours, so one way to avoid problems would be to finish (or almost finish) the brisket, and then put on the turkey, depending on how much time you want to devote to this noble endeavor.

Good luck.
 
David Games said:
That was why I was planning on the brisket on top. I would put the turkey breast on when I foil the brisket. Would the turkey cooking on the bottom rack somehow contaminate the brisket in foil on the top rack?
Click to expand...

I missed that detail. Cross-contamination would only come from uncooked meat dripping on cooked.

This might be a good occasion to try high heat brisket, since that would be a good temperature for both the beef and turkey.
 
I smoked a turkey breast couple of weeks ago back, and brined it with Chris Lilly brine. Here is what I did differently though. I injected it with the turkey grave packet that it came with. It turned out wonderful!! The flavors started off with the brine, and then finish with the savory flavor of the gravy. I wish that I took picures of this master piece...:cool:
 
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