Smoking Pre-Stuffed Boneless Turkey


 
D

Don Franco

New member
Hi All,

I'm planning a cook this weekend and wanted to throw some turkey in there. I don't want to go to the trouble of doing a whole turkey, given that I am planning a Ribeye roast and Ham as well.

My local supermarket has pre-stuffed boneless turkey breasts in stock, anyone have any experience with these? Any cautionary tales? I am a little concerned about the stuffing being under or overcooked and effectively wasted.

Here's a link to the turkey in question https://www.tegel.co.nz/products/te...ss-roast-turkey-with-cranberry-stuffing-18kg/

I live in the Middle East so unfortunately don't have a big choice when it comes to cuts.

Any insights from anyone with experience with something like this would be most welcome! I was thinking a light rub and 2 hours over a cherry/apple mix; then foil it up and a high heat to finish. No brine or injecting.

Cheers,
Don Franco
 
Don,

No help on the boneless stuffed turkey breast, have smoked a breast before, but not stuffed. I would think the stuffing would only add to keeping the meat moist, but personally I'm always skeptical of using someone else's stuffing. Just never know what type of processing the breast had and/or what exactly what is in the stuffing. That said, I think you can do a fine job with what you have, and if boneless is it, that's what you use...:) You could always replace the stuffing if you were ambitious. I just looked at that link, the ingredients don't look too bad actually, if you can believe them. Can you get boneless without the stuffing and add the stuffing yourself? If so, I would opt that way, or even replace the stuffing if you desire.

If you can get boneless, might be good to try a turducken...I was watching a video on YT showing how to debone the chicken, duck, turkey, and it didn't look like a task for the faint in the kitchen...but I was thinking, if you could get all three in boneless, that might be a great way to try it. I would love to try that in the smoker, but it's a complicated prep with all the de-boning, so each time I look at doing it I procrastinate. LOL

What type of hardwood lump do you get back in Dubai? Not a lot of trees around those parts, AFAIK. Good lump is key to great smokes, IMO.

EDIT: Don, here's a short video on a stuffed turkey breast that GiadadL and MarioB did. My daughter was always a Giada fan since young. They do it high heat at around 400. I do most of my smokes low and slow. What type of cooker are you using?

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/stuffed-turkey-breast-recipe-1943232
 
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Hey Alan,
Thanks for the reply and the video.

I'm cooking in an 18"WSM, using Kingsford briquettes and wood chunks. Indeed hardwood is in short supply, and good stuff like oak etc non-existent; so I have to make do with the commercial stuff. Offset stick burner will be mine someday.....

turducken could be a blast, but you're right, an ominous prep.

I think I will roll the dice and see how it works out. Low and slow is how I like to play it as well, and the turkey will have the ribeye roast and a ham for neighbours in the smoker.

Planning on a 10 hour cook followed by a 1 hour rest for the ham and ribeye, turkey probably 6 hours; but will let the internal temps dictate the pace!

Cheers,
Don Franco
 
Turkey may take less than 6 hours, I normally end up cooking a whole bird for about that long. All depends on what temp you set your pit for.

I also use a 18" WSM, and what I'm using this year for my bird.

Ribeye roast sounds good. You're gonna have feast any way you look at it! :)

Do you have any wood at all in the area? You could try to make your own lump, just need a big can to smolder it in. Kingsford ain't bad in a pinch, I do use it occasionally myself. I use it sometimes, but not always, on a long brisket cook. I prefer to use lump whenever I can, and just got 40 lbs. of it.

Good luck with your smoke, keep us updated on how it comes out! Even the worst BBQ trumps a salad...
 
Letting the temp direct feasting time is simply the best way to assure healthy feasting!
I hope you will have a vast number of guests and wonderful fun!
Turducken? Well, its an “interesting project” to say the least, if you’re planning on doing one I recommend Jacques Pepin’s poultry boning technique. If you want to do it next “big show” start practicing and take your time, your patience will be rewarded!
The end result is such fun to serve! I’ve done two, the whole guestlist was duly impressed and thouroughly smashed by serving time! Practice and just try one! Big fun!
Once you learn the basic technique, you do want to bone something out every so often to keep your skills ready The the big three!
Starting with turkey is the obvious (bigger=easier) choice but, chicken is something that you can turn into “other things” with less weird cutoff pieces. But, that’s just one mans opinion.
 
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Don, I would simply adapt the cooking instructions on the package to the WSM. If it suggests xx minutes at xxx°C, just do that in the WSM with the addition of a chunk or two of smoke wood. That's how I do whole turkeys on the WSM...for me, a whole 12 pound turkey goes for about 3 hours at 325°F, same as the package instructions, and no water in the pan.

Make sure to cook to a food safe internal temperature measured with an instant-read thermometer. Package directions may list a very high internal temp in an abundance of caution, but it's got to be a minimum of 145°F/63°C to be safe. You may choose to cook it to a higher internal temp like 160°F/71°C. Curious to know what the package recommends.
 
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