Turkey Breast (bone in)


 
B

Brian Watkins

New member
Since my bullet-cooked Thanksgiving Day whole turkey turned out so well, I've since become a convert to smoking turkey. It's my wife's favorite. I've cooked two bone-in turkey breasts in the bullet since Thanksgiving. While they were both tasty and juicy, with a perfect amount of smoke flavor, there was virtually no pink like I'm used to seeing with chickens. So, my question relates to appearance, really.

The breasts were Norbest brand, and both were injected with a solution at the Norbest factory. I cooked both them at roughly 350 degress for about 2.25 hours, standard method, and no water. I use a typical homemade poultry rub on top and underneath the skin.

Here's my question: Is there a way to pinken these breasts a bit? I'd hate to add more wood because the amount of smoke is already perfect. Would a natural, non-injected breast pinken a bit? Does the skin function as a guard against the pinkening?

Thank you for any ideas.
 
Generally yes. I cook chickens the same way. I run it wide-open, with one whole plugged on the top for the thermometer. While the thermometer reads 325ish, I add 25 to 50 degrees to get the true temperature. I use the standard method, but I have a smaller charcoal chimney, not the larger Weber chimney.

It's sort of strange. The small dark meat portions attached to the breast, such as the meat on the back and bits of thigh, get a great color. The breast is nearly pure white though.

By the way, I bought my bullet around a year ago after hearing the Seattle Times (or PI?) food critic talking about your story and this website on the Seattle Kitchens radio show (710 KIRO). The second time I used it was at a friend's backyard "competition" with about six fellas using Weber Kettles. I smoked 'em. Thank you.
 
Brian - try changing brands of turkey. I have smoked a couple of bone in turkey breasts and have gotten a very deep pink color everytime. I typically buy a "natural" or "organic" turkey from the local Whole Foods. I don't know if the Norbest solution affects the color of the finished product, but changing brands might be worth trying.

For what it's worth I've also noticed that I got a deeper pink color when I used apple wood to smoke than when I used alder. But I haven't done enough of each to know if there's cause and effect, or if something else may have affected it.

Last, because I buy untreated turkey, I brine mine with a solution that's about 20% apple juice. Helps the taste a lot, but I don't know what effect it has on color.

Good luck!
 
I agree with Brian and would try a different brand. I've never used Norbest so I can't speak to that; I use 'natural' un-injected turkeys as well. I brine in all apple juice and I get excellent color with cherry wood.
 
I have cooked Norbest turkey breasts, skinless, for 4 hours at a dome temperature of 240 degrees and have gotten a light pink smoke ring.
 
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