Smoking the Thanksgiving Turkey

[Ignored Member]

You absolutely must brine overnight.
Once you're ready to get to the smoker, inject with apple juice and butter. Put on a good rub and let it smoke til it gets a nice golden color, basting in butter and apple juice every 30 minutes.
Once it gets to the color you want, wrap in foil til it gets to temp.
Let it rest for at least 45 minutes before you cut into it. Once you have it sliced, spoon some more brine from the bottom of the pan over the slices.

 

[O4L]

Well all you fancy fellers go to a lot more trouble than I do.

I unwrap the bird and pull out all the crap they stuffed inside it then put it in my cheapo electric smoker using hickory along with a ham and some red beans for about 12 hours or so overnight, then take it out, cover with foil, and put it in the oven at 350° for maybe an hour to make sure it's done through and through.

Freakin deeeelicious!!!

 

[dennishoddy]

One of the best and juiciest smoked turkey I've ever had was done by some Cajuns that were at the power plant on an overhaul. They started injecting it from inside the cavity, never breaking or raising the skin on the breast. They would insert the needle on the inside and just feel it coming to the skin, then pumping the cajun/garlic spiced butter into the meat. This process lasted over three days while the turkey was kept cold. During the smoking, the butter would melt and keep the breast meat juicy, leaving the spices.
Their theory was that if you raised the skin on the breast, you would break that seal and allow moisture to escape.

 

[druryj]

Probably should be in the Cooking Section and I may move it there later, but I wanted to get some input from the experts here on OSA on doing a turkey breast on the smoker. What temp do you smoke it at? I'm thinking 225 is good but looking for your thoughts and input. About how long for an 8Lb breast? We're doing a 20 lb bird in the roaster and a 7 lb spiral sliced ham in the oven too, but I wanted to throw a smoked breast on the table as well. Oh yeah, apple wood? Oak? Pear? Cherry? Something other than?

 

[Jon3830]

I really only smoke with pecan and sometimes oak, are you smoking it skin on ? are you going to inject marinade or brine it ?

 

[Okie4570]

225-240, 3-4 hours and I like apple for any fowl. Pecan and mesquite for everything else. IIRC done temp is 160 or 165 for turkey.

 

[druryj]

I really only smoke with pecan and sometimes oak, are you smoking it skin on ? are you going to inject marinade or brine it ?

I’m going to brine it over night. I’ll leave the skin on I think. It’s a bone-in breast by the way.


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[jmike314]

I’ll be doing a 11lbs bird in the smoker this year. First time cooking a turkey.

Have a few ideas.

Will be watching this thread.


“Crying is for babies, little girls, and men who just had their ears ripped off.”
- Oobedoob Benubi

 

[kroberts2131]

I'm not a big fan of amoked poultry but I'd go with cherry wood . Gives a nice dark bark on most anything .

 

[Personofinterest]

Your brine is the most important part of the process. Keep it simple. Water and Kosher salt. Put the breast in a non corrosive vessel and cover with filtered water. Take the breast out and measure the water left in the vessel. Go with a ratio of 1/2 cup salt per gallon of water, add salt and stir until completely dissolved. You might have to heat the water to achieve a complete dissolution. If so cool the brine to room temp before adding the breast. 8 lb breast = 8 hours time in the fridge. Remove breast and rinse under cold running water pat dry inside and out. Smoke at 225 to 250 degrees in the smoker (easy on the amount of smoke) until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast reads 165. Tent with foil for 1/2 hour. You should end up with the juiciest Turkey you have ever mouthed.
Personally I would smoke/cook at a temperature of 250/275 keeps the meat from becoming too dry, but it’s a personal preference. Your call