# Need Help with Smoking a Turkey Breast



## Andy M. (Jul 9, 2011)

SO and I were sitting on the deck earlier this afternoon, enjoying the perfect weather and each others company when the subject of food came up. (No surprise there).  

I was speculating about grilling the chicken I'd just defrosted for tomorrow's dinner.  I also mentioned I could smoke it if she liked.  

We immediately leaped from there to "I want you to smoke a turkey breast next!  They're delicious.  I'll pick one up for you Monday."

So now I'm on the hook for a smoked turkey breast.  I need some direction.

What kind of wood for smoke?  Apple, Maple, Cherry, Hickory?
About how long will it take?
Do I need smoke the whole time?
What temperature?  (assuming I can actually manage to control temperature)
What didn't I ask that I should know?

Save my bacon, guys.  I'm counting on your help.

Hmmm, bacon!  Could I wrap it in bacon?!?!


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## Zhizara (Jul 9, 2011)

It sounds good wrapped in bacon.  I love turkey and bacon sandwiches.


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## pacanis (Jul 9, 2011)

I never smoked a turkey breast, Andy. No idea if it would be done at normal smoking temps or something a little less, like 160 or so. If I was doing one by the seat of my pants I would definitely brine it. And I don't brine anything, but in this case I think it could only make it better and help prevent it from drying out. I'd probably go with something mellow, like maple, too.
Of course, you could always go to a dedicated Q forum... But post your results here


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## CWS4322 (Jul 9, 2011)

I haven't smoked anything--but the wood that I'd chose would be apple if you have it, next would be cherry. Hickory would be my last choice---don't know why, other than we have a saw mill and hickory smells "heavy" whereas the other woods when they are sawn smell "sweet." Weird, I know (I have a super-sensitive nose). I don't know how else to explain that, but I'd use hickory with red meats or game, not with poultry. But I guess it depends on the flavor profile you are after. Maple is a lovely wood, but it doesn't have a lot of odor--(I'd describe that as "clean" when sawn) so I don't know how much of a flavor it would infuse. Cherry is less dense than ash and hickory--I only know that because I picked ash for the butcher block counter my DH made--I had a choice of cherry, hickory, and ash. I went with ash. I can't remember why I ruled out the maple--that was another option, and birch was definitely not an option for the counter top. Oh--I ruled out the hickory because of the way the grain is--but that wouldn't matter for smoking <g>.


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## Sir_Loin_of_Beef (Jul 9, 2011)

Were you planning on rolling it up in zig zags, or using a pipe?


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## Andy M. (Jul 9, 2011)

Sir_Loin_of_Beef said:


> Were you planning on rolling it up in zig zags, or using a pipe?



It seems every time there is a thread title with the word "Smoke" in it,...


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## Uncle Bob (Jul 9, 2011)

Andy M said:
			
		

> What kind of wood for smoke?  Apple, Maple, Cherry, Hickory?
> About how long will it take?
> Do I need smoke the whole time?
> What temperature?  (assuming I can actually manage to control temperature)



My go to wood for poultry is Cherry......
For a medium/Avg sized bone-in breast (6-7 lbs)...figure 3 hours and check closely after that until it's done....
If you're nervous....check it at 2 hours. That is if you don't have a remote Therm-O meter in the deepest portion to monitor progress... Strongly recommended! 
No...A couple of hours should be plenty......
225*-250* breast side up......
Pull it at 160....Tent, rest....You know the drill....30-45 minutes....
Brining is strongly recommended!!! 

Fun!


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## Sir_Loin_of_Beef (Jul 9, 2011)

Andy M. said:


> It seems every time there is a thread title with the word "Smoke" in it,...



Funny how that always happens, huh?


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## Andy M. (Jul 9, 2011)

Someone else had to do it.  It's bad form to do it on your own thread.


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## CWS4322 (Jul 9, 2011)

Duh--I don't get it.

Uncle Bob--why cherry over apple?


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## forty_caliber (Jul 9, 2011)

Poultry doesn't benefit as much from the traditional smoking mantra of low and slow.  325 until internal temp is 165.  Oak or pecan woods are my favorites for this.  Work some butter and herbs under the skin.

.40


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## Andy M. (Jul 9, 2011)

forty_caliber said:


> Poultry doesn't benefit as much from the traditional smoking mantra of low and slow.  325 until internal temp is 165.  Oak or pecan woods are my favorites for this.  Work some butter and herbs under the skin.
> 
> .40



Thanks, .40.

Smoke the whole time?


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## CWS4322 (Jul 9, 2011)

Do you have a preference for white or red oak? What about butternut? (Blasphamy! that's furniture wood except for the cut offs).

Can you tell I have a lot of choices when it comes to wood? At the end of September, there is a log auction here. We buy logs...we have a surplus of lumber--probably enough to build a 2,000 sq. ft house and all the cabinets, flooring, etc., required (my DH can't go to Home Depot and buy lumber, he has to make his own...).


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## forty_caliber (Jul 9, 2011)

Andy M. said:
			
		

> Thanks, .40.
> 
> Smoke the whole time?



Yes.  Sine I use a Traeger, the wood (pellet) is the fuel.


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## forty_caliber (Jul 9, 2011)

CWS4322 said:
			
		

> Do you have a preference for white or red oak? What about butternut? (Blasphamy! that's furniture wood except for the cut offs).
> 
> Can you tell I have a lot of choices when it comes to wood? At the end of September, there is a log auction here. We buy logs...we have a surplus of lumber--probably enough to build a 2,000 sq. ft house and all the cabinets, flooring, etc., required (my DH can't go to Home Depot and buy lumber, he has to make his own...).



I'm not really sure what kind of Oak is used in Trager wood pellets. Given the common use of red oak in furniture, I suspect this type is more commonly available as sawdust.

.40


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## CWS4322 (Jul 9, 2011)

Can you describe the smell? Red and white oak don't smell the same...does it have a reddish tinge?


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## Andy M. (Jul 9, 2011)

If i remember correctly from my wood stove days, red oak doesn't have as food friendly a smell as white oak.  But that was the raw wood, not the smoke.


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## forty_caliber (Jul 9, 2011)

CWS4322 said:
			
		

> Can you describe the smell? Red and white oak don't smell the same...does it have a reddish tinge?



Not sure how to describe it.  Smells like sawn wood.  The pellets look like rabbit food.  Uniform size, and shape allow automated and metered delivery of fuel.

.40


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## Andy M. (Jul 9, 2011)

forty_caliber said:


> Not sure how to describe it.  Smells like sawn wood.  The pellets look like rabbit food.  Uniform size, and shape allow automated and metered delivery of fuel.
> 
> .40




I have to read this site with my glasses on.  I read your post as, "Smells like swan wood.".  I'm sitting here thinking what the heck is swan wood?!


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## Uncle Bob (Jul 9, 2011)

CWS4322 said:


> Duh--I don't get it.
> 
> Uncle Bob--why cherry over apple?



Color ~~ Less than 4% of the palates of the world's population can tell what kind of wood was used to cook with anyway...Except maybe for Hickory and mesquite ~~~ Next I suppose someone will suggest they can discern the difference between Granny Smith and Golden Delicious.....


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## Andy M. (Jul 9, 2011)

Uncle Bob said:


> My go to wood for poultry is Cherry......
> For a medium/Avg sized bone-in breast (6-7 lbs)...figure 3 hours and check closely after that until it's done....
> If you're nervous....check it at 2 hours. That is if you don't have a remote Therm-O meter in the deepest portion to monitor progress... Strongly recommended!
> No...A couple of hours should be plenty......
> ...



Thanks, Uncle Bob.  Good info.  I missed your post the first time through.


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## forty_caliber (Jul 13, 2011)

How did your smoked turkey breast turn out?  How did you prepare it?

.40


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## Andy M. (Jul 13, 2011)

I'm doing it this coming Sunday.   I just bought the breast today and it's defrosting.  Then I'll brine it overnight Saturday and smoke it Sunday.

I also bought some cherry wood chips (that's the only one of the recommended flavors I found).

The weather looks good for the weekend so everything is falling onto place.


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## SherryDAmore (Jul 13, 2011)

> Were you planning on rolling it up in zig zags, or using a pipe?
> __________________


 
God bless you for this one.  I usually say that it is sooooo difficult getting turkey into those little papers

Brine the turkey breast in salt and dark brown sugar before smoking....


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## PrincessFiona60 (Jul 13, 2011)

SherryDAmore said:


> God bless you for this one.  I usually say that it is sooooo difficult getting turkey into those little papers
> 
> Brine the turkey breast in salt and dark brown sugar before smoking....



I can't figure out which end to light...


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## Bolas De Fraile (Jul 14, 2011)

forty_caliber said:


> Poultry doesn't benefit as much from the traditional smoking mantra of low and slow.  325 until internal temp is 165.  Oak or pecan woods are my favorites for this.  Work some butter and herbs under the skin.
> 
> .40


I agree Forty C, I have only done one, I did not brine it I injected it with the duck fat I had from this.
I have run out of whisky barrel chunks so I am using Pear and Apple wood from 3 old fruit trees I cut down 2 yrs ago.
PS I bought some large turkey thighs a few months ago as I prefer dark Turkey meat this thread has inspired me to defrost one for the weekend.


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## Andy M. (Jul 17, 2011)

Here's the finished product.  I brined it for about 5 hours and I used cherry chips for smoke.  I had better luck maintaining a steady temperature today.  But it was hot with no real breeze.  It sure tasted good.  SO and our dinner guests loved it.

Thanks to you all for your help.


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## PrincessFiona60 (Jul 17, 2011)

Yum!  That looks great!


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## CWS4322 (Jul 17, 2011)

Yum--that does look good.


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## Uncle Bob (Jul 17, 2011)

That's what I'm talkin about!!!!


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## Andy M. (Jul 17, 2011)

Thanks guys.


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## forty_caliber (Jul 17, 2011)

Fabulous job.  Looks wonderful!


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## joesfolk (Jul 17, 2011)

Sir_Loin_of_Beef said:


> Funny how that always happens, huh?


You beat me to it, I think this reference really dates us...and I'm not talking dinner for two.


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## pacanis (Jul 18, 2011)

That looks absolutely gorgeous, Andy.


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## Bolas De Fraile (Jul 18, 2011)

Andy M. said:


> Here's the finished product.  I brined it for about 5 hours and I used cherry chips for smoke.  I had better luck maintaining a steady temperature today.  But it was hot with no real breeze.  It sure tasted good.  SO and our dinner guests loved it.
> 
> Thanks to you all for your help.


Fantastic job


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## purple.alien.giraffe (Jul 18, 2011)

Andy M. said:


> Here's the finished product.  I brined it for about 5 hours and I used cherry chips for smoke.  I had better luck maintaining a steady temperature today.  But it was hot with no real breeze.  It sure tasted good.  SO and our dinner guests loved it.
> 
> Thanks to you all for your help.



That looks gorgeous Andy. Beautiful color on that bird. Darn it, now I have to find a turkey breast and convince my dad to smoke it for me. My grill is too small to do it.


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## Andy M. (Jul 18, 2011)

purple.alien.giraffe said:


> That looks gorgeous Andy. Beautiful color on that bird. Darn it, now I have to find a turkey breast and convince my dad to smoke it for me. My grill is too small to do it.




...if he needs any pointers...


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## purple.alien.giraffe (Jul 18, 2011)

Andy M. said:


> ...if he needs any pointers...



I'll be sure to send him your way. I'll even make him log in and look at your photo as evidence of your expertise.


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