Over the weekend thought I’d try smoking a bone-in turkey breast. After reading a few posts, thought I’d try to use higher heat in the range of 300 degrees. This in an attempt to get a darker, crispier skin.
I brined the turkey breast in 2 qt. water, ¼ salt, ¼ brown sugar, assorted poultry spices, for about 6 hours. So I pre-heated my propane smoker to 300 degrees, and put my apple chunks in my cast iron chip pan. Then put the 2 ½ pound bone-in turkey breast in the smoker.
The first problem I ran into was at 300 degrees my apple chucks began to smoke too much. I think this might have been due to the fact that my cast iron chip pan is very close (2”) above my propane burner. I do much of my smoking in the 200 to 225 degree range, and I need this spacing so that I can get smoke in this temperature range. I’m thinking that if I move the cast iron pan to maybe 5 inches off the heat source that I wouldn’t get the flare up on the wood chunks? Anyone offer up any suggestions? What configuration do you use when smoking at higher temperatures?
My second concern is the quality of the turkey. It took 3 hours for the breast to get to the desired 170 degrees internal temperature. At this point I wrapped the turkey in foil, and wrapped it in towels, and place in an ice chest. After an hour, I removed the breast, and sliced it up. The turkey was over smoked, probably due to the smoke flare up but the turkey meat was dry. I’m wondering if the extended cook time was the culprit here? Any help with why the turkey might have been dry?
Thanks in advanced….
HFactor
I brined the turkey breast in 2 qt. water, ¼ salt, ¼ brown sugar, assorted poultry spices, for about 6 hours. So I pre-heated my propane smoker to 300 degrees, and put my apple chunks in my cast iron chip pan. Then put the 2 ½ pound bone-in turkey breast in the smoker.
The first problem I ran into was at 300 degrees my apple chucks began to smoke too much. I think this might have been due to the fact that my cast iron chip pan is very close (2”) above my propane burner. I do much of my smoking in the 200 to 225 degree range, and I need this spacing so that I can get smoke in this temperature range. I’m thinking that if I move the cast iron pan to maybe 5 inches off the heat source that I wouldn’t get the flare up on the wood chunks? Anyone offer up any suggestions? What configuration do you use when smoking at higher temperatures?
My second concern is the quality of the turkey. It took 3 hours for the breast to get to the desired 170 degrees internal temperature. At this point I wrapped the turkey in foil, and wrapped it in towels, and place in an ice chest. After an hour, I removed the breast, and sliced it up. The turkey was over smoked, probably due to the smoke flare up but the turkey meat was dry. I’m wondering if the extended cook time was the culprit here? Any help with why the turkey might have been dry?
Thanks in advanced….
HFactor
