I'm new-need ideas for a turkey breast

deerman12 · Feb 18, 2009

Hello, I have a masterbuilt electric smoker. I have 4 pound turkey breast. I am gonna use hickory or mesquite, or both. Someone please tell me what temperature to use, internal temp., how long, etc. I appreciate any help I can get. Thanks in advance.

richoso1 · Feb 18, 2009

Well, welcome to the SMF. Please take a little time to introduce yourself, your smoker, grill, and any smoking experience. I'll move your thread to roll cal so everyone can give you a warm welcome. I would consider brining that turkey breast, hickory is not quite as strong, try smoking at 225 if possible, internal temp could be 170-180, I never cook by time, just internal temp. The brining will help keep it from drying out. Good luck my friend.

cruizer · Feb 18, 2009

Welcome! I have not yet got the guts to try turkey. Still a knuby. Cannot wait to try it though. You will get plenty of advice from the forum. Post some pics. Good luck.

kingudaroad · Feb 18, 2009

Welcome!! I did a wild bone in breast a while back. It did not have skin, so I replaced the skin with bacon. I did not brine, but injected with cajun butter stuff. You could also put bacon or butter under the skin.Smoke it like Richoso said, to 170 degrees. Glad to have you.

fired up · Feb 18, 2009

My first smoke ever was a bone in turkey breast. Just use your favorite rub/seasonings, make sure and get under the skin and rub the breast directly. Smoke at 225-250 until internal temp is 170. when it is done loosely wrap with foil and let the bird rest for 20 minutes before carving. Hope this helps. Also if you have a way to inject the bird that would be good.

sooner fan · Feb 18, 2009

I have done some 6-7 pounders with bone in that have taken between 2-3 hours at 225. I usualy pull my bone in breasts around 160 since it is breast only.

bassman · Feb 18, 2009

Welcome to the forum. Glad to have you aboard.

fishawn · Feb 18, 2009

I personally would not use Mesquite on em (or anything else

)....I just did one Sunday in my MES it was Fantastic....First brined it overnight

BRINE:
Water to cover in small cooler
1/2 Cup Kosher Salt
1/2 Cup Sugar

Then mixed this stuff up & INJECTED it:
Chardonay Wine
Honey
Arthur Bryants Poultry seasoning
Worstechire
Jalepeno Tobasco

Then RUBBED it GOOD:
Arthur Bryants Poultry Seasoning

Then into the MES @ 250* with Hickory until it hit 165* in the thickest part. Double wrapped in foil & into the cooler for an hour, then carved & served. It was all gone the next day, so don't plan on leftovers!!!

meat hunter · Feb 18, 2009

As far as the 2 wood choices, I would go with Hickory. Internal temp of 170 degrees in a smoker cooking at 225. For sure go with a brine. Try the one listed on the main page of this site. But reduce your ingredients accordingly to the size of the turkey you are smoking. Nice thing about the poultry, it takes a brine better than red meats. And dont be afraid to experiment with spices you like. When mixed into the brine, they will absorb into the bird. I did my first turkey this December. Man on man was it to die for. One suggestion, if you do a whole bird with the skin on, you may want to pop in in the over on a normal turkey cookin temp to get the skin crispy. Poultry with the skin at a lower temp like a smoker sometimes comes out rubbery. Good luck and take some photos and be sure to post them so we can see.

BandCollector · Feb 19, 2009

Welcome from Pittsburgh, PA...........Looks like you have a lot of suggestions.........Good Luck

grothe · Feb 19, 2009

Welcome to SMF....Bacon add a whole other dimension to turkey!!!

fritz · Feb 19, 2009

Brine as has been suggested, rinse and dry off. Sprinkle with what ever seasoning you like. I like to smoke at 300 untill the breast is 160-165 (w/o the dark meat you won't have to go any higher than that). With the higher cookin temp. the skin will be nice and crispy. Poultry is a tender meat and doesn't need to be done low and slow. My $.02. hope this helps.

fritz · Feb 20, 2009

Oh...Welcome to SMF!!!

hungryjohn · Feb 20, 2009

If hickory and mesquite are your only choices, I'd definitely choose the hickory, but I really prefer fruit woods (apple, cherry) for poultry.

If you wish to bump the temp up to 275, 300, even 325, it will work fine for chicken/turkey.

crusty ol salt · Feb 21, 2009

welcome aboard, glad you could koin us @ smf. woods of choice for me it is hickory and apple

Good luck on everything you do and dont forget the qview

cowgirl · Feb 21, 2009

Welcome to the forum Deerman!

irishteabear · Feb 21, 2009

Welcome to SMF. You're getting a lot of good advice. When you get a chance, check out all the great information here.

uncle_lar · Feb 21, 2009

welcome deerman,
apple and cherry are my choices also for poultry.much better flavor.
mesquite is very strong and should be used sparingly whenever used.
brining is good and will bring out your favorite flavors and make it nice and moist.

carpetride · Feb 21, 2009

Welcome aboard! Brining in my opinion improves all poultry.

kingudaroad · Feb 21, 2009

I love mesquite on poultry. I think most of the people that bash mesquite have not really used it much and are just repeating what they heard others say.

Of course it is very abundant in these parts and therefore probably more often used.

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