Rubber Turkey

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matt r

Meat Mopper
Original poster
Oct 7, 2014
152
22
Long Island, New York
Hi Guys. I did a 8 pound turkey breast on the traeger last night and it came out tasty, but rubbery. Off-puttingly rubbery, to be exact!
I brined the bird overnight in water salt and brown sugar, set it the smoker to 325 and cooked to an IT of 165. The bird was on a rack over a pan of water and apple juice.
What did I do wrong? Im thinking the water in the pan, but this is the instruction that Traeger gives on their website (don't ask me why I followed that, but I did).
Help!
 
You talkin rubbery skin , or the whole bird ? What measurements did you use for the brine ? I've left chickens in the brine to long , and it gets what I would call mushy . Maybe your brine was to strong ?
 
Rubbery poultry skin regrettably normal at our average smoking temps of 225°-275°.
In this case if we're just talking about the skin and not the meat?
Since you don't mention a drying period, I'd say the problem is the skin being waterlogged from the wet brining.
352° of indirect heat for that timeframe can not be expected to dry out the skin and render the fat for even a minimally acceptable bite through consistency.
Going to need high direct heat or very high indirect to cook soaked skin into something acceptable.

Now if you're saying that the meat was rubbery, I've no personal experience there and bow out of the conversation.
 
Thanks guys. Actually it was all kind of rubbery, but the skin especially. It DID go straight from the brine to the grill, so it was definitely wet.
The brine was roughly 2 quarts water, cup of salt 1/2 cup Brown sugar.
 
Also...where do you guys fall on wet brining anyway? I like the taste and juiciness it provides but not the rubbery skin. Should I wet brine, then let it dry out a bit? maybe uncovered in the fridge for a bit?
 
Whoa! 1C/1/2G is way too much salt.

The standard is 1/2-3/4 cup per gallon.
I use 1C/1G for doing short/quick brines and some people say it's too much.

I do both wet and dry brines, but I'm partial to dry brines to keep the skin dry.
I air dry poultry even if dry brining, over night is good, more is better.

I also smoke at 350°-375° and prefer the latter. To really get good skin I use the grill or oven to finish it.
 
Last edited:
The brine was roughly 2 quarts water, cup of salt 1/2 cup Brown sugar.
That's why I asked above . Since you only went over night , I was thinking you had to much salt . It breaks the meat down .
I use per gallon , 1/2 cup of each , salt , brown sugar and white sugar . I hold 24 to 48 hours , or if I add 1 TBLS of cure 1 to the brine , I've held up to 6 days for cured poultry .
I cook hot and fast on a kettle . Around 450 degrees .
You can also try The Tony C's injections from the store . Pump it and hold over night . Works great .
Good luck .
 
I prefer dry brining if I have the time. It helps meat retain its moisture, without adding water that dilutes the flavor.
 
Bregent Ive done dry brining on a steak (salt and leave uncovered in the fridge) with really good results. Would I treat the turkey breast the same way?
 
What goes better with rubber turkey you ask - well how about rubber biskets!!!



Chris
 
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