Smoked a Turkey Breast for the first time...

[Pyraxiate]

As the subject says I tried a Turkey Breast for the first time today and had a confusing problem, I'll give more detail.

This was a bone in almost 8lb turkey breast. I unpacked the bird and washed it off a bit, pat to dry and added my cajun rub. I wrapped it and let it sit overnight.

Put the breast on the smoker (cherry chunks & lump charcoal) at 250° till internal temp of 160°. I used a beer & apple juice spritz through out the cook. Wrapped at about 3 hours and when internal temp was at 125°.

The meat was incredible many at the cook out saying it was the best they ever had. My only complaint is the skin was not crispy at all.

I now turn to you fine people for an answer, where did I go wrong? Thank you before hand and sorry got no pictures.

 

[radioguy]

Run a higher temp, poultry 275-300. Thoroughly dry the skin, use oil (not butter it has water in it) to coat. Crispy skin every time.

RG

 

[Pyraxiate]

Run a higher temp, poultry 275-300. Thoroughly dry the skin, use oil (not butter it has water in it) to coat. Crispy skin every time.

RG

Thank You I will definitely do that next time

 

[tallbm]

Hi there and welcome!

Yep as already stated, run at a higher heat. I usually recommend 325F if possible but definitely not 250F.

This goes for all poultry skin. The other option is to smoke and finish it on a really hot grill to get the skin right. So maybe pull at 140F or so and throw skin side down until done. Works well with chicken :)

 

[SmokinVOLfan]

Tallbm and radioguy got you covered. 300+ for crispy skin. Here are a couple I did at thanksgiving. Top one was fried. Bottom one was smoked at 300-325

 

[SmokinVOLfan]

Tallbm and radioguy got you covered. 300+ for crispy skin. Here are a couple I did at thanksgiving. Top one was fried. Bottom one was smoked at 300-325

Sorry pic didn’t post. Smoked one was spatched

 

[gmc2003]

Higher temps and no spritzing(or very minimal spritzing).

Chris

 

[xray]

Everybody has you covered. But you said you wrapped the turkey in the refrigerator overnight?

I would keep it uncovered overnight to dry out the skin more.

 

[radioguy]

Xray, good point about wrapping in the refer. Let it air dry in the refer

RG

 

[SecondHandSmoker]

Also, I would not wrap poultry during a smoke as that seems counterproductive to crispy skin.