Smoked turkey breast and wicked baked beans

[doug123]

First I coated with EVOO and rubbed with Tone's Cajun Seasoning. I had the idea to use the skin that comes with this as kind of a protector, so after coating the turkey I wrapped the skin back around and secured it with tooth pics...

 

[doug123]

I got the smoker ready and loaded up some plum wood chunks...

 

[doug123]

I threw the turkey on the smoker. Then I got Dutch's wicked baked beans ready. I was making them kid friendly, so the weren't too wicked, but they had alittle zip. I used a big 117 oz can of Bush's beans I got from Sam's club. so I added more of everything in the recipe. I didn't add a bell pepper or the jalapeno's or mustard sauce. I did add about a pound of slab bacon and I added a can of rotel for a little zip...

 

[doug123]

I was planning on spraying the turkey every hour or so with apple juice. The only thing I didn't have for the baked beans was brown sugar. I decided I would run out to get it, then as soon as I got back I would spray the first time with apple juice.

I went to the store, got the brown sugar, came back out to start my wifes car and the starter laughed at me a little bit then died :evil:

I called a few people for a ride, couldn't get a hold of anyone, so I ended up walking about a mile and a half to my father-in-laws and luckily he was home. He drove me back down, we decided yeah, it had to be the starter, and he gave me a ride home.

No pictures of that one :D

 

[doug123]

Came right out to the smoker and it was at 165. Talk about timing, that is right where I wanted to pull it. But I never got to spray it with apple juice. I think that made a big difference. It was definitely good but it was no where near as juicy or tender as the first one I made. Plus I think it cooked faster as I never took the lid off, etc.

 

[doug123]

All in all it was a good meal. My wife made some cheesey rice with peas to go a long with the baked beans. I would say the real star of the meal was Dutch's beans. They were excellent!!! I took some to my In-Laws and they raved about them also. You pretty much can't go wrong with them.

I was a little disappointed in the turkey like I said, but next time I will definitely be spraying with apple juice. I think that definitely makes a big difference.

I guess sometimes life just get's in the way of a good smoke. I think the smoke gods were just trying to keep me in line a little bit :D

 

[vulcan75001]

Come on Doug...now I don't know what to go get for a snack now..
Everything looks really good..

Richard

 

[gremlin]

Everything looks real good Doug!
The cheese rice dish??? Is that grated chedder in that dish?

 

[joed617]

Doug, nice job . the food porn is killing me .. great color .. looks real good .. I am envious .. did you ever get the brown sugar for the beans? The Boston Baked beans I made <posted in the beef forum> were homemade .. had to soak the beans and all.. they were great.


Joe

 

[cajunsmoker]

Doug that looks like good turkey to me. :D It looks juicier than mine ever have :!:

Maybe all the drama just kind of made it not taste so good.

By the way, did you get the brown sugar?

edit: Joe, what kind of beans were those, Great Northern or Navy?

 

[doug123]

Thanks guys.

Gremlin- No, it is just the wal-mart brand for velveeta. I think she just made rice and peas and melted the cheese and mixed it together. It was good.

Joe and Rodger, yes I got the brown sugar :D

I mixed in about a cup and a half. Dutch's recipe measurements are more realistic. I got one of those cans of beans about the size of a snare drum :D They were excellent but I had enough to feed an army. Plus I did them in a crock pot for convenience so they didn't have any smoke flavor. I'm sure that makes them even better.

No, the turkey was definiely more dry than the first one I did. I thought so right away and my wife and daughter said the same thing. Also, I loaded the cajun seasoning on, because the apple juice usually washes it off, dulls it, etc. But since I didn't spray with the apple juice it was a little overpowering. Good, just not as good as it could have been.

The first time I did this I used the apple juice, plus, I don't think I took the turkey out of the freezer until the night before so it was still a little frozen. I defrosted it in the microwave, and I think it was still a little icy in the center when I put it on the smoker. This time I followed the directions and had it in the frig for 36 hours before I smoked it. It was definitely thawed all the way.

So I guess those are all factors I'll have to think about next time I make one. Rule #1 will be to make sure I have all ingredients before I fire up the smoker :)

 

[doug123]

Joe,

By the way your beans look great :D

Defintely on my to do list.

 

[cajunsmoker]

Whoa Doug,

In all this about the car and the dry turkey and all that I almost forgot, how did you like the plum wood :!: :?: :!:

 

[doug123]

I kind of forgot about that too :D

I didn't have any complaints, but to be honest, I'm not sure if I could taste anything. It was really faint.

Maybe the cajun seasoning took over but I would have liked to have a piece with no smoke to see if I could tell the difference.

To be honest, the only thing I've smoked that I knew for sure had smoke flavor was the leg of lamb I did with hickory.

Pretty sure I get more flavor with cherry too, but I could taste that hickory a mile away.

 

[cajunsmoker]

Yeah Hickory is pretty hard to ignore. :D

Have you tried any pecan? I've been mixing 2 chunks of cherry with 4 chunks of pecan and it has been pretty good. Actually its been real good. 8)

 

[doug123]

No, I haven't had my hands on any pecan yet. I want to try that next time I need wood..

Right now I have apple, cherry, maple, plum, hickory and mesquite.

Have you ever mixed cherry and hickory? I might try that.

I want to try another leg of lamb with maple. I hear that is good.

 

[cajunsmoker]

I tried cherry and hicory and the hickory seems to over power the cherry. The pecan is just a little bit more subtle than the hickory. It seems to mesh with the cherry real well.

 

[joed617]

Rodger and Doug, Those were "Navy" beans .. I'll post the recipe in the "sides" if you like?


Joe

 

[cajunsmoker]

Please do Joe, they look fabulous.

 

[doug123]

Thanks Joe :D