Smoked Turkey Breast (Hickory Smoked)

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Bearcarver

Gone but not forgotten RIP
Original poster
OTBS Member
Group Lead
Sep 12, 2009
45,279
18,182
Macungie, PA
Smoked Turkey Breast (Hickory Smoked)

I can honestly say I never did one of these, but since Mrs Bear got it FREE with her “Giant” Holiday shopping points, I couldn’t resist.

I seldom do any Poultry, because that’s one of Bear Jr’s specialties, and he shares with us when he makes some.
So I did a bunch of searching On line, On YouTube, and on SMF, and I came up with my plan.

So I pulled it from the freezer on Tuesday, and decided to Prep it Friday.
It was pretty much thawed, except there was still a solid hunk of ice in the cavity, but I coated it with EVOO, and covered it with a Rub I got from a Buddy of mine. I put it on a Wire Cooling rack, in a foil pan to keep my MES from getting all full of fat drippings.
Then I covered it with plastic wrap, and put it in the fridge for another overnight rest.

NOTE: When I put things on Wire cooling racks in a foil pan, the meat is able to get smoked all the way around, and it doesn’t sit in it’s own fatty juices. If you lay it right in the pan, the bottom doesn’t get any smoke, and the stuff it’s sitting in is considered by many to be “Yucky” stuff. Been doing this with my Prime Ribs for years, and it works Great!

Then Saturday morning the Fun Began!!
8:45 AM———Preheat MES to 240°, and fill two rows of my AMNPS with Hickory Pellets, and light one end.
9:30 AM———Place Turkey Pan on position 3 (of a 6 position Smoker, and AMNPS on bottom rack, on right, with Dumper out 3”.
12 Noon———After 2.5 hours of cycling from 230° to 248°, I sterilized my meat probe & inserted it into the thickest part of the Breast.
12 Noon———111° IT
12:30 PM——-125° IT
1:00 PM———135° IT
1:30 PM———142° IT
2:00 PM———149° IT —Bump Heat up to 275° (From here forward my MES cycled between 271° and 280°)
2:30 PM———156° IT
3:00 PM———163° IT ——-Checked with Instant Therm & some places were only at 157° & 158°.
3:45 PM———All reading were between 166° and 172° IT.
Killed Heat, open door until Temp went down to 100°, & leave in Smoker for 20 minutes.

Pull, Slice, and Eat.

Then the rest is some Great Sammies of cold Breast meat, and a lot more I didn’t take Pics of an a bunch I froze for another time.

BTW: The skin was plenty Crispy, with only a final 1.75 Hours of 275° in my MES 40.


Enjoy the Pics,

Bear


One Seasoned 8.81 Pound Turkey Breast on a wire cooling rack, in a foil pan:
IMG_2348.jpg


Two rows of AMNPS filled with Hickory Pellets, and Lit":
IMG_2350.jpg


Smoking Nicely & ready to go in my MES:
IMG_2351.jpg


Through the Looking Glass:
IMG_2352.jpg


Bonus Pic; New mulch in our Pet Cemetery.
Our babies were:
Shadow--Black Lab Mix for 12 1/2 years.
Bozo--Black & White Kitty for 17 1/4 years.
IMG_2353.jpg


Perfect Smoke rising from my Top Vent:
IMG_2356.jpg


All done---Nice Color!!
IMG_2357.jpg


After resting---Time for slicing:
IMG_2360.jpg


Two main portions removed:
IMG_2361.jpg


Nice slices & Crispy Skin:
IMG_2362.jpg


Bear's first Helpings: Sliced Breast, Pickled Red Beets, and Mashed Taters with Cream of Chicken Soup gravy:
IMG_2364.jpg


NEXT NIGHT

Some MW on a couple of Steak Rolls:
IMG_2366.jpg


A layer of nice Thick slices of Turkey, with a good amount of CBP:
IMG_2368.jpg


Close them up & add some Pickle Chips:
IMG_2370.jpg


FINI.
 
Last edited:
Bearcarver Bearcarver , you've inspired me. Some years ago I also smoked a turkey breast in my MES 30 and it turned out great. Like yours, the skin was crispy. I think I got good color on the skin but your turkey breast looks textbook. Great job.

I've got a 12 lb. whole turkey in the freezer (I think it's 12 lbs.--at least) which I think will see the inside of my smoker next week. I'm going to try your wire rack inside a foil pan idea. I'll place it on the 3rd rack inside my 4-rack smoker.

With results like your turkey breast, I don't understand why you don't smoke more of them. Would've loved to have eaten those turkey sandwiches on steak rolls.
 
Last edited:
Man I love a good smoked turkey. For someone who rarely does poultry you knocked that one out of the park! Great crispy skin. Those sandwiches have my mouth watering! Points!
 
Excellent job my friend, you haven't lost your touch at all. Looks perfect to me.
Like for sure

Gave me an idea !! may do a few of those for the wedding too ??

Gary
 
Nice looking breast Bear, I've got one on the WSM as I type. I hope it turn out as well as yours did.

Point for sure.

Chris
 
That turkey breast looks awesome! I can’t believe you never done one, because those pics look like you’ve been doing them for years.

LIKE!
 
Bearcarver Bearcarver , you've inspired me. Some years ago I also smoked a turkey breast in my MES 30 and it turned out great. Like yours, the skin was crispy. I think I got good color on the skin but your turkey breast looks textbook. Great job.

I've got a 12 lb. whole turkey in the freezer (I think it's 12 lbs.--at least) which I think will see the inside of my smoker next week. I'm going to try your wire rack inside a foil pan idea. I'll place it on the 3rd rack inside my 4-rack smoker.

With results like your turkey breast, I don't understand why you don't smoke more of them. Would've loved to have eaten those turkey sandwiches on steak rolls.


Thank You Rick!!
On that Pan placement, I put things on the highest rack that has enough headspace.
This Breast had to go on my third rack of my 6 position MES.
If I would have used my Old Gen #1 MES, I would have used the second rack from the top.
And Thank You for the Like.

Bear
 
Man I love a good smoked turkey. For someone who rarely does poultry you knocked that one out of the park! Great crispy skin. Those sandwiches have my mouth watering! Points!


Thank You Vol Fan!!
Beginners Luck!!
And Thanks for the Like.

Bear
 
Looks great!
I have a feeling I'll be smoking some as well here soon. I'll likely debone, remove skin, and brine then smoke. I LOVE having the nice smoke flavor on all sides of the meat!

Keep up the good work! :)
 
Nicely done! How do you keep the glass so clean? I don't have a smoker, but have a wood stove with glass door and it is very difficult to keep clean.
 
Nicely done! How do you keep the glass so clean? I don't have a smoker, but have a wood stove with glass door and it is very difficult to keep clean.


Thank You PZ !!
I gotta Trick for You!!! Eazy Peazy!!
By far the best way to clean your wood stove door glass, is by using a Wet paper Towel dipped in your stove ashes.
Then scrub it until it's loosened up (Not long). Then use a couple wet paper towels, and finish with a Dry one.
Works Great !! Try it.
And Thanks for the Like.

Here's my Step by Step on cleaning the glass:
https://www.smokingmeatforums.com/threads/cleaning-mes-window-without-any-chemicals-at-all.113467/

Bear
 
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