Transporting smoked turkey breasts

[clicktrack]

Hoping some could share their thoughts on a safe way to get some smoked turkey breasts to mom and dad's for Thanksgiving. I'm planning on tossing a pair of 3lb boneless turkey breasts in the electric smoker and taking them to mom and dad's for Thanksgiving. I did the same last year, but by the time I got there they were cold and lifeless. I cooked them to proper temp, took them out about an hour before I left (so the smoker could cool down safely and go into the garage). I wrapped them in foil, put them into the stoneware from my crockpot which I'd warmed in the oven, wrapped the whole thing in towels, and it was cold by the time I got there and we began to eat. Basically, they've got to be ready to eat about 2 hours and 45 minutes after they come out of the smoker.

I thought about taking them out before they reach the target temp, then putting them into the oven upon arrival to bring them up to the target temp. I don't know if this is food safe, but it seems problematic. Maybe cook them to full temp, transport, then reheat once there, using some chicken stock to keep them moist? As long as I'm reheating, is it possible to smoke them the day before and put them in the fridge overnight? I'm sure I'd be better off with a cooler than a stone pot, but would a cooler keep them warm for the nearly 3 hours?

Thanks in advance!

 

[stickyfingers]

First, I would recommend smoking a bone-in breast. Simply they are better. When it's finished, let it 30min on the counter, then double wrap in foil and place in a cooler and drive. I do this every year and it's still hot a couple hours later. You sacrifice crispy shin however.

 

[wade]

Hi ClickTrack

Firstly do not partially cook it and then try to finish the cook later.

Once they are fully cooked you can either transfer them hot or cold.

The stoneware pot is unlikely to be a good enough insulator - as you found out. To transfer them hot, immediately wrap the cooked meat in several layers of foil and then put them in a cooler wrapped in several layers of towel. They should arrive still warm and will be very moist. If necessary you can place them back in the oven when you arrive to bring them back up to temperature before serving. If you are also cooking something like a gammon as well, wrap that hot and put that in the cool box as well. The more heat mass you have in there the longer they will stay warm.

They will also be good transported chilled and then reheated in foil when you get there.