Wild turkey breast

[jacob22]

Loving my mb gas smoker and thanks to this site I've been making some good meat. I'm smoking a wild turkey breast tonight , it's from one of the birds I got this spring. First time doing this hope it turns out good. Let it brine over night and injected with my spicy chicken rub mixed with vinegar. Got it rubbed down and in the smoke.... More pics to come.

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• jacob22
• Sep 15, 2016

 

[jacob22]

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• jacob22
• Sep 15, 2016

It's a little tough on the ends.... Center is good. Any advice on that? Maybe I should've cooked on higher temp ?I had it around 225-250

 

[mowin]

J, are you going by the stock therm? If so they are known to be off. Sometimes by quite a bit. You may have been smoking hotter than you think. My MB gasser was reading much lower than actual temp.

The turkey looks good. Thumbs Up

 

[lancep]

Man! I got a whole flock of turkeys in my back meadow. Been watching them all day long since they seem to live back there. Sadly, the mrs won't let me take any of them.

Yours looks awesome! I would agree that your therm is probably off.

 

[disco]

I would agree it might be a temperature problem or it got slightly overcooked on the ends. Did you cook to an internal temperature? If so, what did you cook it to?

Disco

 

[jacob22]

Cooked at 225-240 for 4hrs to internal temp of 165 degrees. Stock gauge is off some, I have oven therm that stays inside it. You guys think I should try 275-300 degrees next time??

 

[disco]

Cooked at 225-240 for 4hrs to internal temp of 165 degrees. Stock gauge is off some, I have oven therm that stays inside it. You guys think I should try 275-300 degrees next time??

I've never done wild turkey before but you definitely don't want to cook to any less than 165 internal temperature. I can't see how cooking it a higher temperature will help but what the hey, give it a try.

 

[jacob22]

I'm still new to smoking meats . I was thinking if I got it done faster with higher temp... Maybe that'd help from getting tough/ keeping more moisture in it . Does that make sense?

 

[mowin]

I wouldn't go higher. Defiantly make sure of your pit temp with a good therm like the maverick 732 or 733.

I keep my pit around 220* . I've also folded the thin ends under to keep them from cooking to fast.

 

[disco]

I wouldn't go higher. Defiantly make sure of your pit temp with a good therm like the maverick 732 or 733.

I keep my pit around 220* . I've also folded the thin ends under to keep them from cooking to fast.

I like the idea of folding the ends in.

For years people seared food to "seal in the juices". It is an old wives tale and doesn't work. It only adds flavour from the searing. Higher heat doesn't bring moisture or tenderness.

Another option to help from drying out might be to add some moisture by cooking them over a pan of liquid.