Beef over turkey, is this a good idea?

[jjdbike]

Hey folks,

I'm planning a big cook in two weeks. Want to have a solid plan. I'm brining the boneless turkey breasts and injecting the breasts & brisket.

I don't want my breast tasking beefy, especially considering I'm injecting the brisket so they drip beefy juices.

I was considering this set up.
Beef on top rack.
Middle rack underneath beef w/ large water pan.
Breasts underneath the water pan on bottom rack.

Good idea? Have a other solutions?

Thanks in advance!
JD

[Allon]

What are you using to cook it?

[HawkerXP]

KBQ

[MBMorgan]

Don't know what you're cooking on but unless the temperatures in it are pretty even, I'd try to put the poultry in a hotter area than the brisket ... then sort out problems (if any) with one potentially dripping on the other.

[jjdbike]

Please see my reply below.
Does that make sense?
JD

[MBMorgan]

"Please see my reply below.
Does that make sense?"

jjdbike - It does indeed make sense. It's pretty close to the Franklin method that Kathryn ( fzxdoc ) mentioned in your "Smoked turkey breast: internal temp?" post and I'm thinking that it will turn out great. Enjoy!

[MBMorgan]

HawkerXP - Thanks! I noticed what channel this is in about 30 seconds after pressing [Enter] ... but decided that I needed coffee more urgently than saving face by hanging around to edit my rather stupid reply.

[jjdbike]

What are you using to cook it?

KBQ, apple and post oak set at 250 then diced up to 275.
I'll pull the breasts when the color / bark is set and finish double wrapped w/ a stick of butter and a higher temp (300) as to not dry breasts out. I do believe that brining and injecting the breasts and finishing wrapped in butter will offer some protection against drying out.
Respectfully,
JD

[Allon]

Wow. Nice hardware!
I have to admit I've never seen a KBQ outside of pictures. But reviews in The Pit are all positive...

I'm a firm believer of dry\wet brining and I've used injections here and there. Sounds like you're on the right track...

As far what goes where, bird hot, brisket not so much with something in between if possible...

Are you putting the brisket in first or both together?

[jjdbike]

Wow. Nice hardware!
I have to admit I've never seen a KBQ outside of pictures. But reviews in The Pit are all positive...

I'm a firm believer of dry\wet brining and I've used injections here and there. Sounds like you're on the right track...

As far what goes where, bird hot, brisket not so much with something in between if possible...

Are you putting the brisket in first or both together?

Thanks Allon,
I'm doing them together. Clearly the brisket will take WAAAAAY longer. I'm starting the cook at 250 for the first two hours or so for smoke adhesion. Then I'll kick it up to 275. I'm only keeping the turkey in the pit long enough to get nice color and firmly establish bark. Then I'll remove it, tightly double wrap in foil w/ butter and finish it in a 300 degree oven.
Respectfully,
JD

[Allon]

Sounds like a plan...

🔥🔥🔥

[Steve R.]

Why not just put the turkey above the brisket?

[jjdbike]

Why not just put the turkey above the brisket?

Thanks for your reply.
Is that better? If so, why?
I don't want either of them to drip on the other.
More importantly, lower in the cook chamber is hotter and I'd like the turkey to cook hotter than the brisket.
JD

[bbqLuv]

Cook the turkey during the rest time of the brisket.
Maybe plan the cooking with time and temperature in mind.

[jjdbike]

Cook the turkey during the rest time of the brisket.
Maybe plan the cooking with time and temperature in mind.

Thanks BBQ,
That really is a brilliant idea.
Unfortunately there are several mitigating circumstances that require me to do this cook the day before the event. Food will be served at 2PM the following day. One major issue is I need to finish the smoking and have the smoker put away before dark. I live in SoCal and these days it gets dark early. Due to wanting to keep the extreme long hold to a short as I can, I'm going to start the cook as late in the day as I can, which puts me right up against dark. I'll keep the breasts and brisket in the smoker only long enough to establish good color and a solid bark I will say the KBQ with it's fans and convection oven like qualities does a good job of establishing great bark. I'll wrap the meats and finish them in the oven, giving the smoker time to cool enough to store before it gets dark.
I'm guessing 2 hours in the KBQ at 250 will have the breasts w/ nice color and good bark, so I can finish them in a 300 degree oven.
Does that make sense?
JD