Hello Pitmasters-I'm looking for suggestions for seasoning & smoking a boneless, skin-on turkey breast in my Weber Smokey Mountain cooker. What homemade or store bought seasoning/rub do you use. At what temp should this breast be smoked. If cooked at 225'-250' can it be put under a broiler for a few minutes to crisp up the skin after pulling from the smoker or will that overcook the turkey breast? Can it be smoked at a higher temp & still be moist? Thanks! Scott
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Turkey breast is the one thing i still inject. I use a base of melted butter and low sodium mushroom broth + any seasoning you want.
I will pat dry, inject, brine with salt (adjust based on whatever rub you will use) then brine in the fridge 24 hours.
Before throwing on the smoker i make a paste of rub of choice and flavor neutral oil or butter and rub under the skin and over. On the smoker at 275-300 till done.
Ive had both amazing skin and total rubber skin from this but its better more often than its not. Never quiye pinned down what makes the difference and since i usually get good-great skin im not inclined to think its the lower than typical poultry w/skin temp. -
In my experience, low and slow is the dry kiss of death for poultry ... especially breast meat. If I were to do it today, I'd dry brine overnight, season with something along the lines of Meathead's Simon and Garfunkel rub, and cook at a minimum of 325F (more likely up around 350-375).Comment
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Agreed, I typically head into the 400's for turkey and chicken for the initial smoke after 15 mins will aim to damp it down to 350ish depending on the smokers mood.
I usually wet brine turkey over night, not with chicken spray with aerosol canola, shake some dry rub on and onto the grate.
Keep spraying with canola every 30 mins or so until done.
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Thanks, Captain!Comment
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Inject (try to use one with phosphates) then dry brine and hit with plain old pepper.Comment
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I find SPG or Meathead’s Poultry Rub plus a little chipotle powder works well. I usually cook at 300-325. As MBMorgan said above, "low and slow is the dry kiss of death for poultry ... especially breast meat." I’ve never tried injecting, so can’t comment on that.
I usually use the organic boneless turkey breasts from Wild Fork.
Good luck on your cook.Comment
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All I can say is this is definitely not a piece of meat you want to cook low and slow. I'd go anywhere between 325-400, depending on which cooker I'm using. In the PBC I would go closer to 400 because it's such a humid cooking environment and I want the skin to crisp. In the Kettle or the Kamado I don't need to go as high on the temp. I agree with what others have said about the wet brine being a good idea for this as well.Comment
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Thanks, Hoovarmin!Comment
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What a timely thread as I was thinking of doing this next weekend!
What I was going to try was a Texas-style turkey breast. I'd dry brine it (salt only) for 24 hours, then apply some pepper and perhaps a little garlic powder prior to the cook. I was also thinking of using my PBC, which will operate ~300 F for that skin.
One thing I was considering doing was trying to get some of the seasoning, especially the salt, under the skin, just in case the skin did turn out rubbery and I wanted to discard it.Comment
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Thanks Michael, seasoning under the skin sounds like a good ideaComment
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Not sure if this applies, but due the tear drop shape, how about cutting them into medallions?
This worked amazingly well for chicken breasts.
Chicken Breast Medallions - Pitmaster Club (amazingribs.com)Comment
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I haven't done a skin-on breasts before. Here is what I do for skinless. Wet brine, smoke to an IT of about 135o or until the color looks good to you, wrap in foil with a stick of butter until an IT of 165o and let rest 30-60 minutes. To serve: Slice and dip into the melted butter from the foil. I learned this method from 1701 BBQ in Beaumont, Tx. So far, they have the best turkey of any BBQ joint I've been to.
EDIT: forgot to mention, 1701 runs their pit at 275o to 300o on average.Last edited by 58limited; July 17, 2022, 01:57 PM.Comment
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I disagree on low and slow for turkey. I have done turkeys at 250-275 for years with great results. I have wet brined and dry brined but never injected. I am generous with butter - I put it all over and underneath the skin. I use whatever salt free rub I have on hand, I am not that fond of the Simon and Garfunkel rub though. I pay close attention to the temps and pull it right at 165 - 170. It may help that I do them in the wsm with the water pan. I sacrifice some skin crispness but it is bite through, not rubbery, and very flavorful.Comment
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If you can lose the skin, Malcom Reed’s Texas turkey breast is tiptop. He keeps it moist by wrapping it in foil with butter at the end of the smoke.
https://howtobbqright.com/2019/11/21...turkey-breast/Comment
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