Smoked turkey breasts & legs question

[jjdbike]

I plan on smoking a couple boneless skinless turkey breasts, along with a half dozen whole bone in skin on turkey legs.

I’ll brine both with spices, herbs, shallots, oranges & white wine.

My challenge is to keep the breasts moist and smoky, while cooking the legs to have crisp skin.

I will start the breasts at 250 for an hour. Take pit upto 275. Once internal temp reaches 145ish, pull, wrap in butter and honey, take to 155ish.

I’m considering putting the legs in when I crank it up to 275. When I pull the breasts, I’ll crank up the temp to 325. Pull at 175.

Thoughts, suggestions, cautions?

Thanks in advance,
JD

[captainlee]

I can't get rotisserie chicken skin crispy after 1 hour at 250 then balance of cook at 375. Hopefully you can do better.

[Jerod Broussard]

I'm either grilling poultry or smoking at 350+.

[Johnny Booth]

+1 on poultry - I try to get the PK up to 400f on the ‘cool’ side for best chicken skin. I use small wood splits to get some smoke on it. Might even sear the bone-side of a spatchcocked chicken to speed up the cook.

[jjdbike]

Thanks captainlee, Jerod Broussard, and Johnny Booth,

I would imagine I wouldn’t get much smoke on it at 375-400.
Do you think an hour or so at 275, then crank it upto 235 or so would do the skin justice?

Or, smoke it with the breasts, when nearly to temp, a quick stint in under the broiler?

I am not expecting crispy crunchy, just firm, bite through, and not at all rubbery.

Respectfully,
JD

[ItsAllGoneToTheDogs]

Assuming a pellet cooker, just throw the bird on and go 0-375 it should get enough of a kiss of smoke on the ride to temp.

[captainlee]

I would just pick a temperature like 250 to 275 and just let it go. Whether to wrap or not your decision. There are plenty of videos available on line to confuse you more. I am going to wrap at 140 internal to 160. I just want to do everything for a moist bird. This is my first time doing a breast only.

[jjdbike]

Hi ItsAllGoneToTheDogs & captainlee ,

NOT a pellet cooker. KBQ stick burner with victims airflow.
I’ll wrap the breasts in butter to finish.

I’ll take the legs till just short to allow for carryover cooking.

ItsAllGoneToTheDogs, Not looking for “a kiss of smoke”, especially on the legs. I’m shooting for a full blown make out session😀
I’ll put them in with breasts when I take breasts upto 275. When I pull and wrap breasts, I’ll bring the pit upto 325. My brine and rub have brown sugar and I don’t want to burn it.

Respectully,
JD

[ItsAllGoneToTheDogs]

yeah stickburner 0-temp would probably be quite yuck Good luck!