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View Full Version : What do you recommend for smoking a boneless turkey breast?


IDBBQ
08-17-2012, 09:09 AM
I have a few butterball 3 lb. boneless turkey breasts I want to smoke/cook in my Traeger Pellet smoker. The instructions say 325 deg. Until the internal temp is 170 deg.
The above will most likely not give the smoked turkey like the BBQ places do and I want it like the BBQ restaurants do it.

I am having a party for 40 people tonight. I did pulled pork Wednesday and a Brisket yesterday. Now today the turkey. The wife made potato salad, and just made cole slaw with our own dressing for the first time. We are using Ranch beans in the can but we soon will start making our own. We also did our own rub.

I just want to think everyone here for getting me started in low and slow BBQ.

thirdeye
08-17-2012, 09:53 AM
Usually I brine and/or inject my (turkey) breasts a couple of days before smoking, and I use Tenderquick to keep the meat pink and moist.... since you are cooking tonight that won't work. So the good thing is, a Butterball has been injected. I think a 300* to 325* pit temp will be fine, give it a coating of oil and rub, and pull when it hits 160* to 165* provided the juices are running clear. If you want to make slicing easier, take some shears and trim the rib area and breast plate a little.

And say, Ranch Style Beans are not bad..... I can say I've liked them since I was a little boy. HERE (http://playingwithfireandsmoke.blogspot.com/1998/05/side-dish-ranch-style-beans.html) is a link to how I do them.

Here it a turkey breast how-to. You can do as much trimming as you feel like.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v377/thirdeye2/Barbecue%202/turkey3.jpg

Here are some action shots to wet your whistle

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v377/thirdeye2/BDS/DSC04204a.jpg


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v377/thirdeye2/BDS/DSC04200a.jpg

IDBBQ
08-17-2012, 11:12 AM
Thanks thirdeye I give it a try. I will put them on about 1:00 pm. Party starts at 6:00pm so that should leave plenty of time for cooking.

Once I get good at cooking the turkey I will try your style of trimming a whole turkey and injecting.

Mdboatbum
08-17-2012, 01:56 PM
I'm guessing you're already almost done with the turkey, so this is more of a post out of curiosity. you say you want your turkey "like the BBQ places". Could you be a little more specific? Are you talking pulled, slow smoked, tender and juicy, super smokey....?
In my opinion, the most important ingredient is not overcooking. No matter what the method, if you pull it off the heat at 160˚ and let it ride to 165˚-170˚ you'll have tender juicy meat. For a short smoke at 325˚, I'd suggest a stronger wood like hickory or mesquite. Since this is boneless/skinless, wrapping in bacon or prosciutto will mimic the protection that the skin would give it and prevent the leathery outer layer prone to skinless poultry in a smoker.

**Just reread your post, you didn't mention skinless, Nevermind on the bacon thing.

captndan
08-18-2012, 07:23 AM
I think those instructions are for cooking in a conventional oven. You can do the same thing in your cooker but the turkey isn't going to have much smoke taste. You might try low and slow for the smoke flavor then finish hot.

Bro-be-que
08-18-2012, 10:26 AM
most important thing i've found in doing poultry is the brine. you can get away with a lot more temp variance if there is a good amount of moisture in the meat.

i usually do boneless, skin on turkey breasts at 275* over apple until IT of 160*, then wrap and rest.

good luck!

Bill G
12-26-2014, 03:38 PM
If you're using a 3lb Butterball boneless/skinless breast with a 20% solution is it better to brine or not to brine? If you're cooking for someone that can't eat pork, is there any options to wrapping in bacon? How long will it take if cooking at 275?

Bbq Bubba
12-26-2014, 03:43 PM
The trick to getting a good smoke on turkey breast is to smoke them from frozen.