Icing the breast

[smokehunter]

I here more stuff on this site that seems crazy but cool for sure. Do people truelly ice down the breast before smoking? Does it make that big of a difference. (For the record I did see Rick's Tropical D. doing it, and judging the pics it would be hard to argue with him:grin:)

[deguerre]

Where abouts in Bama are you from?

[Countryhb]

It does make a difference...I do it all the time now.

[HeSmellsLikeSmoke]

I get great results icing down the breasts of whole chickens using the 500 degree/1 hour cook on the BGEs. Easy to do and the breast turns out to be perfect and exceptionally juicy just when the dark meat is done.

Give it a try.

[Rylos1]

I tried this yesterday for a department lunch at work today. Everyone raved about how juicy and tender the breast meat was. I will always do this from now on.:-D

[landarc]

It also makes them perkier.

[big brother smoke]

It also makes them perkier.

I thought it, you wrote it! You need to go to your room or the penalty box! :biggrin:

[Redheart]

It also makes them perkier.

I snarfed my beer!

[Abelman]

Yup, it works great. It's part of the Mad Max turkey which is excellent. The key is 20 minutes, no more, no less.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v73/abelman/prep-7.jpg

As for the particulairs, here's the whole shooting match:

http://www.nakedwhiz.com/madmaxturkey.htm

The result:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v73/abelman/Finished5hrs.jpg

However, I do brine my birds but I must it's the best way I have found to do a turkey on the smoker. It's also a family and guest favorite.

[Skidder]

Well if Rick does it, it must work cause he knows what he's doing.

[bigabyte]

I'm trying it on the wife now. Back later to report.

[deguerre]

I'm trying it on the wife now. Back later to report.
Isn't she due next month? You Cad!:shock:

[Skidder]

Nice big real nice!

[jagardn]

I'm trying it on the wife now. Back later to report.

Might want to save some of that ice for your black eye. :eek::lol:

[Rick's Tropical Delight]

:biggrin: i learned it from max!

[landarc]

I went to the box.

[MilitantSquatter]

I've read about the ice technique for several years but never tried it..

Question : Has anyone measured the temp differential of the breast to thigh/leg meat before and after icing ? I'm just wondering if a starting point differential of 5-10 degrees (assumption) really is noticeable after a few minutes into 300-400 deg oven and the chill is gone.

Also - from looking at the pic above, the ice really only sits on few select spots and not on the largest section of breast meat. If there is an advantage, would it be better off to ice down breast side down so the meatier section gets the coldest ?

[boatnut]

I'm trying it on the wife now. Back later to report.

no pics, didn't happen, you know the rules :biggrin:

[bigabyte]

I sent the pics to Shane.:lol:

[thirdeye]

I've read about the ice technique for several years but never tried it..

Question : Has anyone measured the temp differential of the breast to thigh/leg meat before and after icing ? I'm just wondering if a starting point differential of 5-10 degrees (assumption) really is noticeable after a few minutes into 300-400 deg oven and the chill is gone.

Also - from looking at the pic above, the ice really only sits on few select spots and not on the largest section of breast meat. If there is an advantage, would it be better off to ice down breast side down so the meatier section gets the coldest ?

Actually, yes & yes...... If you set the turkey breast down in a pan of crushed ice for 45 minutes to an hour, it will chill about 6 to 8 degrees lower than the dark meat. You can also shove a bag of ice inside the cavity so it will cool from both sides.

[Norcoredneck]

Where abouts in Bama are you from?

The parts that has ice!

It does make a difference...I do it all the time now.

Yep Country wins all the wet tshirt contest at Octane Alley now.

[bbq ron]

i have never tried that method before but i will have to try it out next time i cook thx :-P:-P

[smokehunter]

Looks like I'll be icing her down... I'm from N. Alabama sending a big Roll Tide up to Tennessee8)

[CaptainJimmy]

I second (or third or twentieth) icing the breast. I did a turkey in the egg, 20 minutes iced breasts, roasted it at 325 (no smoke woods, just wicked good weekend warrior lump) and it was the best turkey i've ever had, by far.

[RichardF]

I'm trying it on the wife now. Back later to report.

no pictures - didn't happen...

[thirdeye]

Okay no pocket protector jokes..... here is the article I couldn't find yesterday... McGee is claiming a 20 degree difference if you ice for 3 hours. I never had the guts to try that long but my notes show that 1 hours chills it 6 to 8 degrees.

A few years later, McGee mentions using a bag of ice inside the cavity, then in another article he even goes so far as freezing carrots, celery and small onions and putting them inside the breast and starting the bird beast down. In addition to icing the breast before cooking, I like the frozen vegatable idea..... the downside is that you need to flip the bird up at some point. Anyways here is the 1999 Science Daily article.

Physics Talks Turkey This Thanksgiving Tips From Science On How To Cook A Better Bird ScienceDaily (Nov. 25, 1999) — COLLEGE PARK, MD (November 19, 1999) - Whether you like dark or white meat, cooks can look to physics for some tips for making sure that Thanksgiving turkey is quickly gobbled up. Harold McGee, a writer on food science, has come up with some scientifically-based, and very effective, tips for making sure your turkey rules the roost this Thursday. After years of experience cooking turkeys, "and having them turn out badly," McGee decided there had to be a better way. So he turned to science. McGee has written two books on the science of cooking, and is co-author of an article in this month's Physics Today on the science of cooking meats.

McGee says there is one main problem that can keep turkeys from turning out finger-licking-good. Temperature. "You want to get the center of the meat up to a certain temperature, without overcooking the outside." This is a problem in turkey, McGee adds, because the breast and leg meat differs in both structure and chemistry. They need to be different temperatures in order to taste their best.

"You should aim for 155 degrees [Fahrenheit] in the breast," advises McGee, "and no more than 160 degrees, or else it will come out too dry." On the other hand, in the dark meat, "you want a temperature of 180 degrees and above in the leg." McGee says that when the leg meat is under 180 degrees, it is unpleasantly chewy and has a metallic taste to it. Plus, breast meat cooks faster than leg meat, which means the white meat is done well before the dark meat ever reaches the right temperature.

McGee has two solutions to the this troublesome turkey problem. The first is a trusty meat thermometer. "There's no substitute for checking the temperature of the bird often." The second is a good supply of ice.

Here's what McGee suggests:
1. Make sure the bird is fully thawed McGee recommends thawing in the refrigerator or in a cold water bath.
2. Don't stuff the turkey This may seem very untraditional, but McGee says that by the time the stuffing reaches a safe temperature to eat, the meat will be overdone.
3. Cover the breasts with ice packs, while the rest of the bird comes up to room temperature The turkey should not sit out for more than three hours. At this point, McGee says, "the breast will be 40 degrees, and the rest of the bird about 60 degrees."
4. Put the bird in the oven and cook as normal
5. Remember to check the meat temperature often McGee recommends that the breast meat reach between 155 and 160 degrees, and the dark meat around 180 degrees.

Icing the turkey breasts works, McGee says, because the leg meat gets a head start in cooking. "You are creating a temperature difference between the breast meat and the rest of your turkey even before you start to cook it. And you come out with a good-looking bird."

[beerguy]

enuf said...

[Typically]

i have a free turkey coming to me so i think i'm going to give this a go saturday. hopefully it works as well for me as everyone else!

[jswordy]

Looks like I'll be icing her down... I'm from N. Alabama sending a big Roll Tide up to Tennessee8)


And a big "Go Vols" back at ya... :mrgreen:

[bigabyte]

I went to the box.
Me too!:biggrin:

[bigabyte]

Seriously though, icing the breast works. I didn't mean to hijack or anything. Nobody said anything, but since I posted 3 times without actually talking about icing a TURKEY breast, I figured I better chime in. Meat gets cooked by heat, and lowering the heat by applying ice will make it take longer to cook, which will allow the breast to finish on par with the thighs.:cool:

[deguerre]

Looks like I'll be icing her down... I'm from N. Alabama sending a big Roll Tide up to Tennessee8)
Fark Tennessee!:twisted: I'm from Decatur. Roll Damn Tide!
At least you ain't in "L.A."

[fat_bastard]

Fark Tennessee!:twisted: I'm from Decatur. Roll Damn Tide.
At least you ain't in "L.A."
Um, go Irish!!!!

And I'm gonna ice the breast this weekend too. I might cook a turkey as well :twisted:

[deguerre]

Um, go Irish!!!!

And I'm gonna ice the breast this weekend too. I might cook a turkey as well :twisted:
:biggrin::biggrin::biggrin:
I'll be trying the ice method myself next week.

[Neil]

Sounds good to me, I'll be giving it a go next week also. Can't be any crazier than cheering for the Irish! And to think all this time I thought I was the sole ND fan on this sight.

[Rick's Tropical Delight]

i pick up two free range turkey breasts tomorrow and i will ice both of them prior to smoking. :icon_clown

[Papa Payne]

i pick up two free range turkey breasts tomorrow and i will ice both of them prior to smoking. :icon_clown


???? If all you have is breasts and no dark meat, then why ice???

Papa

[thirdeye]

^^^ Yeah, what do you know that we don't ?

[smokehunter]

deguerre, Gadsden here... We're doing Thanksgiving this weekend and i'll be icing her down.... to the FL fans sorry, to the Texas fans, see you in Pasadena!!:twisted:

[Radical Rick]

deguerre, Gadsden here... We're doing Thanksgiving this weekend and i'll be icing her down.... to the FL fans sorry, to the Texas fans, see you in Pasadena!!:twisted:
smokehunter, I am from Gadsden.8) I just put my first turkey on about 10 minutes ago along with my 2 chickens! I am smoking on my UDS. I brined them for 2 days in the fridge and the last day in the cooler. I did not inject, but I have them rubbed down and sparingly wrapped in bacon!:grin: Instead of icing, I just have my breast side up and moved to the side instead of the center!

[Rick's Tropical Delight]

???? If all you have is breasts and no dark meat, then why ice???

Papa

i was joking. gotcha. :biggrin:

[smokehunter]

rick, small world, maybe i'll bump into you one of these days... sounds good with the bacon good luck.

[pahutchens]

I went to the box.

I think most of us are joining you there in spirit:wink: