Message 497 of 989

how do you like your breast

SMOKED BUTTERFLIED BREAST OF TURKEY

1 (10-pound) turkey breast (bone in)
2 cups firmly packed brown sugar
2 cups hot water
1 1/2 cups coarse salt
2 1/2 quarts cold water
2 tsps peppercorns
5 large bay leaves
3 large cloves garlic, halved
2 cups Chablis or other dry white wine

To bone turkey breast, place skin side down, on a work surface. Hold a small, very sharp knife parallel to the work surface and slide it under the small bones at the "tail-end" lobes of the breast. Slice outward, using a sawing motion and keeping knife next to the bones; lift off bones. Slice down and around breastbone, keeping as close to bone as possible. Pick up by the loosened bone to slice under breastbone next to turkey skin.
Combine brown sugar, hot water and salt in a very large mixing bowl, stirring until sugar dissolves. Stir in next 4 ingredients. Submerge turkey breast in brine; cover and refrigerate overnight, turning occasionally.

Remove turkey from brine and rinse thoroughly with cold water; pat dry. Discard brine solution.

Prepare charcoal fire in smoker according to manufacturer's instructions. Let burn 10 to 15 minutes. Sprinkle about 2 cups soaked and drained wood chips over hot charcoal. Place water pan in smoker, and pour in wine. Add enough hot water to fill pan.

Place turkey breast on food rack, and cover with smoker lid; smoke about 3 hours and 45 minutes, refilling water pan with additional water, if needed. (Time may vary with outdoor temperature and individual smoker.) Let stand at least 15 minutes before carving; or cool to room temperature, wrap well and chill. Yield: 20 servings.

NOTE: Brining adds to the authenticity of the flavor but is not absolutely necessary. The turkey is soaked overnight in a salt water solution that includes seasonings. If you choose to omit brining, season the turkey with salt, pepper, garlic and herbs.)


photo of harley2004fatboy
Harley;
That is truely a good way to do up a turkeys breast, that is a pretty standard brine for soaking meat in, salt, pepper, brown sugar, and water.
I tend to brine my meat a little longer as I want to be sure of a positive uptake of all the spice, because it is the flavor I am going for when I brine the meat right?
Above brining meat I love giving meat a dry rub instead. Useing the same mix salt, pepper (ground), and brown sugar.
Rub all surfaces down real good and set in the refrigerator to cure, a large turkey breast maybe cure for about 7-10 days, then rinse under running cold water and given a cold smoke till the meat is just turning tan in color, I suppose you can smoke it longer, (but as a dry meat it doesn't need all that much more smoke,) I'm sort of set in my mind when the mesat has been smoked in this application, it should come out of the smoker still raw.
Come morning slice off a few slices, and fry up along with hashbrowns and eggs. Dont twist and distort, and much leaner than commercial bacon, but is tasty in it's own rite.
To have the meat turn red (puink) when cooked use a cure like "Tender Quick" instead of salt.
This is an exceptionaly different treatment you can use on chicken parts for barbecue, mind you best have a lot of drinks on hand as it will be very rich in flavor.
photo of Rusty50

9 months ago