Runaway Turkey Breast

Plan A is now scrapped. Temp is now 162 degrees, and temp in the chamber is 207, after about one hour and 45 minutes.
I'm keeping it in there. No way it's done that fast, right?

This has been discussed in the past. Different folks seem to have different experiences. I can cook a couple of yardbirds and they take about 2-3 hours... and I can cook a 12-15# turkey and it takes only about 3-4 or so hours (not stuffed). In both cases.. the birds were taken from the refrig and were at about 40ºF when placed in the smoker. I usually have my 008 at the top of the dial.. 250º.

If you have the thermomter probe in the center of the meat (you said no bones) and the tip of the probe is also close to center.. I'd believe the thermometer.. IF you have calibrated it (verified it is reading 32º when immersed in ice water and reading 212º when immersed in boiling water.

Haven't done a brined turkey breast in a while but will tell you that a good brining will knock about 1/3 the time off your smoke.

Let us know how it went.

Here's how it turned out ... tasty, more than edible, but very dry. I should have trusted the thermometer, I suppose, which told me it was done well before I believed it could be.
Ultimately, I took it out after about 3:15 with internal temp "reading" up to about 175. I say "reading" because I had decided not to believe the internal temp, assuming instead that I must have pushed it into a thin part of the breast, if not all the way through, and flubbed its accuracy. How else, I naively thought, could it have shot up to 160 inside of two hours?!
Next time ... I'll trust the thermometer.

This is why I use several thermometers. I just ordered a Thermopen just to make sure my Pyrex and Taylors are accurate.

Wheelz brings up a good point.. brining. I don't know if yours was "enhanced" by the packer/butcher.. but if it was, you really don't need to brine or it might turn out too salty.. but, if if was a fresh breast, brining for a few hours to overnight will greatly improve the product, IMO. It actually carries flavors into the meat rather than, like marinades, only getting into the first 1/8" or so of the meat... AND it changes the protein structure of the meat and helps with cooking and moisture retention.

Turkey breasts can certainly get dry, fast. Just the breast (not the whole bird) I only brine for a few hours, (not 8-10 like I do the whole birds), smoke with teensy bit of apple or cherry, 225 and take it out at 165-170, wrap it quick and let it 'finish' inside the foil, towels, and styrofoam chest. Usually comes out pretty darned good.

Only time I've had a problem is when I didn't hear the beeper on the thermometer and the temp rose to the 178 range. Try another one and watch the temp closely.

Oh, and I re-read your post, I would absolutely leave the skin on. Sneak some butter and rub underneath it, but it needs the skin to protect the fragile meat. My 2 cents, anyway.

Oh, and, and, this may get people screaming, but I don't put refrigerator-cold meats into any smoker...even poultry I have at pretty near to room temp. slighty cooler...like bird in ziplock bags filled with brine, in sink with something cold on top of it...ice, bag of frozen peas, etc. Heresy, I know, but I think cold meat is a lot more unpredictable than meat that has settled in nearer to room temp.

And don't even ask how I do my steaks!!

10-4 on the skin. Leave it on at least until time to eat, then take it off if you must.