I smoked my first turkey breast over the weekend as a test run for thanksgiving. It turned out too moist, almost soggy and slimy. Below I�ll give the specifics:
I brined the 3.5 to 4 pound boneless breast for about 8 hours. Then I put it in the smoker. I also put a little bit of water in a pan in the bottom of the smoker (to prevent dryness). I put the breast in a disposable aluminum roasting pan for the duration of the cook. I cooked it for two hours, and then flipped it over for the last two hours. The temperature stayed between 250 and 300, but mostly at 275. I used lump charcoal and Jack Daniel�s wood chips.
After cooking for four hours, my cheap meat thermometer only read 150, so I put it in the oven at 450 for about 15 minutes until the temperature read 160. I cut off a slab and tasted it. It had really good flavor but was really slimy. At my wife�s suggestion, I wrapped it in foil and put it back into the oven for another 45 minutes.
So, in summary: it cooked for 5 hours, until it reached 160 or better. No seasoning, no cheesecloth, no mayonnaise, no butter. It was just too moist. I�m going to try again this weekend; what should I do differently this time?
I was thinking I should just put it directly on the grates next time � at least for part of the time.
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