Turkey Breast...Bone in or out??????

Hi Smokeskogee,

I have only done Boneless breasts in my CS, I know others have done both.. check this link to my post in the Poultry Archives, it's about my first Boneless Breast smoke..


First Breast

Hope this helps!

I have cooked whole birds, BI and BO. I cook all of these the same, 225 degrees, 1 hour per pound (based on largest piece of meat if cooking more than one at a time).

I prefer whole birds for family gatherings where you want a little "show" to go along with the meal. A well smoked trukey looks great in the center of the table.

For just plain eatin', I prefer the boneless turkey breasts. Loosen but do not remove the netting before you cook, and season with the cookshack spicey chicken rub. I like the boneless because I get more seasoned surface area on each slice of meat, and it gives more flavor to the bird.

Nothing wrong with BI, just prefer the others. But will go with BI if I find a special deal at the grocery on them.

As an aside, I no longer put my dry rubs on dry. I take the rub and mix it with a small amount of water in a coffee mug until it is the consistency of paste. I then apply it to my meat with a brush. It goes on more evenly, seems to stick better, and is not grainy after it is cooked.

Thanks for the input. I will forge ahead as if it were BI. I will try the rub/water technique. Have a great rest of the weekend everyone.

"Smoke is no Joke"

Hi Smokeskogee,
Re/BI or BO I would think it would be a matter of personal choice. We use a BI bird,because we have found use for the carcass after we remove the breasts. We use as heavy a breast we can find 10-12 lb.Sometimes we brine the breast and sometimes we just load it frozen hard with a light load of applewood. Brined or frozen we cooksmoke for 9hours at 180 degrees then hold at 100 degrees for 3 to 4 hours. Breast when boned are moist ,great color and wonderful taste. After boning ,pick all extra meat from the carcass , use cookshack chili mix and make a low fat turkey chili following the directions on the lable,or use the meat with some dumplins ,a little mix veggies and have smoke turkey breast and dumplins for a quick easy dinner. We have done all of the above with great results .

Where theres smoke great food.

Papa Shaka

I've got a turkey hindquarter that got thawed a few days early. Like I gotta cook it tomorrow. Should I brine overnight? Any advice for the hindquarter?

I just did a bone-in turkey breast yesterday. I cooked at about 225 for about 1 hour per pound.
About 2 hours before the scheduled time the internal meat temperature was 148. About one hour later it hit 160.
I pulled the breast, let it rest for 10 minutes, sliced the meat across the grain, then served it with white barbecue sauce. The turkey and the sauce made quite a hit.
I did brine the breast overnight in a light brine: 2 tbs. sea salt per quart of water and a few seasonings.
Just before I put the turkey on the cooker, I made a paste of mayonaise and black pepper and smeared it liberally over the turkey.
Every couple of hours I spray basted with apple juice.
I used 2 small chunks of hickory.
White barbecue sauce makes a great accompaniment to poultry and the recipe is very simple, though I spice the basic recipe up with Tabasco and Worcertershire.
My basic recipe is a loose copy of one posted on the KCBS site, which is 1 cup mayonaise, 1 tbs. key lime juice, 1 tsp. sea salt, 1 tsp. black pepper. Refrigerate for at least 8 hours before serving.

The "learned fellows" touched on most of the fine points.

Brinin' is nice ,if you got time.

I like to inject,for flavor.

I like bone-in,skin on.
The one cup of mayo[just because Smokin'likes it

]
I mix two Tbsp. Bonesmoker's Rub,but Cookshack makes a dandy one.
Rub in and out.

I like to wrap in cheese cloth,soaked in plenty of vinegar[so it don't stick],and cook at 250� over apple and hickory or pecan.

Pull it at 158� ,wrap in plastic wrap,double foil and let set under a towel for about an hour.

Funny,but this is even better chilled overnight.

Slice thin,chop two or three "japs" in a cup of mayo,and make a light bread sandwich.

A cold Shiner's,a little onion and 'mater and it's hard to beat.

So, I assume nothing is different for dark meat? If this is yes, rap once. If this is no, rap twice!

Then I guess I brine. My shooter-upper is broken and I've been holding out for the stainless steel one.

Got everything else.

Tom,

Just for you...I'll make a trip to the Shiner Brewery, while I'm here in Austin.

Smokin'

Hey,Smokin'.

They make a Winter or Christmas Shiner that tastes a lot like a good Okla homebrew.

See what they have around.

When you were just a pup,the airlines had to suspend beverage sales when you flew over most OK counties.

BOOMER SOONER !

Hey,Andi.

You want to go ahead and take them hindquarters to 180�.

If they are brined,you can cook 'em 'till the cows come home.

I don't even bother with it.

Cut the tendons down around the "ankles", before they start to cook and they'll come out kinda neat.

Coat them rascals with some Cookshack "yardbird" rub,or what ya got.

It ain't "rocket science".

Wrap 'em in some foil and they'll hold 'till breakfast.

Put 'em in the pocket of your apron and they'll last all Saturday in town.

If ya' got tequila,they may last 'till ya wake up Sunday.

Good answer, Tom! I like the apron thing...every drunk in town will buy me a drink! LOL!

I actually hemmed and hawed too much and finally coated those babies with CS Chix Rub, which I adore, and vac-packed them until this weekend. Dang things were already brined at the factory. I will do the mayo and cheesecloth treatment. I like the tendon idea; I assume with a gentle twist the legbone will slide right out?

This B-day party gig has turned into a barn-raising (cabin-moving) gig combined. How to make 6 1/2 lbs. of Smoked Turkey go further? Pulled Turkey Sandwiches. Need to make up some cool fixins'. I'm thinking of Subs on homemade bread, add some Smoked Ham, homegrown tomatoes, two cheeses, the woiks!

Or, a big pot of Smoked Turkey and White Bean Chili.