- Dec 21, 2009
- 448
- 15
- 121
I have a couple of turkey breasts on the smoker this morning for a "do" for the four owners of our Pug family. I love smoking anything, and turkey is a big hit at our house. I smoke a couple of breasts for Thanksgiving ever year in addition to the oven roasted bird, and there are usually few leftovers.
I use a variety of materials in my smoker as the mood suits. I always start with regular briquettes, and use that to start mesquite charcoal. Once that's going, I usually throw in some hazelnut (or filbert) shells for smoke. Today I am using a piece of pecan that someone gave me ten years ago. It's nice and dry and has a really nice sweet smoke.
My technique is simple. I take the defrosted breast, and carefully peel the skin back, leaving it attached to the keel. Then I "lard" it with strips of bacon, and in this case, some ham fat I trimmed a while ago and froze. Once the fat is in place I carefully stretch the skin back over it, secure it with a couple of toothpicks and into the smoker as soon as it hits 150 degrees. I let it climb to about 200-225 and keep it there until they birds test done by internal temperature.
The bacon fat melts out, drenches the meat and carries the smoke flavor deep into the meat. The pieces of bacon rind that are left are a real favorite for the dog, although in small quantities.
I will pull these around 3-4 this afternoon, let them cool and refrigerate them completely, and slice them right before service for sandwiches. Once these cool you can make nice thin deli slices with a good slicing knife. My wife serves this on croissants that the local Winco bakes daily. A piece of good cheese, some lettuce and whatever your favorite condiment is, and you have a nice sandwich for a luncheon like we are planning.
I'll snap a pic of those breasts when they are done...
I use a variety of materials in my smoker as the mood suits. I always start with regular briquettes, and use that to start mesquite charcoal. Once that's going, I usually throw in some hazelnut (or filbert) shells for smoke. Today I am using a piece of pecan that someone gave me ten years ago. It's nice and dry and has a really nice sweet smoke.
My technique is simple. I take the defrosted breast, and carefully peel the skin back, leaving it attached to the keel. Then I "lard" it with strips of bacon, and in this case, some ham fat I trimmed a while ago and froze. Once the fat is in place I carefully stretch the skin back over it, secure it with a couple of toothpicks and into the smoker as soon as it hits 150 degrees. I let it climb to about 200-225 and keep it there until they birds test done by internal temperature.
The bacon fat melts out, drenches the meat and carries the smoke flavor deep into the meat. The pieces of bacon rind that are left are a real favorite for the dog, although in small quantities.
I will pull these around 3-4 this afternoon, let them cool and refrigerate them completely, and slice them right before service for sandwiches. Once these cool you can make nice thin deli slices with a good slicing knife. My wife serves this on croissants that the local Winco bakes daily. A piece of good cheese, some lettuce and whatever your favorite condiment is, and you have a nice sandwich for a luncheon like we are planning.
I'll snap a pic of those breasts when they are done...
