Question: Smoked turkey breast?

[Ranchwife]

So we are hosting Thanksgiving again this year and now that we have a smoker, I plan on smoking at least 2 turkey breasts in my MasterBuilt smoker. I have a good brine recipe and have successfully smoked a turkey breast before (it was delicious). The only problem I had with the meat was that the skin was rubbery and not at all crispy. Obviously, I don't want to serve rubbery turkey skin, so how do I go about preventing the skin from turning rubbery? I was thinking about removing the skin altogether, rubbing the meat with butter and seasoning, then smoking the bird. My husband thinks I should leave the skin on then remove it before serving. This sounds fine, but then it would remove all the seasonings I doctor the bird with and I prefer seasoned meat. I would do a whole bird, but again, the rubbery skin would not be pleasant and I do so love my crispy turkey wings. So, any suggestions? Advice? Thanks!

[Lazarus52980]

There are many far more experienced smokers here than me, but from my experience the best way to handle that is to just light up the oven at about 450 degrees and when the turkey is done in the smoker, put it into the oven for 5-10 min to crisp up the skin. It might be rubbery at the time it comes out of the smoker, but there is no reason it has to stay that way. :)

If I may ask, what temp are you smoking the breasts at?

[dsgarner06]

When I smoke poultry, I crisp up the skin by either raising the smoker temp to 350+ and let the skin crisp up, or put it in the oven to do the same. Usually takes 10-15 minutes depending on the oven/smoker temp. Also, use a compound butter and rub it under the skin to help baste the bird and get more flavor into the meat.

[Ranchwife]

There are many far more experienced smokers here than me, but from my experience the best way to handle that is to just light up the oven at about 450 degrees and when the turkey is done in the smoker, put it into the oven for 5-10 min to crisp up the skin. It might be rubbery at the time it comes out of the smoker, but there is no reason it has to stay that way. :)

If I may ask, what temp are you smoking the breasts at?

I believe the temp was 250. The smoker won't go above 280 degrees.

[Snarlingiron]

When I smoke poultry, I crisp up the skin by either raising the smoker temp to 350+

Not possible with a Masterbuilt. I have one and my max temp is 275. I have smoked many turkeys in it, but always the whole bird (I favor the dark meat, and the Mrs. likes the breast). I season between the skin and the meat, and I always brine. When I serve, I remove the beautiful but not crisp skin.

[dsgarner06]

Not possible with a Masterbuilt. I have one and my max temp is 275. I have smoked many turkeys in it, but always the whole bird (I favor the dark meat, and the Mrs. likes the breast). I season between the skin and the meat, and I always brine. When I serve, I remove the beautiful but not crisp skin.

I was referring to my smoker, not the Masterbuilt. Point being that you can put the turkey into an oven to finish crisping up the skin as an option.

[PitRow]

yep, as others have said, throw it in a hot oven for a bit to crisp up the skin. Or remove the skin. I'm not a fan of turkey skin, crispy or not, so I always remove it anyway.

[dnoland91]

You could pull the skin after the meat is done, baste it and crisp it up. The skin will come off easy. I like to strip chicken thighs and brush the skin with oil and soy sauce and grill them crisp. Good stuff. Turkey skin might not turn out though.

[Richtee]

I have a sale on my Poultry Brine. Grab a bag and do a test run with a skinnless chicken breast er 6... I will buy your meat if you are not dang pleased...

[Ranchwife]

Yesterday, I did a trial run with finishing a bird in the oven to crisp up the skin - didn't work. I brined a chicken (local stored didn't have turkey breasts yet), then smoked it at 250 to an internal temperature of 145. Removed the turkey from the smoker and transferred it to a 360 degree oven with convection option on to finish the cooking to 165 degrees. The skin was so rubbery it almost couldn't be cut with a knife. So, after this experiment, I will be removing the skin on the turkey breast after cooking it. I think I'll do a compound butter under the skin so the meat is seasoned, but then that skin is gone after cooking.

On another note, let's just say that the chicken last night was AMAZING! Brining poultry is the only way to cook those birds! I served the bird with homemade cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes, gravy with the drippings from the chicken, and a green salad. So delicious!

[Richtee]

On another note, let's just say that the chicken last night was AMAZING! Brining poultry is the only way to cook those birds! I served the bird with homemade cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes, gravy with the drippings from the chicken, and a green salad. So delicious!

Allow me to send you a sample of my poultry brine. On me. Grab some breasts and give it a whirl. And yes... brine and poultry aremade for each other.

I AM surprised on the skin thing. 360 convection should have been sufficient for a crispy skin. How long was it in? And BTW... with a good brine...175 IT is NOT a bad number for bird. Soo..maybe push that 165 a bit and let the brine shine.

[XLR8R]

We don't typically get turkey breasts up here - unless it's a frozen Jenny O. (gross!)

I prefer to brine my bird(s) in Mad Hunky Poultry Brine.
I smoke my 20-25+ pound whole turkeys on the rotisserie - gas.
(Yes I have burnt out a few motors)
I use about 3 pouches of hickory. (trust me...)
Baste as usual.
It makes for some real kickass gravy!

[IrishChef]

Yesterday, I did a trial run with finishing a bird in the oven to crisp up the skin - didn't work. I brined a chicken (local stored didn't have turkey breasts yet), then smoked it at 250 to an internal temperature of 145. Removed the turkey from the smoker and transferred it to a 360 degree oven with convection option on to finish the cooking to 165 degrees. The skin was so rubbery it almost couldn't be cut with a knife. So, after this experiment, I will be removing the skin on the turkey breast after cooking it. I think I'll do a compound butter under the skin so the meat is seasoned, but then that skin is gone after cooking.

On another note, let's just say that the chicken last night was AMAZING! Brining poultry is the only way to cook those birds! I served the bird with homemade cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes, gravy with the drippings from the chicken, and a green salad. So delicious!

Before you toss it in the oven to crisp, brush the skin with some real mayo, then reseason. The egg and oil in the mayo works great to crisp the skin, and give it a nice sheen. Just need some heat above 350*....

[Ranchwife]

Before you toss it in the oven to crisp, brush the skin with some real mayo, then reseason. The egg and oil in the mayo works great to crisp the skin, and give it a nice sheen. Just need some heat above 350*....

Well now it seems like I need to do another test bird! I'm good with that!

[AnglerMike]

Ranchwife.......

I was in a similar situation. Richtee sent me a sample for brining my turkey and it was simply AMAZING!!!!

My wife and I usually cook a breast for Thanksgiving......but we will have THREE families here for turkey day!!

Call me crazy but I had to do a test run two days ago.......set the smoker to 350 and let it run. I brined with Mad Hunky Poultry for about 15 hours on a frozen bird. I took rich's advice and "rinsed" , more like a soak, to try to remove the stuff that the folks did when packed/frozen...

Let me tell you I was HAPPY I DID!!!

We are still eating it today!!!! Kudos to Richtee for the sample ......After the "test turkey" I ordered 5 lbs of the brine!!!!

Mike :)

EDIT:

PS...since I did not have a turkey that was fresh....I soaked it to get the "brine" that it came with. After soaking, and brining with Richtee's poultry brine our turkey was incredible! Get on the Mad Hunky list soon and brine your turkey! My wife and I were amazed at the smell right out of the package! Simply THANKSGIVING ...... Just get some and try it!