Turkey crown

[stretchie_]

Been wanting to try this for ages so I got a big turkey crown from Booker last night, 5.5kg. I chopped the two tips off and roasted them last night for sandwiches and the rest I put it in a brine and in the fridge last night and going to smoke it on Sunday.

Brine was just just water, salt, bay leaves, cinnamon sticks and a star anise, and if I can find my injector I am thinking of injecting one of the breasts so I can do a comparison. I don't normally inject, I bought the injector, then used it once and then it got put to the back of a drawer and left there never to be used again but think it could be good for the turkey maybe.

I have test subjects at work ready for sandwiches on monday so they can tell me what they think.

Is it sad that I'm excited about this? I'm dying to know what it'll be like and then might try other brines, rubs, maple syrups.

Anyone else got experience with a turkey / turkey crown, what temps do you pull it off at?

As always, will take pics and let you know how it turns out.
Cheers

[Scantily]

I've only smoked one Turkey breast (also from bookers), I gave it a long brine before smoking at 250f until an internal temp of 73 Celsius. I followed a recipe from big Bob gibsons bbq book and it was absolutely delicious.

I'm desperate to smoke another.

[essexsmoker]

Yes it is very sad. Welcome to the club. Lmao.

[fitasc]

I recently cooked a small turkey as practise for xmas. Lidls had a deal on 3kg turkeys for about £9.00.

Didn't brine, but injected with a butter, water and spices mix and left in the fridge overnight to marinade. Then used a light dusting of my ususal poultry rub on the outside and into the WSM, with a drip tray below for gravy. I used lumpwood charcoal and left all vents open and let it go.

Breast meat reached 165 after 4 hours or so, smoker temp was about 300. Pulled it off and rested for a bit, then the family tucked in.

Must say it was superb, the most succulent turkey any of us had tasted. I had cut up the giblets and put them in the drip tray with some water, red wine and chopped onions. Used a hand blender and some cornflour for some excellent gravy as well. The inside of the bird was swimming with juices that all went into the pot.

Planning to cook the turkey on christmas eve & re-heat the following day to take some of the time pressure out of the equation.

Good luck - definitely worth it

[stretchie_]

Wow... oh wow. After today I am considering converting and becoming a Turkeytarian. I may start praying to the great Giblets in the sky and sacrificing cranberries to my new idol.

It was brined for three nights, not injected and cooked on the smoker with some oak chunks for about 4hours 15 mins until internal was 74c then rested for 15 mins

Just on the smoker



Just off the smoker




The Slicing



It is so juicy, there were only five of us here and one breast has already completely disappeared. I have been asked to do it again and TOLD to do it fir christmas.



Definitely a winner, winner, turkey dinner

[fitasc]

Now that's a knife!

Looks great

[YetiDave]

Nice work! I might have a bash at this myself, but probably add a little curing salt and then slice for sandwiches like a deli meat

[BraaiMeesterWannabe]

Looks lovely. How much did the crown cost?

[stretchie_]

Yeah, I Love that knife I do have a ham knife too that would be better to slice but this one's sexier

It was stonking, once out of the brine I patted it dry then applied rub to top and bottom then put it on the smoker.

5.5kg crown was about £22 from Bookers

I am perfectly happy with the result, and will be doing it again but changing nothing, it's great as it is.

The only thing I would change is that I would take the skin off before slicing, it's just a rubbery edge on the slice, but definitely keep it on for the cooking though.

The other breast was placed on baking / parchment / grease proof * paper (*I can't remember but you get the idea) then the juice poured over it and wrapped in the paper and then in clingfilm and is in the fridge. Tonight I'll get the meat slicer out, strip and clean it and probably slice a few slices off tomorrow and report back what it's like once chilled and kept for a day or two

[ConorD]

Nice post and I am very sorry that I looked at this before lunch when I am even more starving than I was before.

I do think that you need a bigger knife though