BIRD OF PARADISE

[Toni Baloney]

Today was my first attempt at smoking a whole turkey breast.  Yesterday I dropped it into an equilibrium brine (3% salt and 3% sugar), and this morning I popped it into my SI-1 along with 2 chunks/3 ounces of hickory wood, and a tray of water on the bottom of the smoker.  The bone-in breast weighed 5-1/2 pounds, so I set the thermostat for 220°, and about 3 hours later the internal temperature was 165°. 

While the bird was smoking, I also set about making an artisan loaf of yeast bread that's made with beer … how could that ever turn out bad?  The bird and the bread were done within minutes of one another (lucky me), and I found enough bits and pieces of turkey meat hanging off the cavity side of the smoked breast to pick off and drop onto a couple slices of the bread, slathered with butter.  I won't even attempt to put into words here how delicious that was - you can use your imagination 

BUT NOW I HAVE A QUESTION ===> The breast is still resting the counter, and I've not cut into the meat so I don't lose the juices.  I'm wondering if I should wrap it and refrigerate it for a day or two to let the smoke flavor sink deeper into the flesh before cutting into it?  I've read here and there that's what one should do with skin-on smoked poultry.  Has anyone tested that theory?

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[SuperDave]

I'm sure there is a lot of personal preference involved here but I like smoked turkey served the first day better than as leftovers.  Some smoked items I clearly like better a day later but turkey isn't one of them. 

[Toni Baloney]

I never planned to make an immediate meal of the smoked turkey breast.  I just wanted it for sandwiches and for snacking.  But when it came out of the smoker I was tempted to cut into it as soon as the juices stopped flowing to have a slice or two before wrapping it up and putting it into the fridge.  So my question is a little more specific - will the smoke penetrate the meat more (than it currently has) if it's wrapped and left in the fridge for a couples days before slicing? 

[Walt]

Yes it will.

[Barrel99]

The smoke flavor might get a bit stronger, but the taste of the original to me is always better than anything else. If it's just for sandwiches and snacking, eating it today IMO won't make any difference.

[Pork Belly]

Using my last scratch made ham as a reference, it was pretty good the first night, very good 24 hours later but fantastic one week later. If it is for sandwiches I say wrap it, chill it slice it later.

[NDKoze]

For deli style meat uses, I definitely agree on letting it rest for at least a week.

Not only will the smoke penetrate deeper, it will even itself out throughout the whole breast.

[BedouinBob]

As a guy that loves baking bread, I have to say nice loaf Toni! I am with you and wouldn't have been able to wait on the turkey/bread combo. Especially with butter. I agree with the others on holding off slicing if you want the meat for sandwiches. But you have to test to make sure it's not bad!! 

[Toni Baloney]

Well, I have a test underway.  I removed both sides of the breast from the bone, leaving the smoky skin on both.  I vacuum-sealed one and will leave it in the fridge without touching it until, say, Thursday or Friday.  The other one is wrapped in plastic wrap and in the fridge as well - I've already cut a couple slices from it, and I plan to munch away on the rest of it this week until it's gone. 

I can say this much about the side that I've already cut into - the only smoky flavor is in the skin and a fraction of an inch into the meat.  The meat is wonderfully moist and tender, but any of the flesh deeper than 1/4-inch beyond the skin has no trace of smoky flavor whatsoever.  I've never done this before, so I had no idea what to expect. 

I had no plan or desire for crispy skin, so didn't do the reverse sear thing.  I have no problem eating soft skin, but I didn't expect that the skin would turn out like rubber - really tough rubber.  When I cut into the breast half for a couple slices to make a sandwich, I left the skin on so it would bring its smoky flavor to the party.  However, these narrow strips were impossible to eat - they were tasty to chew on, but impossible to chew THROUGH.  When I couldn't bite through it, I pulled the other one off and tossed it.  The sandwich was still delicious, but not remotely smoky. 

I'll wait to learn later this week if the smoky flavor penetrates deeper into the other half - and post my test results.

[Walt]

Try pulling the skin & crisping in the oven.  Then cut in strips and add to your sandwich.

[Toni Baloney]

E X E C E L L E N T idea, Walt. 

I'll have my grill going today anyway, so I'll do that to the breast half not being tested. 

Heck, you could probably put smoky/crispy turkey skin bits on a newspaper sandwich and it would taste good! 

[DivotMaker]

Toni, smoked turkey is good no matter how you slice it!

Fresh, out of the smoker....great!  Rested, where the smoke flavor evens-out...fantastic!  There are no "wrong" answers.