Smoked wild turkey makes a savory meal.
Smoking meat was once employed out of necessity to preserve it. The tradition has carried through the refrigerator age because smoking meat can add a flavor unlike that achieved by cooking meat any other way. Smoked turkey is no exception. A brine mixture is used before smoking the turkey to keep the turkey moist through the smoking process, help the seasoning to spread evenly and reduce the "gamy" flavor often associated with wild birds. The seasoning applied to the turkey is intended to enhance the turkey's flavor. Add this to my Recipe Box.
Instructions
1. Immerse turkey breasts in brine mixture. Divinedinnerparty.com recommends mixing 5 quarts water, 1/2 cup salt, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce and 1 tsp. soy sauce for a brine mixture for 24 hours. Drain and dry the turkey thoroughly.
2. Season the turkey breast before smoking. Use your favorite seasoning, or use Missouri Department of Conservation staff member Mark Goodwin's favorite recipe for two turkey breasts: mix 1/4 cup lemon pepper, 1 tbsp. garlic powder, 1 tsp. dry mustard, 1 tsp. paprika and 1/4 tsp. onion powder. Sprinkle and rub both sides of the turkey breasts with the mixture until liberally covered. Refrigerate breasts, covered, in a container overnight, or at least eight hours.
3. Wrap the turkey breasts in strips of bacon held in place with toothpicks. Cover the breasts entirely with bacon, which will prevent the outer layer from drying out and browning through the smoking process.
4. Place both pieces of prepared meat on a smoker, which should include a pan of water above the coals to provide moist heat. Stick a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the turkey breast.
5. Remove the meat from the smoker when the breast's internal temperature reaches 150 degrees--- usually after three or four hours. Overcooking the meat will dry it out, so don't cook to the usually recommended 180 degrees for domestic foul.
6. Remove the bacon from the turkey breasts, and wrap the breasts in multiple layers of aluminum foil, then wrap the aluminum foil in a bath towel. Place the insulated turkey breasts in a small cooler. The meat will continue to cook slightly in the aluminum foil, which will allow the meat to retain its moisture while cooling.
7. Cut the meat across the grain in 1/2-inch strips when ready to serve.
Tags: turkey breasts, aluminum foil, brine mixture, before smoking, meat will, smoking process