The lighter side of grilling - Smoked Turkey Breast

[GrillinFool]

As I get older, 36 and counting, it's harder and harder to keep the weight off. My latest tactic of working out my chest and shoulders to make my gut look smaller by comparison has not gone all that well. I have gotten great results working out. So much so that my 44 regular suits don't fit anymore and had to go buy two 46's for the wedding circuit this summer. And being only 5'10" a 46 inch suit requires a boatload of tailoring so this new workout regime has been pretty expensive and didn't really diminish my growing midsection. Evidently beer is really fattening!?! Who knew, right?

So it looks like I have to look at my diet a bit. And considering what my passion is, my diet is usually very high in fat content. And while smoked turkey will never be higher than ribs or a steak on my list of faves it's still really good. And my dad is the master of making smoked turkey. He has many variations. This one is probably the most basic. Click here to see the process step by step, pic by pic. And if the pics below don't entice you to want to click the link then there is something seriously wrong with you:

 

[Big Pun]

Damn that looks good! Do you have you own Food network channel?

 

[GrillinFool]

Originally Posted by Big Punisher

Damn that looks good! Do you have you own Food network channel?

Working on it. So far I have been featured in the St. Louis Post Dispatch, the Central Illinois Herald and Review and am being interviewed for a radio show in Houston to be aired this weekend...

 

[Thomas]

hmmm. have grilled a whole turkey before but it didn't come out quite like that. you're making me hungry with these poasts. Nice job!

 

[MetroStyles]

Man that **** looks juicy (for turkey). Mmm...

 

[GrillinFool]

Originally Posted by Thomas

hmmm. have grilled a whole turkey before but it didn't come out quite like that. you're making me hungry with these poasts. Nice job!

The problem with doing a whole turkey is that the extremities cook quickly. Truss the bird so that the wings and legs are stuck close by the body. And the butter over the skin really browns it up nicely for great presentation...

 

[Milhouse]

Originally Posted by GrillinFool

Working on it. So far I have been featured in the St. Louis Post Dispatch, the Central Illinois Herald and Review and am being interviewed for a radio show in Houston to be aired this weekend...

Keep up the good work. The food always look really good.

 

[A.K.A.]

Originally Posted by GrillinFool

As I get older, 36 and counting, it's harder and harder to keep the weight off. My latest tactic of working out my chest and shoulders to make my gut look smaller by comparison has not gone all that well. I have gotten great results working out. So much so that my 44 regular suits don't fit anymore and had to go buy two 46's for the wedding circuit this summer. And being only 5'10" a 46 inch suit requires a boatload of tailoring so this new workout regime has been pretty expensive and didn't really diminish my growing midsection. Evidently beer is really fattening!?! Who knew, right?

So it looks like I have to look at my diet a bit. And considering what my passion is, my diet is usually very high in fat content.

G.F., make no apologies for the fat in the food you prepared. That is really good looking bird. I like to do the same with pork shoulder on a Weber kettle. The toughest part for me is the tedium of tending the coals to keep the cooking temp between 250 - 275 F.

Here's my secret to dropping my gut...cut carbs because they are the easiest thing to isolate in your diet. Simple carbs go in easy and leave feeling empty not long after. Protein keeps you fuller longer and are lower in calories. It's that simple. Breads, cereal, potatoes, beer everyday or 12 on a Saturday, deserts - cakes, cookies, chocolate. If you stick to meat, cheese, roasted nuts, and green vegatables for several weeks, the pounds come off easily. After you achieve your goal, if you want a cheat, cheat once a week and eat deserts, potatoes, and breads, but don't go hog wild.

 

[KJT]

I am impressed. I recently purchased and started using my smoker. Your site is a GREAT source of information. I'm looking forward to smoking a turkey breast like that, it looks awesome.

 

[clee1982]

looks nice, I have never successfully cook turkey in general, always comes out too dry, this just give me an idea, worth a shot.

 

[GrillinFool]

Originally Posted by A.K.A.

G.F., make no apologies for the fat in the food you prepared. That is really good looking bird. I like to do the same with pork shoulder on a Weber kettle. The toughest part for me is the tedium of tending the coals to keep the cooking temp between 250 - 275 F.

Do you have one of these?

Place one of the sides over the coals and flip up the lip. You will need to add charcoal and wood chunks periodically to keep the temp up. As the coals burn the ash insulates them and reduces the temp.

And what about one of these:

With the probe therm you can monitor the temp without having to open the lid. Only open the lid when you need to add coals or flip the meat and such and try to do everything at one time to limit the lid openings.

Originally Posted by A.K.A.

Here's my secret to dropping my gut...cut carbs because they are the easiest thing to isolate in your diet. Simple carbs go in easy and leave feeling empty not long after. Protein keeps you fuller longer and are lower in calories. It's that simple. Breads, cereal, potatoes, beer everyday or 12 on a Saturday, deserts - cakes, cookies, chocolate. If you stick to meat, cheese, roasted nuts, and green vegatables for several weeks, the pounds come off easily. After you achieve your goal, if you want a cheat, cheat once a week and eat deserts, potatoes, and breads, but don't go hog wild.

Way ahead of you. I'm all about the high protein low carb diet. I'll eat pasta but it has to be multi grain, same with bread. I don't count calories. I just cut portions and eat more protein. If I do get fast food I just get the burger and not the fries. No soda ever. I haven't had caffeine since 1994 and have soda maybe twice a year.

But I just got back on the better diet kick. I got married about 3 years ago. Before that I lived alone and cooked for myself. When we first got married I did all the cooking. Now my wife does most of it as she gets off work fairly early. I don't get home till at least 6 (7 on days I work out). So for the last year and a half or so I have been eating whatever she cooks. My wife is new to cooking. Healthy cooking is hard to do for new cooks. It takes a while to get there. She is getting better now.

All that being said, smoked turkey is a great low fat, high protein meal unlike the three slabs of ribs I did on Sat which I have had for lunch two days this week. Or the scotch eggs I did with the ribs that I have been eating for breakfast every day this week. Lots of protein in those meals but a lot of fat too. I could stand to cut my fat intake as well.

 

[GrillinFool]

Originally Posted by clee1982

looks nice, I have never successfully cook turkey in general, always comes out too dry, this just give me an idea, worth a shot.

Try getting one of those probe therms I have a pic of in the above post. Shove it deep into the breast. When it hits 160 pull it from the grill, bring it inside, loosely foil it for about 10 minutes at which time it should rise to 165, carve and enjoy...

 

[tshaw]

Originally Posted by GrillinFool

Try getting one of those probe therms I have a pic of in the above post. Shove it deep into the breast. When it hits 160 pull it from the grill, bring it inside, loosely foil it for about 10 minutes at which time it should rise to 165, carve and enjoy...

For my family Thanksgiving (and other times in then year), I have always deboned my whole turkey (25 lbs+), stuffed it, rolled it (and tied) and then smoked it out on the grill using a mixture of 60% cherry wood, 25 % pecan wood and the rest a mixture of other woods. Usually do it for a couple of hours, then finish inside in the oven. It makes the house smell enticing. It always comes out a nice ruby color and very moist, as well as it makes slicing very easy to do at the table....So Norman Rockwell would be pleased that the turkey can actually be served tableside without having to fight all those bones.

Tom

 

[clee1982]

Originally Posted by GrillinFool

Try getting one of those probe therms I have a pic of in the above post. Shove it deep into the breast. When it hits 160 pull it from the grill, bring it inside, loosely foil it for about 10 minutes at which time it should rise to 165, carve and enjoy...

hum, make me think of thanksgiving!!!

 

[A.K.A.]

G.F., I have that exact grill grate. With pork shoulder or St. Louis style ribs, I try to keep the temp under 300, and have been using lump hardwood charcoal. It burns hotter and faster, so tending is every 30 minutes or so. My Weber has a thermometer on the lid, and that is what I am most concerned about is low and slow heat.

I too use a pan underneath the meat to catch drippings and put a mix of water and cider vinegar in it.

Much of my travel takes me throuhg the Carolinas and I eat as much good barbecue as I can get. Sometimes I get to have a conversation with a pit master who will let me look at his fire. These guys who make barbecue their life are appreciative of those who recognize the quality of their craft.

Marriage is a wonderful institution, and a wife who can or will cook is a treasure in our modern times. My wife became full time housewife just three years ago. We both try to follow a low-carb lifestyle, but occasionally she will see a recipe or worse watch Ina Garten and make something delicious and fattening.

Your pictures prove you are the master. Thanks for sharing.