Smoking a 3lb Butterball Turkey Breast Roast

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Smoking a 3lb Butterball Turkey Breast Roast

Postby Camelot_One » Mon Nov 21, 2016 4:58 pm

I'll be smoking a ham for Thanksgiving (someone else is doing the big bird). Pretty happy with my recipe for that, takes about 3 1/2 hours at 225-250, usually using Cherry. (but open to other suggestions).
But the wife picked up a 3lb Butterball Turkey Breast Roast, and she wants me to smoke it while I do the ham. This thing: http://www.butterball.com/products/turk ... meat-roast
I've never cooked turkey, smoked or otherwise. And she naturally expects perfection.

My initial thought: brine overnight in water, 1/4 cup each of kosher salt and brown sugar, a few cloves of pressed garlic, and 2-3 bay leaves

I haven't found a rub yet, so any suggestions there would be appreciated. A friend sent us some 100% pure Canadian maple syrup, I think I like the idea of incorporating that.

The big question is time. Do you think scheduling 6 hours is enough?
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Re: Smoking a 3lb Butterball Turkey Breast Roast

Postby Papa Tom » Mon Nov 21, 2016 5:20 pm

I wouldn't use any rub just slather the heck out of it with mayo (Miracle Whip) and smoke it the slather will help keep it moist but really disappears during the cook.
6 hours should be plenty for a 3 lb'r.
I like brining (but not garlic) I use the salt, brown sugar, bay and some poultry seasoning. The problem we run into with today's birds is they are injected with brining fluids (apparently cheaper per lb than the turkey) so they don't take our brining concoction very well. If a person can find a natural bird they do brine nicely.
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Re: Smoking a 3lb Butterball Turkey Breast Roast

Postby tri3forme » Mon Nov 21, 2016 5:31 pm

Papa Tom wrote:I wouldn't use any rub just slather the heck out of it with mayo (Miracle Whip) and smoke it the slather will help keep it moist but really disappears during the cook.
6 hours should be plenty for a 3 lb'r.
I like brining (but not garlic) I use the salt, brown sugar, bay and some poultry seasoning. The problem we run into with today's birds is they are injected with brining fluids (apparently cheaper per lb than the turkey) so they don't take our brining concoction very well. If a person can find a natural bird they do brine nicely.

Heed Papa's advise.....do not brine unless you're sure your turkey isn't already injected. You run the risk of an oversalted bird


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Re: Smoking a 3lb Butterball Turkey Breast Roast

Postby Camelot_One » Mon Nov 21, 2016 5:40 pm

Miracle Whip...... certainly not an ingredient I would have thought of.

Good catch on the brine. From the butterball website: Ingredients: Turkey Breast. Contains up to 20% of a solution of Water, Contains 2% or less of Salt, Dextrose, Natural Flavor, Modified Food Starch, Sodium Phosphate to enhance tenderness and juiciness.

So if I don't brine it, would you still skip the rub?
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Re: Smoking a 3lb Butterball Turkey Breast Roast

Postby tri3forme » Mon Nov 21, 2016 5:50 pm

If you use maple syrup, make sure you keep your smoker temps in check as not to burn that sugar. Or you can use a rub if you'd like, maybe use a spray bottle with some flavored liquid to periodically spritz the meat during the cook. Also, dont forget to use a water pan....that'll help prevent dryness as well.



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Re: Smoking a 3lb Butterball Turkey Breast Roast

Postby BladeRunner » Tue Nov 22, 2016 2:13 am

I did a 12 lb. bird in 4 hours at 275.
You can do a 3lber in no time.
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Re: Smoking a 3lb Butterball Turkey Breast Roast

Postby castironchris » Tue Nov 22, 2016 6:05 am

I just did one of these turkey roasts Sunday. Cooked mine @ 325 and it took about 2 hours. I injected with Creole and then some chicken rub on the outside. Came out plenty juicy. I don't know if it's common to all of these roasts since this is the only one I have ever cooked but one end was more dark meat and the other end was almost all white meat.

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Re: Smoking a 3lb Butterball Turkey Breast Roast

Postby Camelot_One » Tue Nov 22, 2016 8:06 am

It looks like Butterball makes 2 different roasts. One says Turkey Roast, under it "white and dark meat". It sounds like that is what you used, which would probably be the better version for me as well. What the wife bought says Turkey Breast Meat Roast, which I assume is white meat only. I'll need to be careful it doesn't dry out.
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Re: Smoking a 3lb Butterball Turkey Breast Roast

Postby OldUsedParts » Tue Nov 22, 2016 8:09 am

They sure got the "good looks" goin' for them don't they ? :tup: :salut: :cheers:
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Re: Smoking a 3lb Butterball Turkey Breast Roast

Postby castironchris » Tue Nov 22, 2016 8:25 am

Well there you go...Me speaking out of turn again!! :oops: :oops: I didn't see one that was white meat only but I wish I had because that is what they like the most. May have to hit up the HEB on the way home and see what I see even though I like the dark meat myself.
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Re: Smoking a 3lb Butterball Turkey Breast Roast

Postby castironchris » Tue Nov 22, 2016 8:28 am

Looking at the website, looks like they have a cajun version as well. Now that would be interesting!!
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Re: Smoking a 3lb Butterball Turkey Breast Roast

Postby OldUsedParts » Tue Nov 22, 2016 8:37 am

Chris, are you trying to steal my technique? "when all else fails the read the directions (aka Label :laughing7: )" I picked up some Honey Mustard yesterday that :dont: some how :scratch: turned into Dijon Brown Mustard before I could get it home :dont: :dont: :whiteflag: :laughing7: :D :lol:
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Re: Smoking a 3lb Butterball Turkey Breast Roast

Postby dub' » Tue Nov 22, 2016 8:51 am

+1 on Papas mayo slather
+1 on injecting some flavor into that bird log
+1 ON 275-300F -lower temps can leave you dry
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Re: Smoking a 3lb Butterball Turkey Breast Roast

Postby Camelot_One » Tue Nov 22, 2016 8:54 am

Any suggestions on the injection recipe?
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Re: Smoking a 3lb Butterball Turkey Breast Roast

Postby OldUsedParts » Tue Nov 22, 2016 9:05 am

If you're wanting Cajun, I have used this once before
http://bbq.about.com/od/marinaderecipes/r/ble31107b.htm

However, due to my lazyness, I just started buying Tony's Creole Butter Injection at the Gro Store.
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