Best Breasts: Tender and Smoked Turkey
It appears that they’ve taken up smoking...Well, tobacco is quite the cash crop after all, but I am not sure how it will fare here in upstate Maine. [Photo and Introduction Credit: Alex Paternostro])
by Seth Paternostro
November 25, 2021 (Thanksgiving)
‘Tis Turkey Day, when we—Americans—at home and abroad enjoy those famed birds that boast the biggest boobies. What would those Pious Pilgrims say, you ask?
“Happy Thanksgiving, folks!”
Serves 8
Total time
1 hour, plus marinating
Equipment:
cutting board, heavy chef’s knife or cleaver, large mixing bowl, small mixing bowl, digital scale, measuring cups and spoons, fork, plastic wrap, tray, paper towels, charcoal grill, hardwood briquettes, hickory and/or applewood chunks, lighter fluid, lighter, grill brush or ½ onion, stiff piece of cardboard or sturdy fan, kitchen tongs, digital thermometer
Tableware:
serving platter, plates, utensils, carving knife and fork
Ingredients
1 turkey
1 tsp white wine vinegar
½ cup heavy cream
1 shallot
2 cloves garlic
Black pepper, as needed
Peanut oil, as needed
Kosher salt, as needed
Instructions
(2 days before the meal, preferably)
Set out all of the ingredients, except the peanut oil and black pepper, then ready the cutting board, knife, mixing bowls, fork, plastic wrap, digital scale, and measuring cups and spoons.
Remove the legs, wings, and backbone from the turkey, reserving all for another use, then weigh the remaining bone-on breasts, which should be kept together in one large piece.
Peel the shallot and garlic. Slice the shallot, and smash the garlic.
Combine the shallot and garlic with the heavy cream, white wine vinegar, and 1 tsp of kosher salt per pound of turkey meat.
Thoroughly rub the breasts with the cream mixture, and place breast-side down in a large mixing bowl.
Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 2 days before cooking.
(The day of the meal)Gather all remaining equipment.
Prepare a generous pile of briquettes and a few wood chunks in the center of your grill. Adjust the vents so that they are fully open. Spray the charcoal with a small amount of lighter fluid, ignite, and let burn until the flames subside. Fan until blazing hot and covered with ash, then spread out.
Put the grate on top of your grill. Clean off any charred debris with a grill brush or half of a face-down onion.
Remove the turkey breasts from the brine, and place on a tray. Dry thoroughly with paper towels, coat with a thin layer of peanut oil, and generously sprinkle over black pepper.
Set the breasts on the grill with the skin-side up.
Close the grill, and adjust the vents to maintain a temperature around 400°F.
Cook for around 45 minutes, or until the meat registers at least 155°F at its thickest point.
Rest for at least 5 minutes, carve, then consume, merrily.
NUTRITION FACTS:
Calories 425 Total Fat 17.4g (22%) Saturated Fat 5.4g (27%) Cholesterol 165mg (55%) Sodium 138mg (6%) Total Carbohydrate 1g (0%) Dietary Fiber 0g (0%) Total Sugars 0g Protein 62.2g Vitamin D 2mcg (10%) Calcium 51mg (4%) Iron 3mg (17%) Potassium 641mg (14%) - Note: Please read our Nutrition Disclaimer.
Seth Paternostro is a writer and recipe developer based in Chicago. He is a co-founder of Our American Cuisine and graduated summa cum laude from Princeton University with an A.B. in East Asian Studies. You can learn more about him here.
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