Texas Turkey with Carolina gold sauce
“The easily digestible and accessible smoked turkey breast is a fluttering violin string among all the bombastic smoky drumming.”
Smoked turkey is the tastiest lifebelt thrown at you during an overzealous BBQ road trip. Because those who hop from BBQ joint to BBQ joint while touring and have the full monty put together on a platter everywhere soon find out how heavy brisket, beef ribs, pulled pork and hot guts are on the stomach. The easily digestible and accessible smoked turkey breast is a fluttering violin string among all the bombastic smoky drumming. In short, feather-light and delicious. With a hearty brine bath and smoking at low temperature to the right core temperature, you need not fear a dry bird. Just a matter of following this recipe carefully and enjoying. Once made, your mixed smoke platter will never be on the table without this element.
The ingredients:
(for 10 people)
Turkey brine:
- 17 cups water
- 1 cup salt
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 5 bay leaves
- 1 bulb of garlic, cut in half
- 10 juniper berries
- 1 whole turkey breast (approx. 6 lbs )
- ½ tsp coarse sea salt
- 3 tbsp. coarsely ground black pepper
- 1 cup Carolina Gold Sauce
Carolina gold sauce:
- Carolina Gold Sauce:
- 5 oz yellow mustard
- 6 oz white wine vinegar
- 2 oz brown sugar
- 4 oz butter
- 2 tbsp worcestershire sauce
- 2 tbsp chipotle tabasco
- 1 tbsp freshly ground black pepper
- Salt to taste
Mustard crunch:
- 3½ oz mustard seed
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ cup of water
- ½ cup of vinegar
- 1½ tbsp granulated sugar
Gear:
- BBQ with lid for indirect grilling
- 4 smoke wood chunks (5 x 5 cm blocks of smoke wood; apple and hickory wood are my turkey favorites)
- core thermometer
How to make:
Duration:
Prep: 1 day
cooking time: 2 hours
Start with the brine the day before serving. Bring 2 liters of water to a boil with the rest of the pickling ingredients. Let boil for 10 minutes so that the water can absorb the flavors well. Then add the cold water and let the brine cool completely. Place the turkey breast in this and let brine for at least 24 hours.
Make the Mustard Crunch by simmering all the ingredients in a pan over low heat for 30 to 40 minutes, until the liquid has evaporated and the mustard seeds have softened.
Prepare a BBQ with lid for indirect grilling and heat until a temperature of 275°F is reached. Remove the turkey fillet from the brine and pat dry well. Sprinkle all around with coarse sea salt and coarsely ground black pepper. Add the soaked smoking wood chunks to the glowing coals and place the turkey fillet on the BBQ.
Smoke with the lid closed for 1.5 to 2 hours to a core temperature of 155°F if you want to go for perfect tenderness, and to 165°F if you are a panicky BBQ’er who is fearfully inclined and prefers gooey but very safe over delicious. Slice and serve with the Mustard Crunch and Carolina Gold Sauce.
