You and I have my friend and fellow lover of the flame, Mr Grant Coleman, to thank for this one. I didn’t even think I liked turkey until he convinced me that we were going to cook it recently. The following words of turkey praise are honestly words I did not think I would be writing in this lifetime.

It has been on more than one occasion that turkey has been described on the pages as being “diablo chicken”. A dry, tasteless version of it’s smaller cousin. Alas, I feel now that I may have been wrong. Yeah, actually wrong. I’m not sure what happened but I do know something has changed, and that something is my total lack of appreciation for turkey.

This breast, brined, stuffed and boated in butter all to ensure extra moistness was a winner. Like, I would eat again type thing. I’m am honestly having a weird time typing these words right now as I was confident I was going to be in hate with turkey for ever.

This can be done really easily without the stuffing too. I would suggest that the brine is really important, the rub is really important and the internal temperature of the turkey is really really important as even 10 degrees is the difference between perfectly moist and just ok turkey breast. I learnt that one pretty quickly in the piece.

So yeah. Turkey breast. Have a go this Christmas.

SMOKED TURKEY WITH PINEAPPLE & BACON STUFFING

(serves 6 – 8 as part of a banquette)

1 turkey breast (1.5kg or so)
3 skewers
Your favourite BBQ rub
100 g butter

AUNTY FI’S STUFFING MIX
½ red onion, finely diced
½ cup chopped pineapple
50 g bacon, chopped
Pinch of dried thyme
1 slice sour dough bread, torn and crumbled or chopped
A pinch of salt & pepper to season

BRINE
375 ml ginger beer
10 cloves garlic, smashed
½ bunch thyme
1 orange, quartered
A homemade or commercial brine (Heavenly Hell do a good one called “Moist as Cluck”, which is what we used)

In a small tub or bucket make up 1.5 – 2 lt brine and add ginger beer, garlic, thyme and orange. Place turkey breast into brine, ensuring it is fully submerged (add a little more brine if necessary), and whack it in the fridge for 12 hours or whatever the manufacturer of your brine reckons.
Remove turkey from brine and pat dry.
Sautee bacon and onion until soft.
Chuck bacon and onion, and all other stuffing ingredients into a bowl and mix very well.
Cut a pocket into the breast past the tenderloin – kinda like you were going to butterfly it – and then stuff with that stuff you just made.
Pin the side back together with skewers to hold the stuffing in.
Use your favourite savoury BBQ rub to season turkey breast. Ensure a good coverage all over and then let sit for approx 15 minutes for the rub to sweat up.
Once the rub on the turkey has sweated up, place into your smoker at 250 F (125 C), skin side down for 1 hour.
After 1 hour place turkey skin side up into a tray or pan with butter, cover with foil and return to your smoker for other hour or so. Once the internal temperature is 165 F (75 C) it’s good to go.
Rest for 10 -15 minutes and then carve it up.