Recipe by Matt LeCheminant
A whole turkey is hard to cook at camp, but a bone-in breast fits a deep Dutch oven and comes out moist. This is the centerpiece for a camp Thanksgiving.
Serves: 6 to 8 people Time: 2 to 2 1/2 hours
Ingredients
- One 3 to 4 pound bone-in turkey breast
- 3 tablespoons soft butter
- 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried sage or thyme
- 1 onion, in quarters
- 2 carrots and 2 celery stalks, in chunks
- 1 cup chicken broth
Steps
- Light about 24 briquettes. A deep 12 inch oven or a 14 inch oven fits a breast best.
- Rub the butter, salt, pepper and herbs all over the turkey. Put the vegetables and broth in the oven and set the breast on top.
- Put the lid on with one third of the coals under the oven and two thirds on top.
- Add fresh coals after about 45 minutes.
- Roast about 1 3/4 to 2 1/4 hours, until a thermometer in the thickest part reads 165 degrees.
- Rest it 15 minutes before carving. Save the drippings for gravy.
Coals: A common rule is twice the oven diameter in briquettes, so 24 for a 12 inch oven and 20 for a 10 inch, with about one third under the oven and two thirds on the lid. Briquettes burn out in about 45 minutes to an hour, so light a fresh batch for anything that cooks longer.
Tips
- Cook to temperature, not to the clock. Wind, cold and old coals all change the time.
- Keep the lid on. Each time you lift it you lose heat, so check once or twice.
- Pat the skin dry before you rub it, so it browns instead of steaming.
At home
Roast in a pan at 350 degrees for about 1 1/2 to 2 hours, until it reads 165 degrees.
Gear we use
- Deep 12 inch or 14 inch cast iron Dutch oven
- Meat thermometer
- Charcoal chimney, fire pan, lid lifter and welding gloves
Our overnight and multi-day trips include meals cooked by our guides.
Matt LeCheminant owns Wild River Adventures in Riggins, Idaho with his dad Alan. He grew up in boats and has a water engineering degree.
