Description
Smoked Turkey Breast – the most amazing smoked turkey breast recipe! Simple, easy to make and it makes the MOST moist and flavorful turkey!!
Ingredients
Scale
Basic Brine (optional):
- 1 gallon water
- 1 cup of kosher salt
- 1/2 cup apple cider (note: NOT apple cider vinegar)
- 1 oranges, cut in half and squeeze juice out into brine + add in orange rinds
- 1 tablespoons garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 bay leaves
- 1/4 cup brown sugar (optional)
- 1 apple, sliced
- 3–5 sprigs fresh thyme
- 5–6 whole black peppercorns
Turkey:
- 8–9 pound fresh turkey breast (bone-in) (fully thawed)
- 4 tablespoons butter (or ghee) (additional for basting)
Turkey Dry Rub:
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons dried thyme leaves
- 1 teaspoon ground mustard
- 1 teaspoon smoked garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon dried parsley leaves
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
- 1 teaspoon dried basil leaves
- 2 teaspoons dried sage leaves
- 1 teaspoons onion powder
Instructions
Brine (Optional):
- Boil: Bring 4 cups of water to a simmer in a medium saucepan.
- Add: Add in kosher salt and brown sugar (if using).
- Simmer: Let simmer until salt and sugar completely dissolve.
- Cool: Remove from heat and add ice cubes to cool.
- Bucket: Once the mixture is completely cooled add to your brining vessel (large pot/bucket) along with the rest of the water and other remaining Basic Brine ingredients.
- Turkey: Add turkey breast and ensure it is completely submerged (you may need to put a small sauce pot on top of it to keep it submerged.
- 48 hours: Let brine for 12- 48 hours while refrigerated.
- Remove: Remove from brine, pat dry and proceed to the Smoked Turkey Breast Recipe, below. Discard brine.
Smoked Turkey Breast
- Preheat: Preheat smoker to 215 degrees F.
- Turkey Dry Rub: combine Turkey Dry Rub ingredients and set aside.
- Remove (if not brining): Remove turkey breast from packaging; remove any giblets or gravy pack.
- Dry: Place turkey breast on large plate and pat dry with a clean paper towel.
- Butter: Rub butter all over the turkey breast, both sides, in every nook and cranny.
- Season: Season generously with the Turkey Dry Rub.
- Smoker: Place on smoker grates and close the lid.
- Temp: Cook at 215 degrees F. for (really anywhere between 200-220 degrees F.) for the first 2-2.5 hours. Then increase the heat to 350 degrees F. until the internal temp at the thickest part of the turkey (without touching the bone) is 165 degrees F. and juices run clear.
- Baste: Feel free to baste the turkey once or twice with melted butter, but do so quickly as you will lose a lot of heat. Opening the smoker for too long, too often will increase your cooking time.
- Rest: Remove from smoker and place on large plate. Baste with melted butter and then let rest for 20-30 minutes (feel free to cover/tent with foil).
- Carve: Carve and serve immediately.
Notes
- Smoked Boneless Turkey Breast: feel free to use this same recipe for a boneless turkey breast – the cook time will just be shorter (probably at least cut in half) – but just keep an eye on your internal temp and you will be good!
- Thaw: Make sure your turkey is fully thawed before cooking – if it is still partially frozen it will effect the cooking time. Read: How to Thaw a Turkey
- Brine: It is totally up to you if you want to brine your turkey breast first. I have tested it both ways and its delicious no matter what. Brining just takes it to that next level. If you brine it first you can just rinse and follow the instruction as written. Read: Brining a Turkey: 101
- Butter: You can use either regular butter (or ghee) or mix in some ground sage to make Herbed Sage Butter!
- Seasoning: you can also use this Smoked Turkey Dry Rub or Classic Turkey Seasoning).
- Rest: Don’t forget to let it rest – once you take it off the smoker let it rest for 20-30 minutes.
- Carving: Here is a great tutorial on how to carve turkey breast.
- Got leftovers? Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. I also love this Turkey + Wild Rice Soup!
- Dairy-Free: If you are completely dairy-free, feel free to use olive oil instead of butter or even some vegan butter!
- Turkey Breast Weight: You can still easily use this recipe with a turkey breast that is less than 8 pounds or more than 9 pounds. Simply let the smoker temp and internal temp be your guide.
- Aluminum Pan: Yes, you can cook this in an aluminum cooking tray – if you you place a wire rack on top of the pan and then the turkey breast on top – that way the smoke will still encircle it AND you will catch all those drippings so you can make smoked turkey gravy!
- Wood Chips: I recommend cherry wood or apple wood for this recipe.
- Cook time listed does not include brine time.
- Nutrition: nutrition is estimated and does not include gravy.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: Approx. 1/2 pound
- Calories: 326
- Sugar: 0.1 g
- Sodium: 463.5 mg
- Fat: 7.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 0.4 g
- Protein: 61.7 g
- Cholesterol: 157.2 mg