Have you ever had smoked turkey breast?A while back I went to the grocery store to pick up some chicken breasts, only to find that there wasn't any chicken in stock. I opted for a large turkey breast instead, and I'm sure glad I did! This was the tastiest turkey I've ever had. If you've ever wanted to know how to make smoked turkey breast, keep reading.
Like most of my recipes, smoking a turkey breast is a simple process.
Step 1: Smoked Turkey Breast Brine
In a large saucepan combine 3 cups of water with a ¼ cup of kosher salt. You know the drill here - it's kosher salt - not table salt. If you put a ¼ cup of table salt in the brine you're going to be sorry.
Add a tablespoon of your favorite bbq rub to the water, and then bring it to a boil. I use a rub that is low in salt. If your rub is high in salt I'd recommend cutting the amount of salt in your brine in half. Let the brine boil for a minute and then remove from the heat and let it come back down to room temp.
Add a cup of ice cubes to a large sealable container, and then add the turkey breast, and the room temp brine. Seal the container and place in the fridge for 6 hours.
Smoking a Turkey Breast
When you're ready to smoke the turkey breast remove it from the brine and pat dry with paper towels. Sprinkle some of the bbq rub you used in the brine all over the turkey breast.
Setup your smoker to smoke at 275 degrees. Maple or Mesquite wood are both great options for smoked turkey breasts.
When the smoker is up to temp place the turkey breast on the grill grate. Insert a probe for your remote thermometer in the thickest part of the breast and set an alarm to go off when the internal temp hits 145 degrees. This will take around 90 minutes.
When the internal temp hits 145 adjust the temperature of your smoker up to 375 and continue cooking until the turkey breast hits 160.
Remove the smoked turkey breast from your smoker and let it rest for about 15 minutes before slicing.
Hands down the best turkey I've ever had, and the total cost of the meal was about $10. If you don't give this recipe a try, you're crazy.
Smoked Turkey Breast
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 Whole Turkey Breast on the Bone
- 3 cups water
- ¼ cup kosher salt
- 3 Tbsp BBQ Rub
Instructions
- Combine the water, salt, and 1 tbsp of the bbq rub in a saucepan and bring to a boil.
- Let the brine boil for a minute and then remove from the heat and let it come down to room temp.
- Add a cup of ice to a sealable container and then add the turkey breast and the brine. Make sure the breast is completely submerged. Place the container in the fridge.
- Brine the turkey breast for 6 hours. When you're ready to cook remove the breast from the brine and pat dry. Season the exterior of the breast with the remaining bbq rub.
- Smoke the breast at 275 degrees until the internal temperature hits 145 degrees.
- Adjust the temperature of the smoker up to 375 and continue cooking the turkey until the internal temperature hits 160.
- Let the breast rest on a cutting board for about 15 minutes before slicing.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Be sure to check out my other turkey recipes! Smoked Whole Turkey - Smoked Spatchcock Turkey
I would love to do this but I don't have a smoker can I use the over to bake it if so can you send me the directions for the over?
Thanks you
I dry brine a turkey for three days, 1 Tbsp of Diamond Crystal salt to every five pounds of bird. Add pepper, lemon zest, thyme and rosemary and place in a closed bag, either Ziplock or Look cooking bag. I prefer the flavour, almost as moist and it doesn't taste like a city ham! Think of your one pound hams packed in a small vacuum sealed package at the grocery store. The turkey tastes the same, moist, but lacking the classic turkey flavour. Just my opinion. Look up Russ Parson's Judy Bird and how he applies it to turkeys!
Even better when you can smoke the bird!
Was wondering if you tried this recipe? It comes out awesome! Sounds like you should start your own blog 🙂
I used your recipe almost exactly and it turned out AWESOME!!! The only variation was the brine time (I brined for 24 hours only because I had to) Spot on delicious recipe and super juicy, flavorful turkey!!