Why You Will Love This Smoked Turkey Breast
Perhaps you’re cooking for just a few people, and you don’t need to do a whole turkey. Maybe you’re keeping to white meat versus dark meat, and you don’t want to run your oven for hours. Or perhaps you’re like us and just want some excellent smoked turkey for a perfect turkey sandwich. Whatever your reason, smoking a turkey breast gives you a fair amount of very flavorful meat to use for whatever purpose you need. I won’t even get into the benefits of smoking. This goes without saying. Anytime you can fire up the pit is a good day! These smoked chicken wings are a constant off our smoker. We also love our smoked chicken and these crazy good smoked shotgun shells. Smoked bone-in turkey breast is a relatively easy endeavor. The basics are very simple. And if you have an electric smoker such as a pellet grill or gravity-fed smoker, it just gets easier to get that smoked, juicy turkey breast. Put the turkey breast in a smoker or grill and smoke for 3-4 hours at 225-250 degrees F. until the internal temp reaches 160 degrees F. That’s it. Pretty easy. But boy, oh boy, there are other things you can do to make this turkey breast so much better. Let’s explore this just a bit more.
Smoked Turkey Brine Rub (Dry Brine)
The best thing you can do to get this turkey ready for the smoker is to brine it first. Yes, you can wet brine, but we have a better solution, dry brining. When you dry brine a piece of meat, the salt from the brine draws the moisture out of the turkey, then is pulled back in along with the other spices. The salts begin to break down the breast’s muscles, making the meat much more tender and juicy. This method also flavors the meat throughout, not just on the outside. We have long since abandoned a wet brine over dry brining, and it has never been the wrong choice. Three days before you plan on smoking your turkey breast, apply the brine, covering the entire turkey breast, focusing on the thicker parts of the bird. Seal it in plastic wrap and refrigerate for two days on a platter, as there will be released juices. Next, remove the wrap, drain any juices, and place the turkey breast on a plate with a paper towel underneath. Place it back into the refrigerator uncovered for another day. This last day will allow the skin to crisp up as it smokes on the grill. One of the last steps you MAY want to do is run a couple of skewers through the bird near the base to keep it upright as it smokes. This is not necessary, but we think it presents better.
Smoking The Turkey Breast
First, you need to know what kind of wood you should use with the turkey. I would say, “whatever you like,” but there are a few things to note. Woods like hickory, oak, and mesquite are typically used for beef, pork, and ribs, whereas fruit woods such as cherry, apple, and plum are suitable for poultry due to the sweetness and mild smoke. You really don’t want to overpower the flavor of the meat. In my opinion, pecan wood is perfect for smoking turkey. It is slightly less bold than hickory yet brings a fruity sweet flavor that makes it ideal. Get the grill or smoker going and get it up to temp between 225-250 degrees. Once there, add the wood chips or wood chunks and place the turkey breast in, ensuring it’s not over direct heat if using a grill. Smoke for approximately 3 hours until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees Fahrenheit. Depending on the weight of the turkey breast, you may need to adjust your cooking time. Insert an instant-read thermometer into the thickest part of the turkey breast, approximately 2 1/2 inches in. You want to be in the flesh of the breast, not on the bone. For us, the best way to insert the thermometer is from the front, straight into the breast parallel, not down, as you can get too close to the bone, giving you a false reading.
How to Serve Smoked Turkey Breast
At 160 degrees Fahrenheit, remove the turkey breast. Tent it in foil (just throw some foil over it) and allow it to rest for about 15-20 minutes before slicing. This will let the juices redistribute and bring the turkey to a temperature of approximately 165 degrees Fahrenheit. After 20 minutes, remove the breasts by cutting along the breastbone, following the bone with your knife. Once removed, you can cut this as you see fit. Big thick, hearty chunks, thinly sliced for lunch meat .. anyway you like it. You will be amazed at how juicy the turkey is from the dry brine, with flavor bursting out in every bite. Plus, you get that smoky, crispy skin … man, this is just a win! If you were looking for a good smoked turkey breast recipe, you won’t be let down by this one. As previously said, you can make this for Thanksgiving dinner or Christmas dinner. You can make this for kickass sandwiches, and you can make this as a low-calorie, low-carb protein. There kinda really isn’t any reason NOT to make this. It is flavorful, it is super moist, and most importantly, it is delicious. You could make this for all your friends and family and blow their socks off. If you want to explore the ‘deli meat’ method a bit more, check out our other recipe, where we did a Cajun-style turkey for this very reason. And if by any chance you have any leftover turkey, make a turkey tetrazzini the following day! Delish!
