How To Make The Best Smoked Turkey Breast

Smoked Turkey Breast on a white platter, cranberries and parsley on plate.

5 from 26 votes

How To Make The Best Smoked Turkey Breast

Juicy and delicious, this smoked turkey breast recipe is easy to make and a family favorite! It turns out moist, tender, and full of flavor every time! A perfect choice for your Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner!

Prep Time1

Smoke Time4

Total Time1 4

Course: dinner

Cuisine: American

Servings: people

Calories: 565kcal

Author: Amanda Mason

Equipment

Smoker any type

Ingredients

4-5 lb Turkey Breast, either boneless or bone-in

For The Turkey Breast Brine

12 cups cold water
½ cup salt
½ cup dark brown sugar, packed
8 cloves garlic, chopped
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
10 whole peppercorns
2 bay leaves
1 lemon
1 orange
1 cup white wine, Sauvignon Blanc or Chardonnay
2 cups ice

For The Turkey Rub

½ Tablespoon garlic salt
1 teaspoon onion powder

For The Rosemary Compound Butter

8 Tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
2 sprigs fresh rosemary, finely chopped
2 teaspoons coarse ground pepper
1 teaspoon coarse salt, kosher, sea, or Himalayan salt

Instructions

Brining Process

In a large bowl, combine the 12 cups of water, ½ cup salt, ½ cup brown sugar, 8 cloves of garlic, 2 sprigs of rosemary, 10 peppercorns, 2 bay leaves, 1 lemon, 1 orange, and 1 cup of white wine. Ensure you squeeze the juice from the lemon and orange into the bowl and then add in the rinds.
Add 2 cups of ice to the brine and then cover the bowl with a lid or plastic wrap. Place the bowl in the refrigerator to brine for 12-24 hours.

Preparing The Turkey

After the brining process, remove the turkey breast from the liquid and place on a large dish. Discard the brine mixture.
Using paper towels, gently pat the turkey until dry.
Combine the ½ Tablespoon of garlic salt and 1 teaspoon of onion powder in a small bowl and using your hands, generously cover the meat with the dry rub. Set aside.
In a separate bowl, use a handheld mixer on low speed to mix the room temperature of 8 Tablespoons of butter, 1 teaspoon of salt, 2 teaspoons of pepper, and 2 springs of finely chopped rosemary until well combined, about 20 seconds. Set aside.
Apply all of the rosemary compound butter to the turkey using a spatula or basting brush, ensuring you cover each crevice on all sides. Set aside.

Preparing The Smoker

Preheat the smoker until it reaches an internal temperature of 225°F. Use a mild flavored wood such as apple, cherry, or pecan. Fill a water pan with 8-10 cups of water and place it in the smoker.
Once the smoker has preheated to 225°F, place the turkey breast directly on the smoker rack. If the turkey has a bone, ensure you place it bone side down. The breast should be facing upward.
To help keep as much smoke in as possible, insert a digital thermometer into the thickest part of the breast at an angle, ensuring it does not touch the bone. Close the lid to the smoker.
Smoke for 4 hours or until the internal temperature of the meat reaches 165°F. Always smoke to temperature, not time.
Remove the turkey from the smoker and put it on a plate. Cover with aluminum foil and allow it to rest for about 20 minutes before carving and serving.

Video

Notes

Turkey breasts can typically be found at a local grocery store. Also check with a local butcher shop. Butcher shops tend to freeze whole turkeys and thaw and cut them as needed throughout the year.
For this recipe, I recommend using an all natural, unbrined turkey breast (not Butterball). Butterball turkeys contain a solution that helps keep them moist and juicy.
Use either a fresh or frozen breast. If it's frozen, make sure it's fully thawed before you start the brine process. Always thaw a frozen turkey in the refrigerator and never at room temperature.
Use a mild wood flavor such as apple, cherry, or pecan. White meat is delicate and using a stronger wood such as hickory or mesquite will overpower the flavor of the meat.
Smoking multiple breasts at the same time works well and should not change the overall smoke time.
For best results, keep your smoker temperature between 225°F and 250°F. The key to amazing results is smoking at a low temperature over a longer period of time.

Nutrition