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Smoked turkey breast is a young and juicy showstopper, excellent for vacation gatherings or easy sufficient for a weeknight dinner. It’s made with a easy brine of recent sage and rosemary after which smoked to juicy perfection on a Traeger or pellet smoker.
Through the years, I’ve cooked turkey breast virtually each method you may think about, from air-fried (crispy and so scrumptious!) to hands-off, slow-cooker turkey breast to a sheet-pan roast turkey dinner. Nonetheless, it wasn’t till a few years in the past that I bought into cooking with a smoker—enter this recipe for smoked turkey breast.
It’s excellent for the vacations, whether or not it’s a small Thanksgiving or Christmas gathering.
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📋 Substances you’ll want
This can be a very simple turkey recipe. It options the entire elements and flavors you’re used to—they’re made even higher by the smoker!
- Boneless turkey breast roast (2 lbs): The dish’s star is the lean and delicate turkey breast roast, which lends itself to brining and smoking. I like to make use of a boneless roast as a result of it absorbs the flavour and brine so properly and is less complicated to carve and cooks quicker than a bone-in selection.
- Tip: You can also make this recipe with a bigger roast, however I struggled to seek out something larger in my native shops.
- For the brine: Water, kosher salt, darkish brown sugar, recent rosemary and sage, garlic and peppercorns create a salty, candy and herbaceous soak for the turkey.
- Lastly, the turkey roast will get rubbed with softened butter earlier than smoking.
🔪 Step-by-step directions
Be certain that to present your self sufficient time–this turkey ought to brine for 4-6 hours.
Put together the brine: In a big pot, mix water, kosher salt, brown sugar, rosemary, sage, garlic, and peppercorns. Carry to a boil, stirring till the salt and sugar dissolve. The brine could have a darkish brown colour from the sugar. Take away from warmth and let cool utterly. Add turkey, cowl and brine within the fridge for 4-6 hours.
Put together the turkey: Take away the turkey breast from the brine and pat dry with paper towels–you don’t want to fret about rinsing it.
Rub the turkey with softened butter. Preheat the smoker to 375F; as soon as it reaches temperature, permit it to warmth for quarter-hour.
Place turkey breast on smoker and cook dinner for Half-hour. Cut back warmth to 325F and proceed cooking for one more 45 minutes or till turkey reaches an inner temperature of 165F. Be aware: In case you are smoking a bigger turkey breast, it takes about Half-hour to smoke per pound.
Relaxation and serve: Take away the turkey breast from the smoker and let it relaxation for quarter-hour earlier than slicing and serving.
Tip: In case you have a bigger turkey breast, improve the cooking time by about 20-Half-hour per pound, you’ll want to test the temperature, the turkey is finished when it reaches an inner temperature of 365F.
✏️ Substitutions
- Herbs: Swap in thyme for rosemary or sage, or simply use one of many herbs.
- Butter: When you’re going for one thing dairy free, use olive oil for a non-dairy possibility so as to add fats and a extra golden end.
💭 Cooking suggestions
- Be certain that the brine is totally cool earlier than you add the turkey, this helps with retaining the turkey on the right temperature, avoiding any meals issues of safety.
- Monitor the interior temperature whereas it cooks; my Traeger has a thermometer that I exploit to watch the cooking. I all the time double-check with my instant-read thermometer to make sure it reaches 165F.
- The turkey received’t get a shattering, crispy pores and skin within the smoker; in order for you the pores and skin extra browned, brush it with canola oil and place it beneath the broiler for a couple of minutes; you’ll want to maintain a detailed eye in case it burns.
Vacation mains
In search of different showstopping vacation major dishes? Strive these:
Smoked Turkey Breast
Smoked turkey breast is a flavorful and juicy centerpiece, splendid for vacation celebrations or a straightforward weeknight meal. Brined with recent sage and rosemary, then smoked on a Traeger or pellet smoker, it’s a easy but spectacular dish.
Substances
- 2 lb turkey breast roast, see notes for bigger turkey breast
- 16 cups water
- 1 cup kosher salt
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 2 sprigs recent rosemary
- 2 sprigs recent sage
- 2 garlic cloves, smashed
- 1 tablespoon peppercorns
- 2 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
Directions
In a big pot mix water, kosher salt, brown sugar, rosemary, sage, garlic, and peppercorns. Carry to a boil, stirring till the salt and sugar dissolve. Take away from warmth and let cool utterly.
As soon as the brine has cooled, submerge the turkey breast. Cowl and refrigerate for 4-6 hours.
Preheat the smoker to 375F.
Take away the turkey from the brine and pat dry with paper towels. Unfold softened butter everywhere in the turkey.
Place the turkey breast on the smoker grate and cook dinner for Half-hour. Cut back warmth to 325F and proceed cooking for one more 50 minutes (for a 2lb breast) or till inner temperature reaches 165F. If the breast is bigger, it might want to cook dinner for one more 20-Half-hour per pound.
As soon as it reaches 165F, take away from smoker and permit to relaxation for quarter-hour earlier than slicing.
Notes
- For a bigger turkey breast roast, you’ll want to extend the cooking time by about 20-Half-hour per pound. At all times use an instant-read thermometer to test that the meat has reached an inner temperature of 165F.
- To make your personal gravy, I like to recommend Ina Garten’s makeahead gravy recipe.