Smoked Turkey Breast

This Smoked Turkey Breast is simple and flavorful, perfect for throwing on your Traeger or any smoker setup you have. Boneless turkey breast is brined for flavor and juiciness, then gently hickory smoked and sliced.

I’m a huge BBQ fan, and love making Smoked Pork Butt, brisket, ribs, and other meats on the smoker.

While I will generally take beef and pork over turkey most days, there are times when I like to throw it in for variety.

My family tends to prefer white meat over dark meat when it comes to poultry and turkey recipes specifically, and this is an easy way to enjoy this particular cut.

In this post I will show you how I like to make it, smoked on my Traeger pellet grill, though there are many other ways to hack a smoker setup if you don’t have a dedicated grill. My gas grill for example sells a smoker box that you can use for adding smoke flavor, though you’d need to watch temperature very closely.

Though we make this periodically for weeknight dinners, it’s also a great option for Thanksgiving if you have a small family and don’t want to make a whole bird.

Step by Step Overview:

First we need to prepare the turkey brine. The brine is essential for ensuring the most juicy turkey breast possible, and also for infusing flavor into the meat.

In a large skillet or pot, combine water, fresh rosemary sprigs, black peppercorns, bay leaves, and kosher salt:

While I enjoy this combination of herbs and spices, you may also play with the brine ingredients. You may use tricolor peppercorns instead of black pepper, or you may try other kinds of herbs like fresh thyme or parsley.

You can also use your favorite poultry seasoning, or add honey or brown sugar for sweetness.

Bring the brine to a boil, until the salt dissolves, then remove it from the heat. Add ice cubes to the brine:

While the brine cools down, prepare your turkey breast.

I purchased a boneless turkey breast from the grocery store, and the butcher had already tied it with kitchen twine.

I like keeping the skin on, so you have a little bit of fat on top. Turkey breast is already incredibly lean.

Before adding the turkey to the brine, check that the liquid has cooled down below 40F, using a meat thermometer.

At that temperature, it is safe to add the boneless breast to the brine:

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, then place it in the fridge for a minimum of 8 hours. I like to do this a full day ahead of time.

While you can go longer than 24 hours, be mindful that it may become a bit too salty with longer brine times.

When you’re ready to cook, take the turkey breast out of the brine and pat the exterior dry with paper towels.

Then let the meat sit at room temperature for 30 minutes while you preheat your smoker.

I am using a Traeger pellet grill, but any smoker setup set to 275F will work.

Then put the turkey breast on the grill grates, and insert a probe into the thickest part of the breast, if you have one.

My Traeger has built in temperature probes, which is helpful for making sure I do not overcook the meat. Otherwise you will need to check the temperature using an instant read thermometer.

Smoke the turkey for about 3 hours of cook time, until it reaches an internal temperature of 160F.

Remove the turkey from the smoker, and let it rest for at least 15 minutes before slicing. It will rise another 5 degrees to 165 degrees F with carryover cooking.

Slice the turkey using a sharp chef’s knife or serrated knife, as thick or thin as you would like.

I find the serrated knife a bit easier to use, but the meat will look a little more “torn” when using this kind of knife.

Enjoy the meat while warm!

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