Our Smoked Turkey Breast recipe is super juicy, tender, and mouthwateringly delicious. Whether you're a beginner or advanced at using the smoker, this recipe is for you. Plus everyone will enjoy the tasty results!
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❤️ Why you'll love this recipe
- Smoked Turkey Breast is an easy dinner with great flavor.
- Our smoked turkey is a great option for a small family holiday dinner.
- This is an affordable meal to make for meal prep. Make sandwiches, salads, and casseroles.
- If the family does not love dark meat, this is also a great go-to because it's all white meat as we use a boneless breast of turkey.
- Using the meat injector adds so much flavor to the meat that using a brine isn't necessary.
- A very easy, simple process to follow for great results.
🧾 Ingredients
- 5-6 pound Turkey Breast, boneless or bone-in
- Chicken Stock - I prefer to use low sodium or sodium.
- Unsalted Butter, room temperature.
- Paprika
- Granulated Garlic
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🍲 Equipment
- Meat Injector
- Instant Read Meat Thermometer
- Smoker This is the smoker we use. It has served us well.
- Wood Pellets - Fruity wood chunks such as cherry or apple work well. Pecan is another good recommendation for this recipe, wood chips can be used.
Instructions
This is an overview of the recipe with step-by-step photos. The full instructions are below in the recipe card.
Step 1: Prepare the smoker according to the manufacturer's directions with the fruit-flavored wood pellets or chips. If using a water bath, add the apple juice/water combination to it now. Preheat your smoker to 325°F.
Step 2: Place your butter in a small bowl and microwave for about 30 seconds or until melted.
Step 3: Add the paprika, granulated garlic, and chicken stock to the bowl and mix well.
Step 4: Using an injector, inject the chicken stock mixture into the turkey, reserving ¼ cup of the mixture. Really bury that injector into the turkey and move around the turkey, injecting in to different spots at different depths.
Step 6: Place the turkey on your smoker and smoke for 2 ½ hours or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.
Step 7: Baste the turkey with the remaining stock mixture, about every half hour until done.
Step 8: Once the turkey breast reaches the internal temperature of 165°F has been reached, pull the turkey off the smoker rack. I prefer to tent it with aluminum foil. Let it sit for about 20 minutes.
Step 9: Carve into thin slices, serve, and enjoy!
❄️ Make ahead, storage, and freezer tips
Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight covered container for up to 3-4 days.
You can freeze the leftover turkey meat in a freezer-safe container or storage bag for up to 3 months.
👩🏻🍳 Eileen's Tips for Success
- It's most important to focus on the internal temperature of the meat rather than the time spent in the smoker. As the smoker temperatures and size of the turkey can vary.
- Letting the turkey sit for a few minutes will allow it to be cool enough for you to cut. There’s really no other reason to let it sit.
- You can cook your turkey breast either with or without the netting. However, leaving the netting on helps it cook more evenly as well as making it easier to maneuver in the smoker.
- Make a great gravy for the turkey starting with this Instant Pot Turkey Stock.
- Use an instant-read thermometer to get an accurate internal temperature of the turkey.
Frequently Asked Questions
We love using fruit-based wood pellets because they do not overpower the flavor of the meat.
A good guide is about 1.25 to 1.50 pounds of turkey for each person.
Brining is not necessary for this turkey because we are using an injection of ingredients.
Injecting the turkey with the seasoned stock adds amazing flavor so for this recipe, no need to brine the turkey.
When it comes to smoking poultry, exact times are difficult to determine.
It is best to focus on the temperature of both the smoker and the internal temperature of the turkey breast or whole turkey to determine the actual doneness of the meat.
If you want extra flavor in the water pan of the smoker, add a bit of apple cider, or grape juice works well to add flavor to the turkey meat.
Since this is a smaller turkey breast recipe, the turkey should defrost overnight, in the refrigerator.
Between using liquid in the water pan, injecting the meat with liquid basting the turkey, and ensuring to oversee the cooking process, you will have a nice juicy turkey breast.
I recommend keeping the netting on the turkey while you smoke it. I even keep it on if I roast turkey. It keeps the form of the turkey.
Remove and discard the netting from the turkey once it cools.
Absolutely, while I use a smoker with wood chips an electric smoker will work well with delicious results.
📖 Variations
This is a great base recipe that uses simple ingredients to produce the juiciest results.
Feel free to make adjustments to ingredients depending on the results you are looking for.
Homemade Seasoning Salt is a fabulous addition to the ingredients. It uses Kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder.
Looking for a Cajun-style meal, use our Homemade Cajun Seasoning.
If you like a little heat, add chili powder to the melted butter mixture.
For a sweeter butter, add some brown sugar to the mixture.
Some other herbs you can use are dried rosemary, dried thyme, dried basil, and dried parsley.
🥣 Serving Suggestions
For a fabulous Thanksgiving dinner celebration besides the Thanksgiving turkey, there are must-have side dishes. I've got my favorites for you.
Southern Cornbread Dressing, besides being a much-loved recipe for readers and Pinterest, it's a delicious dressing recipe.
My Homemade Mashed Potatoes are a winner any day of the week.
Is stovetop and oven space an issue? Enjoy one of my favorites, Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes, my Granny's best tater recipe.
Homemade Cranberry Sauce is a must-have with your Holiday dinner.
Every main course needs dessert and our Pecan Pie Cheesecake Bars are a hit with everyone.
🍽 Similar recipes
Need a larger turkey breast, be sure to try our popular Bourbon Maple Glazed Turkey Breast.
Our air fryer turkey breast is another easy recipe that doesn't take up oven space.
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Thank you for your continued support. I am forever grateful.
Eileen xo
If you click on the number of servings in the recipe card you can adjust the measurements up or down for the exact number of servings you need.
If you love this recipe please give it 5 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
📖 Recipe
Smoked Turkey Breast Recipe
Equipment Needed:
- As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases
Ingredients
- 5 pound Boneless Turkey Breast Bone-In Turkey Breast can be used
- ½ cup turkey stock Note 1
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 2 teaspoons granulated garlic
- apple juice for water bath, optional Note 2
Instructions
- Prepare the smoker according to the manufacturer's directions with fruit-flavored wood chips. If using a water bath, add the apple juice/water combination to it now. Preheat the smoker to 325°F/163°C.
- Place butter in a small mixing bowl and microwave for about 30 seconds or until melted. Note 3
- To the butter mixture, add the paprika, garlic powder, and chicken stock, and mix well. Insert the mixture into a meat injector.
- Using the meat injector, inject all but ¼ cup of the mixture into the turkey. Note Be sure to fully inject the turkey with the mixture. Really bury that injector into the turkey and move around the turkey, injecting into different spots at different depths.
- Place the turkey in the smoker. Smoke for 2 ½ hours or until the internal temperature of the meat reaches 165°F. Baste the turkey with the remaining stock mixture, about every half hour until done.
- Once 165°F has been reached, remove the turkey from the smoker. Let it rest for about 20 minutes. I prefer to cover it with aluminum foil while it rests.
- Carve, serve, and enjoy!
Notes
- Any nutritional data I provide is an approximation. Actual dietary information can vary based on ingredients and portion sizes.