Kick up your Thanksgiving table with a flavorful smoked turkey breast. Flavored with a spicy seasoning blend, this turkey is tender and so juicy! The post includes directions on how to smoke a turkey breast and make a flavorful pan gravy.
I'm sure we can all agree, this Thanksgiving is going to be different. For our family, it will be even more so with the passing of my grandparents. Before moving to Florida, we'd always go to my nanny and papa Mathis' house for Thanksgiving. The meal was always served buffet style, and everyone found a random place to sit around the house. My spot was always on the hearth. Their house was a place you could bring friends or extended family to enjoy Thanksgiving. My papa would get up early in the morning to start the turkey, my nanny made banana pudding and the best dressing {she always made an extra pan just for me!}, and we always ate at noon! That was as long as my papa could wait! Once we moved to Florida, we usually stayed here for Thanksgiving and went home for Christmas. I'd usually spend all Thanksgiving in the kitchen cooking to distract myself from my homesickness and would usually shed a few tears during calls and video chats with the family.
Here, we've always hosted dinner at our house for friends. I make all my favorite Thanksgiving dishes {my dressing is never as good as my grandmothers}, and Huck always insists we get the largest turkey we can find... Leftovers! My preferred cooking method for our Florida turkey has always been smoked.
Today, I'm sharing my method for making our Florida Thanksgiving turkey.
Prepping the Turkey Breast
First, you'll want to start with a good quality turkey! I find bone-in/skin-on turkey breast has the most flavor. The bone and fat from the skin give the meat more flavor. If using boneless, the cooking time will be less.
If a turkey isn't your thing, this recipe works great with chicken!
To prep the turkey breast, you can brine or inject the turkey if you wish. I honestly never brine my turkeys when smoking. They taste fine without it. If you want to brine, you can find tons of brining recipes online.
For the seasoning, I recommend a blend with bold flavor. You could use a traditional poultry spice blend, but I find a Cajun or spicier blend pairs better with the smoke. Our recipe for the Rib Dry Rub would work great in this recipe.
Ingredients Needed:
- Oil - Butter, Olive Oil, or Ghee - If using butter, soften at room temp before starting
- Seasoning Blend - Cajun, Huck's Rub, or our Rib Dry Rub
- Bone-in Turkey Breast - Fully thaw the turkey and remove from the refrigerator 1 hour prior to cooking.
Remove the turkey breast from the package and pat dry with paper towels to remove any moisture. This allows the seasoning to stick to the meat. Next, combine the oil and seasoning to create a paste. Rub the mixture evenly on the turkey breast. Coat the cavity if using a full breast, and lift the skin to add seasoning directly on the meat.
Place the turkey in an aluminum pan to catch the pan drippings. If you prefer a milder smoked flavor on my meats, wrap the pan in foil. If you like bold smoked flavor, leave it off.
How to Smoke a Turkey Breast
Smoking a turkey is just like smoking any other piece of meat. The key is to season the meat very well and not to overcook the bird!
To start, preheat the smoker to 250 degrees. You want to set the smoker to the right temperature and maintain that temperature for the duration of the cooking process. Setting your smoker to the right temp takes a little practice. Once you've figured it out, it should only take a few minutes.
Cooking Tip: We have a Kamado Joe smoker. The first time I used it, I opened all the vents and got the temperature to 500+ degrees. Then I closed all the vents and the lid to try and lower the temp. I quickly realized that was impossible and never made that mistake again. Now, I open the vents as needed to get the smoker to the correct temp! It's easier to increase the temp than to cool it off.
Best wood for smoking a turkey? My grandfather always recommends using fruit or nut woods for this poultry. For my turkey, I prefer a mix of apple and pecan and would avoid mesquite, hickory, and oak. Other woods to try include cherry walnut.
Cooking Tip: Soak the wood chips for several hours or overnight. This prevents the wood from burning too quickly and gives you more smoked flavor.
How to create smoke flavor on the grill
No smoker? No problem! You can use a gas or charcoal grill to get the same effect. To start, turn on the burners on one side of the grill. If using charcoal, place the coals on one side. Heat the grill to 250 degrees. Add the soaked wood chips to an aluminum pan. You can find small pieces of wood in most hardware stores. Add the pan to the grill over the heat.
Place the turkey on the opposite side of the grill and close the lid. Check the turkey regularly to insure it is cooking evenly and the temperature is staying consistent. You may need to rotate the turkey breast for even cooking.
Once the turkey reaches 160 degrees, remove from the smoker. The meat will continue to cook until it reaches 165 degrees. This prevents overcooking. Keep the meat covered and rest for 30 minutes before carving.
How to Make a Gluten-Free Pan Gravy
Don't waste all the juice in the bottom of the pan! Save them for a flavorful gravy.
Add the pan juice plus two tablespoons butter or ghee to a large pan and heat over medium heat. Once the butter is melted, add two cups of chicken or turkey stock. Bring it to a simmer. Add two tablespoons tapioca starch to a bowl with 2 tablespoons cool water - this is called a slurry. Stir to remove all lumps. Reduce the heat to low and pour in the slurry. Whisk until thicken and remove from heat. Serve over the turkey, on top of mashed potatoes, or just drink it straight from the bowl!
Make-Ahead and Storage
To save time, season the turkey up to 24-hours ahead of time and leave in the refrigerator until ready to cook. Leftover turkey will last for 3-4 days in the refrigerator in an airtight container. Don't forget to save the bones for bone broth!
I like to eat leftover turkey cold. If you like it warm, heat it in a pan over medium-low heat until it's just warmed to prevent it from drying out.
How to Serve Smoked Turkey
Serve this dish with our favorite sides! A few of my favorites include mashed potatoes {Check out Instagram for a quick dairy-free version}, Green Beans, Brussels Sprouts, and of course Deviled Eggs! No Thanksgiving meal is complete without deviled eggs!
Leftover turkey makes great sandwiches or soup, and don't forget to save the bones to make Bone Broth!
Other Recipes to Try
This method would work great with a whole chicken as well! Try it with our Spatchcock Chicken!
Like this recipe? Don't forget to Pin it! Also, check out our Instagram, Facebook, or YouTube Channel for cooking demos and more. Plus you can also see what I am pinning on Pinterest for more Whole30 and Paleo recipe ideas!
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How to Smoke a Turkey Breast
- Total Time: 3 hours 15 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Description
Kick up your Thanksgiving table with this flavorful smoked turkey breast. Flavored with a spicy seasoning blend, this turkey is tender and juicy! The recipe includes directions on how to smoke a turkey breast and make a flavorful pan gravy.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons softened Butter, Olive Oil, or Ghee
- 1 tablespoon Seasoning - Cajun Spice, Huck's Rub, or Rib Dry Rub
- 4-6 pound Bone-in Turkey Breast
Instructions
- Preheat the smoker to 250 degrees. See notes below for recommendations on woods to use.
- Remove the turkey from the refrigerator and allow it to sit at room temp for one hour.
- Pat the turkey dry with paper towels to remove any extra moisture.
- Combine the fat and spices in a bowl.
- Rub the spices on the turkey breast and under the skin.
- Place in an aluminum pan and insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the meat. For a milder smoked flavor, cover the turkey breast with foil.
- Place the seasoned meat on the smoker and cook for 30 minutes per pound.
- During the cooking process, brush or spoon the fat over the meat every hour.
- Once the meat reaches 160 degrees, remove from the smoker. The meat will continue to cook after it is removed. This prevents it from overcooking. Keep the turkey covered and allow it to rest for 30 minutes.
- Slice and serve with gravy.
Notes
Smoking Wood - Use fruit or nut woods for turkey or kitchen. I like a mix of apple and pecan.
Gluten-Free Pan Gravy - Add the pan juice plus two tablespoons butter to a large pan and heat over medium heat. Once butter is melted, add two cups of chicken or turkey stock. Bring it to a simmer. Add two tablespoons tapioca flour to a bowl with 2 tablespoons of cool water - this is called a slurry. Stir to remove all lumps. Reduce the heat to low and pour in the slurry. Whisk until thicken and remove from heat. Serve over the turkey, on top of mashed potatoes, or just drink it straight from the bowl!
Whole30/Paleo - Use Ghee or Olive Oil in place of the butter.
Save the bones to make a simple bone broth for soups or sipping!
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 hours
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Smoked
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: how to smoke a turkey, smoked turkey breast, how to smoke a turkey breast
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Can’t wait for Thanksgiving! Yumm