Smoked Turkey Breast

5 from 1 vote

This Garlic Herb Smoked Turkey Breast is tender, juicy, and flavorful thanks to using a simple brine and a homemade garlic herb dry rub. This turkey breast will be the highlight of your Thanksgiving or family dinner.

Prep Time15

Cook Time4

Brining12

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Author: Serene

Ingredients

Turkey Brine

6 cups water divided
¼ cup salt
2 tablespoons sugar
4 sprigs thyme
2 sprigs rosemary
3 cloves garlic crushed
5-7 black peppercorns

Turkey Dry Rub

3 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1 teaspoon dried thyme
¼ teaspoon ground sage
1 teaspoon dried parsley

Turkey Breast

6-8 pound bone-in turkey breast
4 tablespoons unsalted butter room temperature

Instructions

Brining the Turkey

Pour 2 cups of water into a medium size saucepan and heat over medium heat. Add the salt and sugar. Stir and continue heating until the salt and sugar has dissolved and the liquid is clear. Remove from the heat.
Add the fresh herbs, crushed garlic and peppercorns. Then pour in 4 cups of cold water.
Allow the brine to cool completely.
Place the turkey breast in a large sealable bag or bowl.
Pour the brine over top completely covering the turkey. Seal and place in refrigerator overnight.
When ready to cook, remove the turkey from the brine, and pat dry removing excess brine.

Smoking the Turkey

Preheat smoker to 250 degrees F using mesquite, maple, or apple wood.
Combine the ingredients for the turkey dry rub in a small bowl.
Prep the turkey by removing from the brine and removing excess from patting dry with paper towels.
Add 2 teaspoons of the dry rub into the butter. Stir together to combine.
Using your hands gently separate the skin from the turkey breast.
Rub a portion of the herb butter under the skin on each breast.
Then rub the remaining butter on the top of the skin. If you find that the butter is sticking to your hands and not the turkey, use the back of a spoon to ensure a nice even layer of butter over the top of the turkey breast.
Evenly sprinkle more of the dry rub on top of the butter getting the top and sides of the breasts.
Place turkey breast, breast side up, directly on the grates of the smoker.
Cook for 3-4 hours until the turkey reaches an internal temperature of 160 degrees F.
Remove the turkey from the smoker, placing on a baking sheet or cutting board. Tent the turkey with foil and allow to rest for 15-20 minutes before slicing.
To slice, cut the breast down the center to separate the two sides, then using a sharp knife, cut following the bone to carve out the breast. Lay the breasts down on the cutting board and slice thinly to serve.

Notes

Make Ahead: Smoke the turkey and slice it 1-2 days ahead of time. Cover and store in the refrigerator.

Reheating: Place the sliced smoked turkey breast in a baking dish with a small amount of broth, cover with foil, and bake at 250 degrees F until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F.

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