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One side of a smoked turkey breast carved off the bone and resting on a cutting board
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5 from 1 vote

Smoked Turkey Breast

Here's a recipe for smoking a whole, bone-in turkey breast.
Prep Time6 hrs
Active Time3 hrs
Total Time9 hrs
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Smoked Turkey Breast
Yield: 8 people
Calories: 564kcal
Cost: $20

Equipment

  • Smoker, Pellet Grill, Gas Grill or Charcoal Grill
  • Wood Chips or Chunks

Materials

  • 1 8 to 10 lb Whole Bone-In Turkey Breast
  • 3 tsp Kosher Salt
  • 1 tsp Black Pepper
  • 1 tbsp Vegetable Oil or Olive Oil

Optional Seasonings and Rubs

  • 1 tsp Dried Thyme
  • 1 tsp Onion Powder
  • 1 tsp Garlic Powder

Optional Seasonings #2

  • 1 tbsp Poultry Seasoning

Instructions

  • Thaw the turkey breast in the fridge for 3 days or in a cold water bath, changing the water every 30 minutes until thawed.
    A raw bone-in turkey breast that has been defrosted
  • Trim the turkey breast, getting rid of the excess skin from the neck area, the nubs of meat and skin by the arm joints and chest cavity.
    A raw whole turkey breast that's been trimmed of excess skin and fat lying on a cutting board
  • Season the turkey breast on top of the skin and underneath with salt and pepper. Let it rest in the refrigerator for 6 hours up to 24 hours.
    A whole raw bone-in turkey breast that has been salted lying on a cutting board
  • Prepare your smoker or charcoal grill for indirect cooking at a chamber temperature of 275 degrees Fahrenheit.
    A Weber Kettle grill set up for indirect smoking with lit charcoal and wood chunks on one side
  • When you're ready to smoke, apply the oil to the skin of the turkey breast and place it upright on the grill grate. Insert a temperature probe (or two if you have it) into the deepest part of the breast and place another probe inside the smoker to track the ambient pit temperature. Close the smoker and throw a fist-sized amount of wood chips or chunks on the charcoal. Add half a fist of wood chips or chunks each hour thereafter.
    A turkey breast with temperature probes inserted into it on a Weber Smokey Mountain Smoker
  • Smoke the turkey breast until it reaches an internal temperature of anywhere between 152 to 157 degrees Fahrenheit.
    A smoked turkey breast on a smoker grill grate
  • Let the turkey breast rest on a cutting board for 15 to 20 minutes, then slice and serve.
    Smoked Turkey Breast sliced on a cutting board

Nutrition

Serving: 12oz | Calories: 564kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 89g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 242mg | Sodium: 1692mg | Potassium: 15mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 19IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 10mg | Iron: 1mg