Sometimes you don’t need to make a whole turkey – so you need a simple recipe to make just the breasts. One of my favorite ways to make turkey is to smoke it. You will end up with such moist tender turkey, you won’t want to make it any other way. This easy smoked turkey breast (bone-in) recipe is going to rock your world.
There are a number of reasons to make just the breast of the turkey and not a whole turkey. Maybe you are only cooking for a small group. Maybe there is a different main event protien for the meal and you just want an alternative for some. Maybe you are making this entirely to turn it into deli meat.
Substitutes and Variations:
I only placed heads of garlic in the tray with my turkey breast. You could add other aromatics – like springs of fresh rosemary, or halved lemons. You can also play around with the spice blend to get different results. Lemon Pepper, honey roasted, sun-dried tomatoe – are all great flavors with turkey.
Suggestions for Sides:
As with any turkey, this a great centerpiece to a family feast. So sides of potatoes, veggies, and rolls are all good sides. This turkey also makes for amazing homemade turkey deli meat, taking your lunch sandwiches to the next level.
Tools that may make this recipe easier:
This recipe does require a smoker. Since I’ve not tried it, I could be wrong – but I dont think a smoker box on a standard grill is going to do the trick for a piece of meat this size.
Now Let’s Get Cookin’!
Easy Smoked Turkey Breast
Equipment
- 1 Smoker
Ingredients
- 7-8 lb Bone-in Turkey Breast
- 1 cup Olive Oil
- 3 heads Garlic tops sliced off
- ½ cup Butter melted
For the Seasoning Blend
- 2 tbsp Granulated Garlic
- 2 tbsp Granulated Onion
- 1 tbsp Salt
- 1 tbsp Chili Powder
- 1 tbsp Paprika
- 1 tbsp Black Pepper
Instructions
- Preheat smoker to 200degF.
- In a small bowl combine seasoning blend ingredients, thoroughly.
- Remove turkey from package and drain off any excess liquid. Pat dry and place in a 9×9 baking dish (disposable aluminum foil is best).
- Generously brush entire turkey breast with olive oil. Then sprinkle evenly with seasoning blend. NOTE: You should use all of it.
- Place garlic heads in dish along side turkey.
- Place on smoker and smoke for 3 hours.
- Brush skin with melted butter and smoke another hour or until the thickest part of the breast reads at least 165degF internal temperature.
- Remove from smoker and tent with foil. Let rest at least 30 minutes before removing the breasts from the rib rack. Slice to desired thickness for service. NOTE: If using for deli meat, it is best to tightly wrap each breast in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for several hours (or overnight) before slicing on a meat slicer.
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Estelle Forrest self-published this cookbook after a lot of playing around in the kitchen. You can purchase your own copy here:
AVAILABLE IN PRINT OR KINDLE eBOOK VERSIONS
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