Smoked Turkey Breast
Sometimes it is hard to find a 7 lb. turkey when it is not around Thanksgiving.
See Note below, I substituted using (2) 3 lb. turkey breasts.
Ingredients
- 1 whole (approximately 7 lbs.) turkey breast (with bone and skin on)
- olive oil or melted butter
- All-purpose seasoning, BBQ dry rub or kosher salt and freshly-ground pepper, to taste
- 8 small wood chunks (such as hickory, apple wood, maple or oak)
- shallow foil pan, optional
All-Purpose Seasoning Rub
- 2 Tbls. garlic powder
- 2 Tbls. kosher salt
- 2 Tbls. dried parsley flakes
- 2 Tbls. dried minced onion
- 2 Tbls. dried basil
BBQ Dry Rub
- 1/4 c. light brown sugar
- 4 t. smoked paprika
- 1 Tbls. kosher salt
- 2 t. chili powder
- 2 t. onion powder
- 2 t. garlic powder
Instructions
Let the turkey breast come to room temperature before smoking.
Pat turkey breast dry with paper towels. Liberally salt and pepper the inside cavity.
Brush the turkey breast with olive oil (or melted butter) and season liberally with seasoning rub of your choice. Place in a shallow foil pan, if you don't want to put directly on cooking grate.
Prepare the smoker for indirect cooking with very low heat (200°F – 225°F). When the temperature reaches 225°F, add two wood chunks to the charcoal.
Brush the cooking grate clean. Smoke the turkey over indirect very low heat, with the lid closed, until the skin is dark brown, the meat is tender at the bone, and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast (not touching the bone) reaches 160°F – 165°F.
Add two wood chunks to the smoker at the 1-hour, 2-hour, and 3-hour marks, along with additional charcoal, as necessary, to maintain a steady temperature.
A good rule of thumb is about 35 minutes per pound when smoking a turkey breast at 225°F (ours took 5 hours). It might be a bit faster if your heat gets slightly higher, or it might take a bit longer if the heat dips. For a 7 lb. turkey breast, it will likely take about 4-5 hours. The instant-read thermometer is always the best way to know when it’s cooked perfectly, though!
Remove the turkey from the smoker and place on a large cutting board. Tent the turkey with foil and allow it to rest for about 15-20 minutes before carving.
All Purpose Seasoning Rub: Combine all ingredients in a jar and shake to mix. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 year. You can adjust the amount of seasoning that you make. Just remember to keep the proportions the same for each ingredient!
BBQ Dry Rub: Combine all ingredients in a jar or other airtight container. add a pinch of cayenne pepper, to taste (optional). Store for up to 6 months in a cool, dark place or in refrigerator.
NOTE: I also used (2) 3 lbs. Butterball Turkey breasts, 6 lbs. each (no skin) and added ½ c. chicken broth for moisture, to the bottom of a shallow foil pan (turkey started to dry out during smoking). Be sure to leave the netting on when smoking.