Once you own a pellet grill you look forward to smoking meat year-round and showing off all that juicy and delicious meat candy to all your family and friends–but during the holiday season, the stakes couldnt be higher.
With everyone counting on you to create a perfectly seasoned and smoked turkey, anxiety can set in (especially for first-timers) and so we created this guide to walk you through it step by step, and answer any lingering questions about the turkey smoking process.
Here is a handy Table Of Contents we created so you can jump around to the different steps in the process…
Cooking turkey breast on a pellet grill results in incredibly moist, smokey, and flavorful meat that puts oven-roasted turkey to shame With the right techniques, you can achieve competition-worthy smoked turkey breast with caramelized, crispy skin right in your own backyard
In this comprehensive guide we’ll walk you through everything you need to know to cook mouthwatering smoked turkey breast on a pellet grill every time.
Why Cook Turkey Breast on a Pellet Grill?
There are several advantages to smoking turkey breast on a pellet grill rather than roasting it in the oven:
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Enhanced moisture – The low, indirect heat allows the meat to cook slowly while retaining juices. No more dried-out turkey!
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Incredible smoke flavor – Real wood smoke permeates the meat, taking its flavor to new heights.
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Foolproof crisp skin – The pellet grill’s airflow crisps up the skin beautifully.
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Hands-off cooking – Once loaded onto the grill, a pellet smoker requires minimal supervision.
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Fun presentation – Bring the smoker to the table for a show-stopping carved presentation.
Prepping Turkey Breast for the Best Results
Proper prep is crucial for ensuring your smoked turkey breast turns out perfect every time. Follow these tips:
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Choose bone-in breasts for superior flavor and moisture retention. The bones help keep juices inside.
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Brine the breasts – An overnight soak in a saltwater brine seasons the meat and makes it super juicy.
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Apply a rub – Coat the breast with a flavorful dry rub to achieve amazing bark and crispy skin.
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Separate the skin – Loosen the skin from the meat and rub seasoning directly onto the meat to maximize flavor penetration.
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Air dry – Allow the brined breast to rest uncovered in the fridge overnight. This dries out the skin for optimal crispiness.
Step-by-Step Guide to Smoking Turkey Breast
Follow these simple steps for competition-quality smoked turkey breast:
1. Trim and Brine the Breast
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Remove any excess fat or skin from the breast to prevent burnt bits.
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Make a brine by mixing 1 cup salt and 1/2 cup brown sugar per gallon of water. Add aromatics like garlic, bay leaves, or citrus.
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Submerge the breast in the brine and refrigerate for 8-12 hours. This infuses moisture and flavor.
2. Prepare the Pellet Grill
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Load your grill with favorite smoke wood pellets – hickory, apple, cherry, maple, and pecan all work very well.
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Ignite the grill, open the lid, and preheat to 225°F.
3. Apply a Dry Rub
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Mix salt, pepper, smoked paprika, garlic powder, brown sugar, and any other desired spices.
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Pat the breast dry. Separate the skin from the meat.
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Generously coat the meat under and directly on the skin with the rub.
4. Smoke the Turkey Breast
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Place the seasoned breast on the grill skin-side up. Insert a meat probe into the thickest part.
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Smoke at 225°F until the breast reaches 155°F internally, about 2 hours.
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Spritz with apple juice or cider every 30 minutes to prevent the skin from drying out.
5. Finish and Rest
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Remove the breast, tent with foil, and let rest 15 minutes. The temperature will climb to 165°F for safe doneness.
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The breast will have a beautiful smoke ring, juicy meat, and crispy browned skin.
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Slice and serve warm, or use for sandwiches, salads, and more!
Troubleshooting Common Problems
Smoking turkey breast is generally easy, but problems occasionally pop up. Here are some common issues and solutions:
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Dry meat – Brine longer, spritz more often, or wrap at 155°F to finish cooking.
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No smoke ring – Ensure grill temp stays low and constant. Open vents for proper airflow.
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Chewy skin – Let brined breast air dry uncovered in the fridge overnight before smoking.
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Burnt skin – Place breast on a small rack to elevate it above direct heat. Trim excess fat pre-smoking.
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Takes too long – Raise the temperature to 250-275°F after an initial low smoke.
Serving and Storing Smoked Turkey Breast
A perfectly smoked turkey breast deserves to shine in creative recipes:
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Slice thin for incredible sandwiches with cranberry sauce and brie.
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Dice for chef’s salad, grain bowls, flatbreads, or pasta salad.
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Shred or chop for turkey chili, tetrazzini, casseroles, and soups.
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Carve off meat and make pot pie with veggies and homemade crust.
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Pair sliced breast with roasted veggies and cranberry sauce for an easy holiday meal.
Store leftovers for up to 4 days refrigerated or 6 months frozen. Smoked turkey breast offers incredible versatility – have fun with different ways to serve it!
Mastering Smoked Turkey Breast Perfection
Smoking turkey breast on a pellet grill may seem intimidating initially, but have no fear! Follow this guide for foolproof tips to achieve the juiciest meat and crispiest skin:
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Brine properly, apply a flavorful rub under and on the skin, smoke low and slow, and always rest.
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Monitor temperatures, spritz periodically, and troubleshoot any issues.
Before you know it, you’ll have the skills to impress guests with incredible smoked turkey breast year-round. Ditch dry roasted turkey – pellet grill smoked turkey is here to stay! Let us know if you have any other questions. Happy smoking!
How To Prep The Turkey For The Pellet Grill
Long before we start burning pellets we need to prep our bird, so lets talk options.
How Long To Smoke A Turkey On a Pellet Grill
We will be smoking the turkey at 250 degrees until it reaches 165 degrees. This takes about 25 min per pound.
The cooking time will change from bird to bird depending on how many pounds of turkey you are smoking.
My 15 pound turkey trials consistently came to temp in 5-6 hours on my Rec Teq Bullseye, but depending on your type of smoker I would give yourself a buffer of 2 hours to account for inconsistencies in pellet smokers and outside temperature.
The best way to get juicy turkey is to always smoke to temperature, not to time, which often inadvertently overcooks the turkey meat.
Despite what other blogs say, as a chef and culinary expert with 15 years of experience you do not need to cook poultry beyond 165 degrees internal temperature. This is a Servesafe and FDA endorsed temperature taught in all culinary schools. Please do not overcook your turkey to 180 degrees, it is completely unnecessary and any cooking blog stating this is misinformed.
Pro Tip: Many people remove the turkey at 160 degrees because carry over cooking on a larger bird (like a turkey) will be at least 5 degrees as it rests.
For your first time, the important thing to know is you can speed up the cook time, at any time, by bumping the internal temperature of the pellet grill to 275 degrees to 300 degrees.
A turkey contains no connective tissue that needs to break down over low and slow temperatures, so at any time you can bump the temperature to help it hit 160-165 degrees if you need to get dinner on the table.
Let the turkey smoke for 1 1/2-2 hours so that the turkey paint can set. Then begin spritzing the turkey with a squeeze bottle of pineapple juice.
If you dont like pineapple juice, apple cider vinegar or apple juice is also nice. For my Thanksgiving turkey, its got to be pineapple juice because the whole family thinks it makes the best smoked turkey.
Spritz the turkey every 30-45 minutes, unless its disturbing the compound butter. The compound butter should be fairly well set by now, but every cook is different and I wouldnt prioritize spritzing the turkey over keeping that gorgeous herb butter intact.
As the turkey cooks, just give it a light spritzing to encourage a golden brown sheen on the skin of the turkey.
Garlic Butter TURKEY BREAST Smoked on a PELLET GRILL!! | Crispy Skin!!
FAQ
How long do you cook a turkey breast on a pellet grill?
Place directly on the grill grates, close the lid, and roast until the skin is golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 165℉, 2-2 1/2 hours.
Is it better to smoke a turkey breast at 225 or 250?
Forget Low and Slow for Smoking Turkey
Many hardcore barbeque and smoking aficionados will argue that smoking meat (including poultry) is best when done at a lower temperature range of 225 to 250℉.
How do you keep turkey moist on a pellet grill?
While the turkey is smoking every 1-2 hours, you can baste the turkey with chicken or vegetable broth. This will help keep it juicy and avoid drying out.Oct 18, 2024
How do you keep a turkey breast from drying out in the smoker?
Bathing turkey breasts in a salt bath for 3–6 hours will work especially well on the outermost parts of the meat, which also happen to be the parts taht overcook and dry out the most. By using salt as a thermal defense solution, we can get turkey that is more perfectly done throughout, not just in the very center.
How do you cook a turkey breast on a pellet grill?
With a pellet grill, this is the easy part! Just add your chosen pellets to the hopper, plug in and start the pellet grill. Let the pellet grill go through its start up process and once it has come up to temperature and stopped producing the thick white “start- up” smoke, put the turkey breast on the grill.
How to cook a turkey breast on a grill?
Coat the spices evenly on all sides of the breasts. – Load the pellets, prime, set the grill temperature to 275°F, and wait until reached cooking temperature. – Placed the brined and spatchcocked turkey side up breasts directly on the grill grates. – Insert your reliable meat thermometer into the thickest part of the breasts.
Can you smoke a turkey breast on a pellet grill?
Your first task is choosing the turkey breast that you are going to smoke on your pellet grill. When it comes to choosing a turkey breast to smoke, bigger isn’t always better. Poultry is incredibly lean and does not have nearly the amount of fat that you would find in other large cuts of meat like a brisket or a pork butt.
Can you cook a Turkey on a pellet grill?
Set the temperature to 325°F, and let the pellet grill come up to temperature. While you technically CAN cook your turkey “low and slow” at 225-250°F like traditional pork and brisket barbecue, you will never get crispy skin because the fat underneath it will not render at those low temperatures before the meat is finished cooking.
How do you keep a Turkey moist in a pellet grill?
The main way we keep turkey moist in the pellet grill is by brining the turkey beforehand. Using a wet brine is the key to getting a flavorful and juicy turkey. Your fresh turkey sits in water flavored with salt, herbs, and other seasonings for up to 24 hours. Another option is to dry brine a turkey.
How do you smoke a Turkey on a pellet grill?
Preheat your pellet grill to 225°F for optimal smoking. This low and slow approach allows the turkey to cook evenly while absorbing the smoky flavors from your chosen wood pellets. Which wood pellets are best for smoking turkey?