Delicious, easy whole smoked turkey breast with just a few simple steps! This is a smoked turkey with NO BRINE for no mess or extra planning. A turkey dry rub for smoking and a few hours in the smoker produce the most delicious, juicy turkey breast ever! I particularly love this with a squash casserole with Ritz cracker topping, aka heaven. Leftovers are really nice in creamy turkey salad, too!
One thing about turkey: people either love it or “meh” it and really love sides. I fall on the “sides are preferable” side (lol) of things generally, unless the turkey is really freaking good.
(although, if you dont have a smoker, I have a roasted turkey breast and foolproof whole roast turkey that are also really, really good!)
I LOVE smoking turkeys for Thanksgiving or Christmas. The benefits are endless: the oven is free for side dishes to bake, and the low + slow way the smoker works means that the turkey stays super flavorful and juicy. [feast_advanced_jump_to]
Smoking a Juicy Turkey Breast in an Electric Smoker
Smoking a turkey breast in an electric smoker is a fantastic way to enjoy delicious and moist smoked white meat. With the right techniques, you can achieve a tender, juicy turkey breast bursting with smoky flavor
In this comprehensive guide, I’ll walk you through the entire process of smoking a turkey breast from start to finish using an electric smoker. Whether you’re smoking for Thanksgiving, Christmas or just a Sunday dinner, follow these electric smoker turkey breast tips and you’ll have rave reviews!
Why Smoke a Turkey Breast?
There are several advantages to smoking just a turkey breast rather than a whole turkey:
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Turkey breast is 100% white meat, so you avoid dealing with the longer cooking time and potential dryness of dark meat
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A bone-in turkey breast takes only around 4-5 hours to smoke compared to 12+ hours for a whole turkey. A boneless breast may only take 2-3 hours.
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Smoking a breast allows you to serve exactly the amount of meat you need for smaller groups. A whole turkey is quite large.
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The thickness of a turkey breast is much more even than a whole turkey, allowing it to smoke evenly throughout.
Picking the Right Turkey Breast
You have two main options when it comes to turkey breast:
Bone-in – This looks like half of a whole turkey split vertically. It contains the breast meat still attached to the breastbone. A bone-in breast will have more moisture and flavor. Go for a 4-6 lb bone-in breast.
Boneless – This is simply the breast meat with no bones. Opt for a 2-3 lb boneless breast. Make sure it is tightly bound together, not falling apart.
For best results, look for an all-natural turkey breast without any enhancers or added liquid. This allows the brine and smoke to fully penetrate.
Brining the Turkey Breast
Brining is a key step to ensure your smoked turkey breast stays juicy and tender. The salt in the brine seasons the meat while also helping it retain moisture.
Brining Time – For a bone-in breast, brine for 12-24 hours. A boneless breast only needs 4-6 hours of brining time.
Brine Ingredients – Make a brine using salt, brown sugar, herbs, spices, citrus, and water. Some great options are an apple juice brine, citrus brine, or Cajun brine.
Brining Container – Use a non-reactive container like a plastic bucket or pot. Make sure the breast is fully submerged. If needed, weigh it down with a plate.
Rinsing – Once the brining time is complete, rinse the breast well under cool water to remove any residue from the outside. Pat it completely dry.
Applying a Dry Rub
A flavorful dry rub adds another layer of seasoning and contributes to the crispy turkey skin:
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Use dried herbs like sage, thyme, and rosemary along with spices like garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt, and pepper.
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Coat the breast evenly with the rub, pressing it into the skin. Let it sit for at least 30 minutes before smoking to allow the flavors to penetrate.
Setting Up Your Electric Smoker
Proper setup of your electric smoker is key for good temperature control:
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Set your smoker to 225°F. This low and slow temperature is ideal for smoking turkey.
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Opt for mild wood chips like apple, cherry, or pecan. Soak them beforehand.
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Keep a filled water pan in the smoker to help regulate heat and add moisture.
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Lightly oil the racks to prevent sticking. Place a drip pan below to catch drippings.
Once your smoker is up to temp and producing steady thin smoke, it’s ready for the turkey!
Placing the Turkey Breast in the Smoker
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Place the breast directly on the rack, skin-side up.
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For a bone-in breast, position it diagonally with the thinner side towards the heat source.
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Insert a probe thermometer into the thickest part, making sure not to touch bone.
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Maintain your smoker temp at 225°F, replenishing wood chips every 45-60 minutes.
Monitoring the Internal Temperature
Your turkey breast is finished cooking when it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F in the thickest part.
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After the first hour, start periodically checking the temp. Expect around 30-45 minutes per pound of cooking time.
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If smoker temp exceeds 250°F, rotate the racks and/or open the vent to allow heat to escape.
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Near the end, use an instant read thermometer to verify doneness in multiple spots.
Letting the Turkey Breast Rest
Once it hits 165°F, remove the breast from the smoker and tent it loosely with foil. Let it rest for 20-30 minutes.
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The internal temp will rise around 5-10 degrees during this time for a final temp of 170-175°F.
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Resting allows the juices to redistribute for maximum moisture.
Slicing and Serving the Smoked Turkey Breast
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For clean slicing, use an electric knife or very sharp carving knife.
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Slice across the grain of the meat into 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick pieces.
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Serve warm or at room temp. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours.
Delicious Recipe Ideas
A smoked turkey breast pairs wonderfully with classic Thanksgiving flavors. It’s also fantastic in sandwiches, soups, and casseroles. Here are some top recipe ideas:
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Slice it up for smoked turkey sandwiches with cranberry sauce and stuffing.
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Dice or shred the meat for turkey enchiladas, turkey tetrazzini, or turkey pot pie.
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Use leftovers in soup, adding vegetables, rice/pasta, and turkey stock.
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Make turkey salad or wraps with mayo, celery, cranberries, pecans, and pickle relish.
With the proper brining, seasoning, and smoking process, you can enjoy the amazing flavor of smoked turkey breast right from your electric smoker. Follow this guide for moist, tender and delicious results every time.
Frequently Asked Questions
What temperature do you smoke turkey breast in an electric smoker?
The ideal temperature for smoking turkey breast in an electric smoker is between 225°F to 250°F. Higher temperatures can cause the turkey to burn on the outside before fully cooking through. Maintain this low, slow smoking temperature for best results.
How long does it take to smoke a turkey breast?
Smoking times can vary based on the size and bone-in vs boneless. A general guide is 30 minutes per pound at 225°F, 25 minutes per pound at 250°F. A boneless breast may cook faster. Use a meat thermometer for doneness, not just time.
Should you brine a turkey breast before smoking?
Yes, brining is highly recommended. The salt in the brine helps lock in moisture and season the turkey. Brine for 12-24 hours for bone-in or 4-6 hours for boneless. Rinse and pat the breast dry after brining before applying rub.
What is the best wood to smoke turkey?
For a milder flavor that complements turkey, fruit woods like apple, cherry, peach, and pecan work very well. Stay away from heavy smoke like hickory or mesquite that can overpower the turkey.
Should you wrap a smoked turkey breast in foil?
No need to wrap while smoking. Wrapping after helps retain moisture and heat while resting. Tent loosely with foil after removing from smoker and let rest 20-30 minutes before slicing. The internal temperature will continue rising a bit more.
With proper prep and temperature control, you can master smoking juicy, flavorful turkey breast in your electric smoker. Adjust brining, seasoning and cook times as needed to achieve tender, perfectly smoked results.
Turkey Dry Rub for Smoking Ingredients
For this smoked turkey breast rub I use onion powder, garlic powder, salt, sugar, and chili powder. This is a dry rub combo that I use on EVERYTHING; fish, chicken, anything broiled, grilled, or smoked – its basically a really good homemade blackening seasoning to keep around at all times, if I do say so myself.
I have had a fairly inexpensive smoker for YEARS and we love it. Its also possible to turn a gas grill into a smoker – there are Youtube videos for everything. Before smoking a turkey, we always check to be sure we have an extra full propane tank, wood chips, etc.
- Smoker
- Candy Thermometer
- Wood Chips
Step By Step Instructions
Start by measuring and mixing the ingredients for the dry rub. Place a wire cooling rack inside of a baking sheet, then put the turkey breast on the rack.
Drizzle the turkey breast with some oil (anything you cook with is fine), and rub the spice blend all over the turkey breast.
Then, place the turkey breast in the fridge UNCOVERED and let it rest overnight. This will allow the skin to dry out a bit and get really crispy in the smoker.
Now, its time to cook the turkey!
To smoke, follow the instructions on whatever smoking device youre choosing to use. Mine is gas, so I light it, fill a pan with smoking wood chops and a pan with water, stick the turkey in, and wander off.
Set your smoker to cook on low, 175F-200F is the ideal range here. The higher the temp, the faster the turkey will cook, so keep an eye on it and adjust the temperature on the smoker as needed to maintain a low cooking temperature.
A note on wood: sometimes with these long smoking endeavors, the wood will stop smoking after 3 hours or so if youve only used a bit of wood. That is FINE. As long as the gas or charcoal are still going the bird will still be cooking. Frankly, things taste pretty darn smokey after 4 hours of being covered in wood smoke.
I like to test the internal temperature of the bird after about 3 hours, then again every hour or so until the turkey breast is done. Digital or standard thermometers work fine, dont obsess over it. I use a digital candy thermometer.
The ideal internal temperature for a healthy cooked turkey is 165F. The turkey will continue to cook AFTER it is out of the smoker, so remove it from the smoker sometime between 155F and 160F – itll be fully cooked, I promise.
Take the bird out, let it rest, prepare your other side dishes.
Smoked Turkey Breast – Masterbuilt Electric Smoker
FAQ
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℉.
What temperature to smoke turkey breast in an electric smoker?
Smoke turkey, maintaining temperature inside smoker between 225° and 250°, for 5 hours or until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest portion is 170°; let stand 10 minutes before slicing.
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.
Can you pull turkey off a smoker at 155?
156-158° hits the breasts you’re good to pull it out.
How do you smoke a turkey breast in an electric smoker?
Coat the breast evenly with the rub, pressing it into the skin. Let it sit for at least 30 minutes before smoking to allow the flavors to penetrate. Proper setup of your electric smoker is key for good temperature control: Temperature – Set your smoker to 225°F. This low and slow temperature is ideal for smoking turkey.
How long do you smoke turkey breast in a Masterbuilt electric smoker?
The smoking time for turkey breast in a Masterbuilt Electric Smoker will vary depending on the size and thickness of the breast. As a general guideline, plan to smoke the turkey breast for approximately 30 minutes per pound at a temperature of 275°F. Use a meat thermometer to ensure the internal temperature reaches 165°F for safe consumption.
How long does it take to smoke a turkey breast?
Close the smoker and set the temperature. Once the turkey breast is in the smoker, you need to close the door and set the temperature. The ideal temperature for smoking a turkey breast is between 225 and 250 degrees Fahrenheit. The smoking process can take anywhere from 4 to 8 hours, depending on the size of the turkey breast.
Should you brine a turkey breast before smoking?
Brining the turkey breast before smoking can help keep the meat moist and flavorful. Consider soaking the turkey breast in a brine solution of water, salt, sugar, and your choice of herbs and spices for at least 12 hours before smoking it in the Masterbuilt Electric Smoker.
How long do you smoke a 12 lb Turkey?
Maintain the smoker temperature at 225-250°F. Smoke the turkey for roughly 15-20 minutes per pound, until the breast reaches 165°F. Expect a 12 lb turkey to take 3-4 hours. Replenish wood chips if smoke stops billowing. Check turkey temp periodically but avoid opening the smoker door frequently. 5. Rest, Carve and Serve
Can a Masterbuilt electric smoker smoke turkey breast?
Using a water pan in the Masterbuilt Electric Smoker can help maintain a moist cooking environment, which is beneficial for smoking turkey breast. Fill the water pan with hot water to create steam during the smoking process, which can help prevent the turkey breast from drying out.