Description
This Perfect Smoked Turkey Breast recipe delivers a tender, juicy, and flavorful turkey that’s ideal for holidays, dinner parties, or any special occasion. The turkey is carefully injected with a savory marinade, rubbed with a blend of spices and butter, then slow-smoked to an irresistible golden finish that locks in moisture and deep smoky flavor.
Ingredients
Scale
Turkey and Injection Marinade
- 1 large turkey breast
- 1 injection syringe
- 3 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- ¼ cup water
- ½ fresh lemon, juiced
- ¼ cup melted butter
- ¼ cup oil
Spice Rub
- 1 tbsp chili powder
- 1 tbsp paprika
- 1 tbsp garlic salt
- 1 tbsp onion salt
- 1 teaspoon seasoning salt
- 1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
- 1 teaspoon ground sage
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon garlic salt
- 1 tsp onion salt
- ¼ cup room temperature butter
Instructions
- Prepare the Turkey Breast: Thaw your turkey breast completely, then rinse it under cold water and pat dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture.
- Inject the Marinade: Combine the Worcestershire sauce, water, lemon juice, melted butter, and oil to create the injection marinade. Fill the injection syringe with this mixture. Carefully poke a small hole into the turkey breast and insert the needle, pushing the marinade deep inside while moving the needle to different parts of the meat. Aim to inject the marinade evenly throughout the turkey with minimal holes.
- Apply Butter Under Skin: Take the room temperature or softened butter and rub it generously all over the exterior of the turkey breast, under the skin, and inside the cavity to ensure maximum moisture and flavor retention during smoking.
- Season the Turkey: In a bowl, mix together the chili powder, paprika, garlic salt, onion salt, seasoning salt, fresh ground pepper, sage, and dried thyme to form your spice rub. Apply the rub evenly over the entire turkey, including the cavity and under the skin.
- Marinate: Wrap the turkey breast tightly in cling wrap to seal in the flavors. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 24 hours; the longer it marinates, the more flavorful the turkey will be.
- Prepare the Smoker: Preheat your smoker to 225°F (107°C). Place the turkey breast breast-side up on the smoker rack and insert a meat probe into the thickest part of the breast.
- Smoke the Turkey: Close the smoker lid and allow the internal smoker temperature to gradually rise to a maximum of 350°F (177°C) if needed during cooking. Smoke the turkey until it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C), ensuring it is fully cooked and safe to eat.
- Rest and Serve: Remove the turkey from the smoker and let it rest covered loosely with foil for 20 minutes to allow the juices to redistribute. Carve into slices and serve hot.
Notes
- This smoked turkey breast is exceptionally tender and bursting with rich smoky flavors, making it a crowd-pleaser for holidays and special dinners.
- Injecting the marinade helps keep the meat juicy and flavorful throughout the smoking process.
- Marinating the bird for longer periods enhances depth of flavor.
- Using a meat probe thermometer ensures perfectly cooked turkey every time without drying out.
- Resting the turkey after smoking lets the juices redistribute for optimal moistness.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 149 kcal
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 720 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 2 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 14 g
- Cholesterol: 45 mg
