Smoked Turkey Breast

This smoked turkey breast recipe is adapted from Weber, and it comes out tender, juicy, and perfect every time!

Course Dinner

Cuisine American

Keyword hickory smoked turkey breast, how to smoke a turkey breast, smoked bone in turkey breast, smoked turkey breast

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 4

Resting Time 20

Total Time 4 35

Servings people

Calories 110kcal

Author Blair Lonergan

Pat turkey breast dry with paper towels. Liberally salt and pepper the inside cavity.
Brush the turkey breast with olive oil (or melted butter).
Season liberally on all sides with all-purpose seasoning or with kosher salt and ground black pepper.
Prepare the smoker for indirect cooking with very low heat (200°F - 250°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. 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 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.

Allow plenty of time for the turkey to thaw in the refrigerator before cooking. We try to allot about 1 week (or at least 3-4 days) for proper thawing.
Let the turkey breast come to room temperature before smoking.
The meat is delicious warm, but it's also great at room temperature. If you're hosting a busy holiday gathering and you'd like to get the turkey breast done a little bit early, no problem. Tent it loosely with aluminum foil and let it rest for up to 2 hours at room temperature before slicing with a sharp knife and serving. After about 2 hours the turkey should be refrigerated.