Smoked Turkey Breast

3 Reviews
ADD YOUR REVIEW
Photo: Jody Horton; Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas 
Hands-on Time
20 Mins
Total Time
10 Hours 5 Mins
Yield
Makes 8 to 10 servings
By Mary Catherine and Drew Curren and Mary Catherine and Drew Curren
November 2013
RECIPE BY Southern Living

Smoked Turkey Breast is a winning choice for your Thanksgiving table or any dining occasion. This turkey breast is bursting with smoky flavor, incredibly moist, and super tender too.

Ingredients

  • 1 (64-oz.) bottle apple cider
  • 3/4 cup kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 3 (4-inch) fresh thyme sprigs
  • 2 (4-inch) fresh rosemary sprigs
  • 10 fresh sage leaves
  • 1 garlic bulb, cut in half crosswise
  • 4 cups ice cubes
  • 1 (5 3/4- to 6-lb.) bone-in turkey breast
  • 4 hickory wood chunks

How to Make It

Step 1

Bring cider and next 7 ingredients to a boil in a large stockpot or 8-qt. Dutch oven over medium-high heat; reduce heat to medium, and simmer, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in ice. Cool completely (1 hour).

Step 2

Place turkey in brine; cover and chill 5 to 12 hours.

Step 3

Prepare smoker according to manufacturer's directions, bringing internal temperature to 225° to 250°; maintain temperature 15 to 20 minutes. Place wood chunks on coals.

Step 4

Remove turkey from brine, and pat dry with paper towels. Smoke turkey, maintaining temperature inside smoker between 225° and 250°, for 3 1/2 to 4 hours or until a meat thermometer inserted into thickest portion registers 165°.

Step 5

Remove turkey, cover loosely with aluminum foil, and let stand 10 to 15 minutes before slicing.

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Ratings & Reviews

brighteyes8's Review

CW1979
November 28, 2013
This is hands down the best turkey I have ever tasted. It was bursting with moisture and smoky flavor and super tender too. Sodium level in the meat was perfect. No bland turkey here, and no need for any sauce or adornment. Perfect!

JUICIEST SMOKED TURKEY BREAST EVER!!

brighteyes8
October 05, 2016
I've been smoking meats in a variety of methods for 30+ years, but this is THE BEST SMOKER RECIPE EVER!! I really didn't change a thing, except to split the bone on turkey breast to flatten it so it would fit on one smoker rack so I could smoke other meat on the other shelves. Using a 4 rack electric smoker, we made pork ribs & a whole cut up roasting chicken along with the 6# turkey breast in one cook. The marinade was used as the liquid in the smoker pan, & smelled fabulous as the meat cooked. Applewood & Jack Daniels Barrel Wood chips were used in the wood box. I cooked everything at 250F for just under 4 hours.This turkey breast was THE MOISTEST MOST PERFECT DELICIOUS EVER! I put an apple & a few fresh bay leaves in the breast cavity, which I discarded before serving. The meat was incredibly juicy, & was universally lover by all that tried it. We ate half that day & the rest the next, & it was still unusually good. Try serving it with cranberry orange relish (1 bag fresh/frozen cranberries, 1 whole orange & 1 c sugar; combine all in food processor until finely blended). I don't know what the secret to the juiciest turkey breast ever is, but it IS somewhere in this Fabius recipe. I will never look elsewhere again. THANK YOU, DEAR, for awesome magic recipe!

CW1979's Review

Mothersquid
November 03, 2013
This by far has been the best turkey breast we ever had. Incredibly moist and flavorful. No gravy required! I prepared the brine the night before exactly as the recipe indicates and brined for about 10 hours. My husband smoked the turkey as the recipe specifies and let it rest. The meat is so tender that it is very easy to slice. We served with mashed potatoes and squash. If the weather is decent for Thanksgiving, this may very likely become an annual tradition. I just can't say enough about it.