Smoked Boneless Turkey Breast Recipe - Smoked Wild Turkey Breast (2024)

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4.78 from 48 votes

By Hank Shaw

April 28, 2014 | Updated February 15, 2021

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Anyone who’s ever cooked any sort of turkey, wild or domesticated, knows that the breast meat can get dry in a hurry. Smoked boneless turkey breast chief among them.

That’s because a boneless turkey breast doesn’t have the breastbone to protect it from drying out. Fear not, however, I’ll show you how to go about it.

Smoked Boneless Turkey Breast Recipe - Smoked Wild Turkey Breast (2)

The end goal is that tender, juicy turkey breast, smoky, maybe a touch sweet, but you don’t want it dry as the Sahara, or with the thinner, tail end of the breast turned into jerky.

I do this with two techniques: First, slice off the triangular tail end, and use that for another recipe, like maybe turkey parmesan, and just smoke the thick part. Here’s how you cut it:

Smoked Boneless Turkey Breast Recipe - Smoked Wild Turkey Breast (3)

The second technique is to brine or salt cure the meat: That’s the secret to fantastic smoked boneless turkey breast.

And while you can get away with not brining a store-bought turkey, smoking a wild turkey breast requires a salt brine. Period. If you are not familiar with what brining does, it uses the power of salt and osmosis to slightly denature the proteins in the meat, swelling them with salty moisture and trapping more liquid in the meat than it would otherwise be able to contain.

So when you cook it, and you get the inevitable moisture loss that heat causes, there was already so much moisture in the brined meat to begin with that it remains juicy.

I use what is called an equalization cure for my “brine,” which is not really a brine. It’s dry salting. You do this by weighing the turkey breast in grams — yes, you need a scaleSmoked Boneless Turkey Breast Recipe - Smoked Wild Turkey Breast (4) — and then weighing out 1.5 percent of that weight in kosher or sea salt. Add to this some brown sugar (that weight need not be exact) mix and massage into the turkey breast.

Ideally you’d vacuum seal it and set it in the fridge for at least 3 days, and really up to a week or more — this cure will not make the turkey breast too salty, unlike other ways of brining or salt curing.

Once you have that set, you need to dry the turkey breast to form what’s called a pellicle on the surface of the meat. A pellicle is a thin sheen or skin of denatured proteins that, when it dries out a bit, becomes tacky. This allows smoke to adhere to the meat far better then if you put wet meat into a smoker. This is an important step in smoking ignored by a lot of amateurs. Don’t be that guy.

Smoked Boneless Turkey Breast Recipe - Smoked Wild Turkey Breast (5)

I like smoking over fruit woods (cherry in this case), but you can use whatever. Oak, hickory, walnut, beech, alder, mesquite… Whatever you want will be fine, only no conifers! Pine pitch and turpentine are not good eats.

To give the turkey one last punch, I paint it with something sweet. I used honey here, but maple syrup, birch syrup, agave nectar, a fruit syrup or even molasses would work. Why do this? Um… is there a person on earth who doesn’t like the combination of sweet-salty-smoky-meaty?

I didn’t think so.

Smoked Boneless Turkey Breast Recipe - Smoked Wild Turkey Breast (6)

I generally use a smoked boneless turkey breast as lunch meat, for sandwiches. But if that’s not your thing, make a meal out of it and serve your smoked turkey warm. Maybe with a gravy. You can also slice, then roughly chop, your smoked turkey for the meat in turkey tacos.

Once made, this will keep about a week in the fridge, and it freezes well.

4.78 from 48 votes

Smoked Wild Turkey Breast

To trim, I slice off the thin triangle of turkey breast that lays over the tail end of the breast -- you will notice that all bird breasts have a thick and a thin end, and you are trimming the turkey's breast so you have, more or less, a big cylinder of meat that smokes better.

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Course: Appetizer, Cured Meat, Main Course

Cuisine: American

Servings: 6

Author: Hank Shaw

Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 4 hours hours

Total Time: 4 hours hours 20 minutes minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 skinless turkey breast, trimmed (see note above)
  • kosher salt (see note above)
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1/3 cup honey, maple syrup or other syrup

Instructions

  • Mix together the salt and sugar. Massage the mixture into the meat and, ideally, vacuum seal it. If not, put the salted turkey into a freezer bag. Set in the fridge for at least 3 days to cure.

  • Remove the turkey breast from the bag and set it in the fridge, uncovered, for an hour or three to form the pellicle, a sheen that allows the turkey to take on smoke better. Turn the turkey over a few times while you do this. Don't skip this step!

  • Smoke the turkey slowly at about 200ºF until it reaches an internal temperature of about 160ºF -- this takes about 4 hours with my smoker. Let the turkey smoke undisturbed for an hour, then paint it with honey every 45 minutes or so until it's done. When the turkey is ready, take it out of the smoker and set it on a rack. Paint it one more time with the honey and serve any way you like it: Warm for dinner, or cold for sandwiches.

Notes

Once made, the smoked turkey will keep in the fridge for a week or so, and can be frozen (vacuum-sealed is my preference) for up to a year.

Nutrition

Calories: 92kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 3mg | Potassium: 22mg | Sugar: 24g | Calcium: 8mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Tried this recipe? Tag me today!Mention @huntgathercook or tag #hankshaw!

Categorized as:
American Recipes, Appetizers and Snacks, Charcuterie, Featured, Recipe, Wild Game

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About Hank Shaw

Hey there. Welcome to Hunter Angler Gardener Cook, the internet’s largest source of recipes and know-how for wild foods. I am a chef, author, and yes, hunter, angler, gardener, forager and cook. Follow me on Instagram and on Facebook.

Read More About Me

Smoked Boneless Turkey Breast Recipe - Smoked Wild Turkey Breast (2024)

FAQs

How long does it take to smoke boneless turkey breast? ›

Rub your favorite seasoning over turkey. Place on middle rack of smoker and smoke for 4 ½ to 5 hours, about 45 minutes per pound, or until internal temperature reaches 165°F.

What temp is wild turkey breast done? ›

Remove the turkey from the grill and let rest for 10 minutes. The turkey will continue to cook once removed from the grill to reach a final temperature of 165℉. Slice and serve with your favorite sides. Enjoy!

Is wild turkey good smoked? ›

The meat from a wild turkey is so lean and—especially if it's an older tom—dense, it doesn't lend itself to a long, dry sit in a smoker. However, with some preparation and the right technique, you can end up with a moist, delicious wild turkey from the smoker. Here are a few things to consider.

How do you cook already smoked turkey breast? ›

Preheat oven to 350° F. Remove turkey breast from packaging and rewrap in aluminum foil (to prevent sticking, first spray aluminum foil with nonstick cooking spray). Place foil-wrapped turkey breast in shallow roasting pan. Heat at 350° F for 1 hour and 20 minutes.

What is the best temp to smoke boneless turkey breast? ›

Setup your smoker for cooking at 225-240 °F with indirect heat. When the smoker is preheated, place the pan with the turkey breasts into the smoker. Let the turkey cook until it reaches an internal temperature of 162°F. Remove the turkey from the smoker and let it rest under loose foil for about 10-15 minutes.

How long does it take to smoke a boneless turkey breast at 225? ›

Smoke turkey, maintaining temperature inside smoker between 225°F and 250°F, for 3 ½ to 4 hours or until a meat thermometer inserted into thickest portion registers 165°F.

Do you need to soak wild turkey breast before cooking? ›

The outer muscle tends to draw up while the meat is cooking, making it harder to chew. Then just marinate or inject the meat with your favorite marinade and let the meat soak for a few hours in the refrigerator. Then remove and cook the meat with the method of your choice.

Is wild turkey breast tough? ›

Wild turkey isn't the same as that turkey you bought frozen from the grocery store, which is usually brined and covered in a lot more fat. In our experience, unless you're careful, wild turkey can tend to be tougher and drier than its domestic counterpart. However, it doesn't need to be that way.

Is turkey breast done at 165 or 180? ›

The Right Way to Take the Temperature of Your Turkey

The government recommends cooking turkey breast to 165°F (74°C). I prefer my turkey breast at 150°F (66°F), at which point it is far, far juicier (especially if you dry brine it!).

Can you eat smoked turkey without cooking it? ›

Butterball Smoked Whole Turkeys are fully cooked and ready to eat. They can be used in recipes calling for cooked turkey without prior heating. The pink color of the meat comes from smoking and curing and is not a sign of undercooked meat.

Is smoked turkey breast ready to eat? ›

Our Smoked Turkeys are fully cooked and ready to eat. We recommend that the turkey be served at room temperature, but can be re-heated and still be delicious. Simply follow these instructions for re-heating for the best results.

What do you soak a wild turkey breast in? ›

Place either the whole turkey or the breast meat in cold water that is lightly salted for about 8 hours or overnight. If you are just using the breast meat, soak it in the water in the refrigerator. If using the whole bird, a clean cooler with ice water works well.

Why is my smoked turkey breast tough? ›

The high-convection environment of a smoker is enough to draw out the moisture faster than the skin can crisp. The result is tough, leathery skin. We do a couple things to combat that effect. First off, the dry brine you apply will actually help the turkey skin retain moisture longer as it smokes.

Can I eat smoked turkey breast without cooking? ›

Smoking is a preservation method. Well smoked meat does not need to be cooked but can be if you like. Smoking involves long slow cooking over low smoky heat. So it's already cooked.

How do you prepare an already smoked turkey? ›

Place your smoked turkey on the broiler try rack and tent securely with tin foil. Place the trayed smoked turkey in the middle of a 350° F oven and cook for about 1.5 – 2 hours (or until a meat thermometer reaches about 140° F in the center of the breast). Remove the turkey and carve for serving.

Is it better to smoke a turkey breast at 225 or 250? ›

225 -240 degrees is what I recommend and adhere to to make sure the sugar in the rub does not burn. If you are one of those who absolutely must have crunchy skin on the bird then do what you must but to me, it's all about the meat being moist and the rub on the outside not being burnt.

How long to smoke boneless turkey breast at 250? ›

It's going to vary slightly by the size of the turkey, whether it has a bone, and the type of smoker you use. However a general guide is 30 minutes per pound at 225° F, 25 minutes per pound at 250° F, and 13 minutes per pound at 350° F.

How do you keep a turkey breast from drying out when smoking? ›

I absolutely recommend brining the turkey! Brining helps to keep the moisture in the breast while it cooks, and it helps to add flavor. The salt penetrates the meat, which makes it overall more tender and juicy.

How to smoke a boneless skinless turkey breast? ›

Prepare your smoker for indirect cooking at 225 degrees F. Smoke the turkey. Remove the turkey breast from the marinade and place it directly on the grill grates. Close the lid and smoke at 225 degrees F for about 2 hours, or until the internal temperature reads 150 degrees F (whichever happens first.)

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