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Slicing smoked turkey breast

Smoked Turkey Breast: Cooking and Pull Temps

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Description

Boneless smoked turkey breasts, adapted from a recipe found on MeatChurch.com


Ingredients

  • 2 boneless, skinless turkey breast halves
  • 2 Tbsp mayonnaise
  • BBQ rub or another seasoning
  • 1 C kosher salt
  • 1/2 C sugar (optional)
  • Other brine ingredients, optional (we used a half bottle of hot sauce)

Ingredients for smoked turkey breast


Instructions

Brine the meat

  • Combine the cup of kosher salt (and the sugar if using) with one gallon of water. Stir to combine until all the salt is dissolved. 
  • Place the breasts in the brine and put the brine in the refrigerator for 3–6 hours. 

turkey breasts in a brine

Cook the turkey

  • As the meat approaches the end of its brining time, preheat your smoker to 275°F (135°C). If using Billows™ BBQ Control Fan, set the fan-control channel on your Smoke X2 for that temp. 
  • Remove the meat from the brine and discard the brine. 
  • Pat the meat dry with paper towels.
  • Smear the mayo onto the surface of the meat, scraping it with a gloved finger so that only a bare coat remains. 
  • Season the breasts on both sides with your favorite poultry rub. 

Seasoning turkey breasts for smoking

  • Place the turkey in the smoker and probe a breast with your Smoke X2. Set the high-temp alarm for 157°F (69°C).

probing a turkey breast

  • Smoke until the high-temp alarm sounds on your meat channel. 
  • Thermometer showing finished turkey breast
  • Use your Thermapen ONE to verify that 157°F (69°C) is the lowest temp you can find in the meat. 

Temping turkey with a Thermapen

  • Remove the meat from the smoker and let it rest for a few minutes before carving in. 
  • Slice it up and serve it!

Slicing smoked turkey breast

Note: only slice as much as you will eat. The leftovers are better if you let the breast cool as a chunk then slice the meat for sandwiches off of that chunk. Slicing it all when hot, then cooling it will yield drier sandwich meat.